Irish people and time keeping...

Chuck Stone

I was going out with a girl from one of those efficient countries on the mainland.

I had to learn to be wishy-washy with my language with her because she would take what I said literally.

'I'll see you at 8pm' meant disappointment and questions if I turned up at 9pm (she'd be at home - not waiting for me outside btw!!).

I remember going over for a visit to said country and she was rushing to get the bus all efficiently and I'd say 'hey! be cool. We'll take our time and get the next bus'.

Very different attitudes to time keeping.

Latchy

bnt wrote: »

If you don't like being stereotyped in this way, don't make a commitment unless you are willing and able to keep it. :cool:

Don't get all bothered when somebody points this irony out to you either .

parrai

bnt wrote: »

After my first year in Ireland, I became well-acquainted with the phenomenon I call "Irish Time". I lived in the UK and South Africa before moving to Ireland, and have spent months in the USA: I didn't see quite the same thing in those countries. "Irish Time" is not to be confused with "African Time":
African Time: "When will the train arrive?" "Tomorrow". And the train arrives tomorrow. Vague, but correct.
Irish Time: "When will you be here?" "10am tomorrow". Person does not arrive at 10am, possibly not even the same day.
The difference is that African Time doesn't promise more than it delivers, but Irish Time is all about promises that are not kept. In my experience this is a peculiarly Irish phenomenon. If you don't like being stereotyped in this way, don't make a commitment unless you are willing and able to keep it. :cool:

:rolleyes:

binxeo

Latchy wrote: »

Then when they do call up to explain or arrive (if at all ) they make it sound like they are doing you a favour ...when it's only what they were supposed to be doing anyway . I hear ya and it is pretty inconsiderate

Exactly.... they are not doing me a favour, I am doing them a favour. If a trademan messy me about regarding times, I will just get someone else to do the job and the first guy looses his money. Its his choice in the end of the day. Be on time or don't get the job. Simples.

Bowlardo wrote: »

I was in a team meeting a few last years where the team leader was going around to everyone doing the whole your not doing this right or what not.

Time keeping was as big issue at the time.... maura was late 9 times last month (if you logged in at 9:01 it was considered a "late")

Team leader: "Maura you had 9 lates last month. how come this keeps happen and what do you think you can do to prevent this happening again?"

Maura: "to be honest i have accepted that I am the type of person who is always going to be late and i think you will just have to accept that the way i am"

Team leader left speechless ...priceless......

Team leader should have gone to HR I reckon. People will continue with this type of attitude if no one does any thing about it. That is half the problem in this country nobody does/say anything.

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

They are doing you a favour. They are accepting your money in exchange for their services. Anyway putting all that aside I think you have a very bad attitude. The world does not work the way you want it to and everyone does not plan their day around you. Most people learn this at the 8-12 age but for soem reason you don't seem to have.

What planet are YOU on mate.....people don't learn that at 8-12. We learn in school to be on time to stick to a time table to be in a certain class at a certain time for a certain lesson and if you are late you get a reported of being late. Work and services aren't about favours...maybe you should look up that word ina dictionary mate....you don't seem to understand the difference between work/service and favours

FYI "favour US, favor [ˈfeɪvə]n1. an approving attitude; good will
2. an act performed out of good will, generosity, or mercy"

LiamN wrote: »

Sorry, I'm a bit late to the thread..., but;
What if they're doing that, i.e. "going the extra mile" for their customers - the one(s) before you.

I'm sorry here but you think by being punctual and on-time is going the extra mile. So are customer service reps in call centers going the extra mile by answering the phones.....where is the logic there!!!

Tazz T

Someone mentioned the Spanish and Italians were just as bad. From my experiences in Greece, the Greeks are worst of all. They won't turn up and simply shrug it off when you contact them. Strangely enough, these seem to be all the nationalities in trouble at the moment. Has anyone had similar experience with the Portuguese.

I hate people who are late. What they're saying by being late is that your time isn't as important as theirs, i,e, they're superior to you.

Where To

Bowlardo wrote: »

I was in a team meeting a few last years where the team leader was going around to everyone doing the whole your not doing this right or what not.

Time keeping was as big issue at the time.... maura was late 9 times last month (if you logged in at 9:01 it was considered a "late")

Team leader: "Maura you had 9 lates last month. how come this keeps happen and what do you think you can do to prevent this happening again?"

