S/O 4 minutes late - Called out when early?

[rose red]

I like to be at places extra early to get settled in and calm down.  If the class start early, I would be a bit annoyed because my mind is programed for class at 9am, not 8:55am.  I'm certainly not waiting for anyone (per the last line of the OP).  Witnessing that exchange would not make me impressed with the instructor; like she just wants to hurry up so she can leave.

[DaDancingPsych]

I like to be at places extra early to get settled in and calm down.  If the class start early, I would be a bit annoyed because my mind is programed for class at 9am, not 8:55am.  I'm certainly not waiting for anyone (per the last line of the OP).  Witnessing that exchange would not make me impressed with the instructor; like she just wants to hurry up so she can leave.

This was my thought, too. I leave that bumper of time for mishaps, but I also like to arrive early so that I can prepare myself. I use those few minutes to use the restroom, sharpen my pencil (I guess we don’t do that anymore), review any related notes, or even just to social/network with others. It’s not a huge deal that the instructor started early, but I would be especially annoyed to be that last person with NO time to settle in. While I would still manage, I would certainly not appreciate being told that I was late. The OP was NOT late and should not have been treated as if that was the case!

This reminds me of a flight I took once. I had planned enough time to grab a coffee and breakfast prior to boarding the plane. When I got to my gate (breakfast in hand), the flight attendant acted somewhat impatient with me.

Flight Attendant: “Oh good, you’re here, we paged your name, but you didn’t show up.”
Me: *slightly panicked* “I’m sorry; I never heard it. I didn’t know that I was late!”
FA: “No, you’re not late. The pilot just wanted to pull away from the gate early to avoid a long wait on the tarmac.”

I felt embarrassed, but I wasn’t late. The funny this is that I really didn’t hold the plane up, because there were others still being seated. I felt a little guilty for eating my yummy breakfast, though.

[wyliefool]

I think you handled it perfectly. I really can't stand the whole "On time is late" mentality, at least when it's not expressed to everyone involved before the event in question. If the syllabus said the class started at 9 and the professor hadn't contacted everyone in the class to say otherwise, he and the horse he rode in on can get stuffed for all I care.

Honestly, even if he had contacted everyone to tell them to get there early I'd think he was a twit, but at least he'd have half a leg to stand on. And I'd leave his horse out of it in that scenario.

Yeah, the poor horses are always getting abused for the sins of their riders. Give 'em a break from time to time. 

[Iris]

I was sent to a nearby city for a work seminar.  I wanted to avoid morning rush hour traffic and arrived pretty early.  I was seated, watching others arrive and sign in.  The last person arrived and was signing in. 

Instructor:  Finally!  Now let's get started. 
Student:  Oh, I'm so sorry.  What time was the seminar supposed to start? 
Instructor:  9:00.
Student (looking at his watch):  What time is it now?
Instructor:  8:55.
Student:  Then I respectfully withdraw my apology.

I so admired the exchange!  I would never be brave enough to do it though.

Emma that is SO close to what happened except for me not being as cool as that student.

Thanks guys. When someone told me I was wrong I was like  but I thought I'd mention it. I'm always finding out about new bits of etiquette so I was starting to think that maybe it's rude not to, I don't know, show your eagerness by being there early with an apple for the teacher or something. I really need to stop letting other people make me doubt myself.

[Dragonflymom]

One of my friends pulled this on me.  She had invited me and a couple others for dinner at her house at 6 pm.  I left promptly at 5:40, plenty of time to get to her house 15 minutes away and find a parking space in the street.  She called me at 5:45, I didn't pick up as I was driving, and she left a message asking where I was and saying that I was there.  I actually got there a little early, listened to her message in the car then after going in asked her weren't we getting together at 6.  She didn't have much to say to that.

It was especially irritating as she and her husband are just about always late to things at my house and I've never called to bug them about where they are, and never reproached them for being late (though I do go ahead and serve dinner without them after they are over 15 minutes late, and let them nuke their own plates).

[Raintree]

This sometimes happens to me in my job in real estate sales.

For example, I have an appointment at 9am to show a house and I get a call at 8:45am from the buyer to check on where I am - they are already there in the driveway waiting. I know it's probably because they're just excited and anxious but at least give me the opportunity to be on time before you call me as though I'm actually late!

I think they may get this expectation because I am often there before them to open the house up and turn on lights, etc. However, sometimes (for whatever reason) it just isn't possible for me to get there before the scheduled appointment. Sometimes, the seller hasn't even left their own house yet either!

Oh, a little off topic but having just helped my elderly dad sell his home, I can say that it drove me NUTS when buyers showed up early. It's stressful and disruptive enough to have to scurry around cleaning and putting things away (ie things you USE on a daily basis but that realtors tell you to put away in the interests of staging). And to have to hoist a slow-moving elderly parent out of the house. I had other things to get done in life too. So I was really pressed for time. I'd be on the last stages of vacuuming and straightening before leaving, and then I'd see PEOPLE coming towards the door. Arghhh!! If you're coming at 2, come at 2!!! It's a bit much to make me leave even earlier.