After years of making friends miss appointments and lose homework time, chronically late “Danny” finally faces consequences—and his reaction will make your blood BOIL
The Original Post:
Before I get into the situation, here’s some background. I have a friend let’s call him Danny who’s known for being chronically late. For example, he once told everyone to meet at the mall at 2:30 but showed up at 4:30, no warning, saying he went to the gym. Even when we pick him up, he takes 10+ minutes to come out. I’ve missed teacher appointments and lost homework time because of him, which hurt my grades. But I’ve never once left him behind.
Now, here’s what happened. We planned a beach trip for 3:00. It was originally set for 12:00, but one friend couldn’t leave that early, so we pushed it back. Another friend had to be somewhere at 8:00 (an hour from the beach), so we had to leave exactly at 3:00 no flexibility. We also needed Danny’s car to fit everyone.
At 1:40, Danny texted that he was at the gym. This annoyed me—he’s always late when the gym is involved, and his workouts usually take 2 hours. He said he’d be done by 2:50, but picking him up would take 20 minutes, and based on history, I didn’t trust he’d actually be ready.
At 2:30, I had another friend call him to say I could come get him now, or we’d have to leave without him. That friend said Danny got mad and didn’t want to come anymore. So we left.
Later, a friend (Pat, who couldn’t come) said Danny was really upset. When we talked, Danny said we shouldn’t have been so strict, that I shouldn’t have assumed he’d be late, and it was unfair that I adjusted the time for others but not for him. He claimed I only left him because he’s “always late,” and that I would’ve waited for someone else.
I admitted I could’ve handled it better maybe should’ve called myself but he also could’ve told us earlier he was going to the gym. All he said was, “I’m at the gym, I’ll go fast, trust.” I try to accommodate everyone, and his choice to hit the gym right before a hard leave time made things harder. Acting like I should’ve ignored another friend’s fixed schedule felt unfair. His comment that I’d wait for someone else felt manipulative. He even said, “I know I’m not that good of a friend, but you would’ve waited for someone else.”
I honestly believe I’d have done the same if it were anyone. I apologized for not communicating more directly, and I even offered to pick him up and bring him back to the gym after the beach. But after a year of always waiting, this was the one time I didn’t.
So, AITA?
The Audacity is UNREAL
Let’s break down what just happened here, because the sheer ENTITLEMENT on display is absolutely staggering.
Danny—a guy who once made his entire friend group wait TWO FULL HOURS at a mall because he decided the gym was more important—has the nerve to play victim when his friends FINALLY set a boundary. And not just any boundary, but one with a legitimate time constraint because another friend had somewhere to be.
Being late sends out the message, “My time is more valuable than yours”, according to Psychology Today. And Danny has been screaming this message loud and clear for YEARS.
The Pattern of Disrespect
Here’s what really grinds my gears: OP mentions they’ve missed teacher appointments and lost homework time because of Danny’s chronic lateness. Let that sink in. This person’s GRADES suffered because Danny couldn’t be bothered to show up on time.
People get annoyed because lateness betrays a lack of respect and consideration for them, and experts note that this becomes even more pronounced when there are hierarchical or important relationships involved—like, say, a student trying to meet with their teacher.
But here’s the kicker: Experts say being late all the time becomes a habit when you know there are no consequences. And guess what? OP admits they’ve never once left him behind before this incident. Danny has been trained to believe his time is more valuable than everyone else’s because everyone has always accommodated him.
The Gym Excuse: A Masterclass in Manipulation
Let’s talk about Danny’s timing here. The beach trip was planned for 3:00 PM—a time already pushed back to accommodate another friend. There was ZERO flexibility because someone had a hard stop at 8:00 PM.
And what does Danny do? At 1:40 PM, with just 80 minutes until departure, he texts that he’s at the gym. THE GYM. Not “stuck in traffic,” not “family emergency,” but voluntarily pumping iron when he KNOWS:
- His workouts usually take 2 hours
- He has a history of being late when the gym is involved
- His friends need to leave at exactly 3:00 PM
- They need HIS car to fit everyone
Then he has the AUDACITY to say “I’ll go fast, trust.”
Trust? TRUST?!
Chronically late people show themselves to be unreliable, and Danny’s track record speaks for itself. Why on earth would anyone trust him at this point?
Reddit Absolutely DESTROYS Danny
The Reddit community did NOT hold back, and honestly? They were 100% right to drag him.
Top commenter pottersquash absolutely nailed it:
“Yes, I don’t wait for you because you are always late”
Just say it. Why can’t you say that? Why can’t we live that truth???
NTA but come on. JUST SAY IT. What are you apologizing for???
677 people agreed with this sentiment. The frustration is PALPABLE.
Another user, ShannaraRose, perfectly captured the core issue:
“The always late wear out ordinary grace, and shouldn’t expect that their history of chronic lateness should be excused because that’s the way they are. That is the way they are – they have no consideration or respect for other people’s time (at least compared to their own) and demand special treatment.”