Maura: "to be honest i have accepted that I am the type of person who is always going to be late and i think you will just have to accept that the way i am"

Team leader left speechless ...priceless......

Maura should be sacked tbh.

Iggy Pop

The King of Moo wrote: »

That happens in a lot of other countries.

It's the exact same in the U.K and Italy (among others), and the Spanish "Mañana" culture is famous.

A famous Gaelic professor was asked if there was an Irish translation for word Mañana so he did some research and replied that were some that were reasonably close but that there was none that expressed the same sense of urgency :pac:

Latchy

Iggy Pop wrote: »

A famous Gaelic professor was asked if there was an Irish translation for word Mañana so he did some research and replied that were some that were reasonably close but that there was none that expressed the same sense of urgency :pac:

Brendan Behan quote I think .

Biedronka

parrai wrote: »

the problem is your issue with IRISH people when this is a common problem in a lot of trades, in a lot of countries around the world...

Sure the title of the thread is making you think it is unfair generalization, but I think I have mentioned in one post that I am sure there are decent punctual people here, but this is just my experience and I can't help it.
I used to live in Poland, Sweden, Germany, USA and sure, there were always some problems with people doing some services and stuff, but it was never so crazy with timekeeping.
Maybe I am not so easy going, maybe I am getting old or something and I just wouldn't care about it at all some time ago, but recently somehow I needed many things done around the house and it was just unbelivable. All the strugling with getting anybody to do anything!
Sorry, but my afternoon and evening is ruined after I am waiting for two hours for somebody to "do me a favour" and fix the hot water!
Both -I can't take shower and I am just so upset I can't relax!
Why wouldnt he tell me he just cant -I would look for somebody else!
This simply is not fair, they are chancing it and this is very very bad attitude!

Wetai

binxeo wrote: »

I'm sorry here but you think by being punctual and on-time is going the extra mile. So are customer service reps in call centers going the extra mile by answering the phones.....where is the logic there!!!

They could be doing it for people before someone, meaning they could be late for that person. i.e. if they're trying to do a bit extra for person 1, 2, & 3 - this could make them a bit late for person 4 & 5, for example. Doing 5 minutes extra work for person A would make them 5 minutes late for person B, C, and D.

Logical Fallacy

bnt wrote: »

If you don't like being stereotyped in this way, don't make a commitment unless you are willing and able to keep it. :cool:

Oddly enough, unless you send out a press release i reckon your advice isn't worth ****.

LH Pathe

What of people with hair that needs time to negotiate

I need a hairstylist. Sister proving useless.. Takes too long out' the bath

binxeo

LiamN wrote: »

They could be doing it for people before someone, meaning they could be late for that person. i.e. if they're trying to do a bit extra for person 1, 2, & 3 - this could make them a bit late for person 4 & 5, for example. Doing 5 minutes extra work for person A would make them 5 minutes late for person B, C, and D.

Well this is where the courtesy call would come into play. Just a simply "Hi, I was due at you house a X time I won't make it till Y time. And then be there at the new time agreed. Don't ring, make a new time and then be late by the new time too. It's not that hard to make a phone call....is it!! Which was my original beef with this whole thing. As there can always be extenuating circumstances you have to accept people maybe late...there is always an F-ing tractor some where doing 5mph that will hold you up...but ring, make contact, people would be surprised how far this little display of respect would get them....maybe even a cuppa

DEFTLEFTHAND

The table quiz is a prime example of the Irish approach to timekeeping. If you see one advertised for 8pm you can be guaranteed it won't start till at least half 10.

Snakeblood

LH Pathe wrote: »

What of people with hair that needs time to negotiate

I need a hairstylist. Sister proving useless.. Takes too long out' the bath

Do everything in your life an hour earlier?

Johro

parrai wrote: »

Whilst you (OP) have a valid point in time keeping and making appointments being important, the problem is your issue with IRISH people when this is a common problem in a lot of trades, in a lot of countries around the world... You just can't generalise like this without getting people annoyed... It make your point sound fascist.



In any business that requires a call out, a business can only give a certain time period, because the simple fact is, no-one can predict the way their day will turn out... They can look at the day the have mapped out, and say these jobs will take a certain amount of time and it SHOULD be possible to fit your job in...

