Saturday, May 26, 2012

Forced to be 2 minutes early!


I'm often asked what are the main cultural differences between the French and other nationalities (namely English speaking ones!) and the management of time is definitely one. Hence the "scandal" that is currently taking place in your train stations at the moment: the SNCF (railway company) has decided to close the doors of the TGV (bullet train) as early as 2 minutes before departure! No way you can "jump" on board at the last minute any more... Imagine!  Why is it that French people often arrive just on time or late? I have no idea...

21 comments:

  1. I have always thought that in my english speaking country, when certain people are always late, that it is a 'passive aggressive' act. They think that their time is more important than yours. So when they miss trains, buses etc I don't feel any compassion for them as they have kept all people in their lives 'waiting' for them.

    One should try to be a minute early or on time when meeting someone. Think about it! Is it a passive agressive act?

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  2. I wonder why they are closing the doors early - is it for liability reasons, like they are afraid someone might lose a limb if they try to hop on at the last moment?

    P.S. Happy belated BDay Jeff :)

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  3. If they close the doors of the 10:00 train 2 minutes early, it's not a 10:00 train, it's a 9:58 train! The departure time is the time you have to be on the train, not the time it starts moving.

    As for your spurious slander of English speaking countries, I suggest you spend a bit of time observing a Swiss train station. No self-respecting Swiss rider would waste five minutes sitting in a Bahnhaus or Gare or even a Stazione when they could more efficiently use those precious seconds doing something more productive or enjoyable.

    Perhaps the problem is the French are ALWAYS so late that SNCF had to figure out a way to get them to be two minutes LESS late.

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  4. Thank you, Monnica!

    The late/early debate goes on forever. "Fashionably late" or respectfully early.

    If the train is to depart at time x, then you should be on it prior to that. (I don't agree with imajoebob's statement, but I'm just a dumb Yank who is genetically late for many things.)

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  5. I do think a 10:00 train is a 10:00 train. But I also agree with Anonymous, that someone who's always late is being passive-aggressive, even when they don't mean to be. (Occasional lateness is forgivable, constant lateness is a different story.)

    I know this to be true because I have a regular engagement I don't particularly like and try as I might I am always late for it. For everything else, I'm pretty much on time.

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  6. @Imagejoebob "Perhaps the problem is the French are ALWAYS so late that SNCF had to figure out a way to get them to be two minutes LESS late." Actually they claim that if they have to close the doors 2 minutes before departure, it's precisely to avoid late departures and... late arrivals. Not sure it's that true though ;-)

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  7. I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date.
    No time to say "Hello", "Goodbye"
    I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!
    Am I passively aggressive
    or merely fashionably late?

    All I know is I'm ****** late!

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  8. I really like this blog is a great pleasure to read something new and interesting.

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  9. French people are not always late, some of them are so ahead of time I do feel they are passive agressive
    That is in Haute-Savoie (close to Swiss border, btw). When expected at, say, 11 A.M., neighbours will pop in at 10.45 A.M. or earlier!
    well, I prefer to wait for people who are late then to be caught finishing private things 15 minutes before an apointment ;o))

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  10. "Punctuality is the politeness of kings!" You wouldn't be late for an interview for a job, would you? Then, why would you be late for someone you care about! It's all about upbringing! I know a good number of old-school French friends who are very punctual - it's the younger generation who tend to ignore this virtue. One way to deal with this is behavioral modification, which means closing the TGV doors 2 minutes early - if you have missed your train once, you won't do it again!

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  11. Lili, showing up 15 minutes early is rude! I might be in the shower! As far as I'm concerned they can wait outside until the appointed time.

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  12. Hahaha my daughter must be French!

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  13. It drives me crazy when people run for a train they clearly are not going to make. My attitude is another will come. However, I was never late until I had a child. Now I feel like I am always late. Such is life.

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  14. After so many years you still do such a great job with your blog.
    Christiane
    www.aphotographerinparis.com

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  15. Love your blog!
    Great job!
    Had an experience last month in Paris when we missed a train by 2 minutes ... now I know why!
    Keep up your good work!
    Teresa

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  16. Forgot to add that we were 'on time'!
    Thanks again!
    Teresa

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  17. I think Anonymous has a point. Not a problem for me, because this English-speaking girl is usually an hour early!

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  18. "Departure time" means the time the train departs...not the time one boards. Lock the doors! I love it.

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  19. Being late is very disrespectful of other people's time.

    Why would other passengers want you to waste their time instead of them wasting their own time?

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  20. @Celeste - so if they lock the doors at 900
    but pull out at 1600 , it's still a 1600 train?

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  21. Well, that's just rude! If the train is supposed to leave at 10:00 then you should, in theory, board as late as 9:59. Pfff.

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