Now I agree, this should be said at the beginning.

Have to agree with some of that alright, though I reckon if it had been an Irish bloke saying the same thing it wouldn't have been such an issue, most of ya would've said 'yeah, it's proper f#ckin annoying when people leave ya hanging like that'. I do understand how it comes across very negatively when said by a non-Irish person. As was pointed out to me by someone, it was the words 'why is this so difficult for most of you?
Also, maybe the reason those people tend to be late is that they're too busy drinking and fighting.

fran oconnor

Biedronka wrote: »

-yeah, everyone gets a flat tyre here all the time. I am busy too and I expect people to recpect my time like I do. I am never late, when I say I will be somewhere at some time, I am. Unless I dont don't know, there is fire or some emergency.
IMO this is just lack of respect and its not professional at all!

If its so bad, whats keeping you here??. move if you are not happy..

Oh, and for the record, if i say i'll be somewhere at a certain time, as sure as your arse is in two halfs i'll be there..

CageWager

OP, yes it is annoying, no its not just irish people

/thread

JustAddWater

Snakeblood wrote: »

Do everything in your life an hour earlier?

Did you forget to put the clock back?

Pherekydes

Don't know what you mean, OP.

The Irish are always years early getting to their local.

fran oconnor

Pherekydes wrote: »

Don't know what you mean, OP.

The Irish are always years early getting to their local.

At least we go down to the local, even if we are not at home. Unlike most foreign nationals we tend to be social.

carfiosaoorl

OP thats just how we are not meaning to be offensive or rude. I think this is one of the things that define us, to me anyway. There is no rush, plenty of time and I hope that never changes. I love that about the Irish people.

EarlERizer

Hard to please women the world over! .......... it's either a complaint about coming to early or not coming when called!!

Biedronka

fran oconnor wrote: »

At least we go down to the local, even if we are not at home. Unlike most foreign nationals we tend to be social.

I have irish husband and I have to drag him to go out sometimes. :pac:

Biedronka

carfiosaoorl wrote: »

plenty of time and I hope that never changes. I love that about the Irish people.

-I wish I have this time, I could be just as relaxed then.

Johro

carfiosaoorl wrote: »

OP thats just how we are not meaning to be offensive or rude. I think this is one of the things that define us, to me anyway. There is no rush, plenty of time and I hope that never changes. I love that about the Irish people.

I have to admit, so do I. 'Ah sure, there's always tomorrow...'
Until I need something doing.:p

fran oconnor

Biedronka wrote: »

-I wish I have this time, I could be just as relaxed then.

Your one of the very few so :rolleyes:.

Biedronka

fran oconnor wrote: »

Your one of the very few so :rolleyes:.

-you mean I took your job? :pac:

Darkginger

I'm not Irish (am English) but have lived here for 12 years, and I love the Irish sense of time. After years being a slave to the clock back in the UK, it's good to relax a bit. Used to work for an electrician/plumber and have lost count of the number of calls I took about him not turning up on time - but he did a damn fine job when he did get there. I've learned to expect people to turn up when they're ready to, and not before. Yeah, it can be inconvenient, but I feel a lot better for not stressing over it. I just allow a far wider 'window of expectation' than I would in the UK, and I no longer wear a watch

beks101

I live in Canada and it has well and truly kicked the 'late' habit out of my system.

Back home I was terrible, I'd routinely arrive about 30 minutes late for work and for more informal meetings like dinner/drinks with friends, it could be up to an hour after the meeting time that I'd swing through the doors.

Here, I arrive a few minutes late for work and it's 'did the subway get delayed? It's nine minutes after 10...' to the point where I gathered that it's pretty much a no-no. I turned up 'fashionably' late for a date one evening and yer man had been and gone already.

They just don't get the 'late' thing, it's a total taboo and they consider it the height of rudeness. I think they're a lot more literal than Irish people too...we tend to say 'meet you about 8-ish' or 'give or take 9 o'clock', which invariably means you add an hour or two onto that to get the real time...whereas here, they say eight and they mean eight! Sometimes I miss my 'late' self though, it meant I was a little more carefree and breezy about things and never had to wait on anyone!