BOOM. That’s it right there. Danny doesn’t just want accommodation—he wants SPECIAL TREATMENT while simultaneously disrespecting everyone else’s time.
The Victim Card: Danny’s Ultimate Weapon
But wait—it gets WORSE. When Danny finally faces consequences for his actions, he pulls out the manipulation playbook:
- The Guilt Trip: “I know I’m not that good of a friend, but you would’ve waited for someone else.”
- The False Equivalency: Claiming it was “unfair” that OP adjusted the time for others but not for him—completely ignoring that those adjustments were made DAYS in advance, not 80 minutes before departure while voluntarily at the gym.
- The Blame Shift: Saying OP “shouldn’t have assumed he’d be late”—despite a YEAR of evidence proving otherwise.
Chronic lateness reflects a person’s relationship with boundaries—both their own and those of others, and when someone habitually arrives late, they may be unconsciously ignoring personal limits.
What the Experts Say
Being late can often be perceived as disrespectful, as it undermines the value of the other person’s time and can lead to feelings of being undervalued.
But here’s where it gets interesting: not all experts agree that chronic lateness is intentional disrespect. One study found that “Type A” personalities tend to be more aware of timeliness than the more laid back “Type B” personality, and Type A personalities estimated that a minute passed in 58 seconds, while Type B personality perceives that a minute passes in 77 seconds.
However—and this is crucial—chronic lateness can stem from deeper psychological issues like anxiety, procrastination, or even passive-aggressive behavior.
Given Danny’s pattern and his manipulative response when finally held accountable, this seems less like innocent time blindness and more like a control issue.
The Comments That Hit Different
User Imaginary-Hunter-153 shared their solution:
“I had a chronically late friend, and I found that the ONLY way to combat it was to say when I was leaving and MEAN IT. ‘I’m leaving at 3’ means that my car is on the way out of the driveway at 3. If you’re not in it, you’re not coming.”
This is EXACTLY what OP did, and it worked. The problem? Danny couldn’t handle it.
ExitingBear offered a refreshingly honest perspective as someone who admits to being chronically late:
“I am the chronically late friend. I’m working on it (and will probably work on it until I’m late at my own funeral), but I mess up sometimes. Leave without us. If you are chronically late, you should not expect the world to revolve around you. It’s our problem, we should resolve it or face the consequences.”
THIS is accountability. THIS is what Danny should have said. Instead, he threw a tantrum and tried to manipulate his friends into feeling guilty.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Here’s what nobody wants to say but everyone needs to hear: Some chronically late people simply believe their time is more valuable than everyone else’s, and they have no concept of how incredibly rude they truly are.
Danny had MULTIPLE opportunities to prevent this situation:
- Don’t go to the gym 80 minutes before a planned event
- Leave the gym when given a warning at 2:30 PM
- Communicate earlier about his gym plans
- Accept the ride offer at 2:30 instead of getting mad
He chose NONE of these options. Instead, he chose his workout over his friends, then played victim when they didn’t wait around for him.
The Plot Twist That Makes It Even Worse
Buried in the comments, OP drops this bombshell: Danny doesn’t even have his license.
Wait. WHAT?!
So this guy:
- Doesn’t have a driver’s license
- Was supposedly needed for his car (which he can’t legally drive?)
- Went to the gym knowing he’d need a ride
- Expected everyone to accommodate his workout schedule
- Got mad when given an ultimatum
The math isn’t mathing, folks.
The Verdict
Reddit unanimously declared: NTA (Not The Ahole)**
And they’re absolutely right. OP spent a YEAR accommodating Danny’s chronic lateness, missing important appointments and suffering academic consequences in the process. The ONE time they set a firm boundary—with legitimate reasons and advance warning—Danny melts down and tries to manipulate them into feeling guilty.
Chronic lateness can have a negative impact on relationships, causing strain and potential conflict, and persistent tardiness can lead to stress, anxiety, and a negative reputation in both personal and professional settings.
The real question is: why is OP still apologizing? Why are they still offering to pick Danny up and drive him back to the gym after the beach?
Danny needs to learn that once the negative consequence level increases to the point that a person acknowledges a problem is when willingness and behavior change begin.
The Takeaway
If you’re a “Danny” reading this: Your friends are not your personal chauffeurs or time management assistants. Whether you’re frequently late, always rescheduling, or last-minute altering plans, you’re showing that you disrespect the other person and their time.
And if you’re dealing with a “Danny” in your life: Set boundaries. Enforce them. Leave at the time you said you’d leave. You are not responsible for managing another adult’s time, and you certainly shouldn’t suffer consequences (missed appointments, hurt grades, wasted time) because someone else can’t prioritize your friendship.
Danny got exactly what he deserved: a wake-up call. Whether he learns from it or continues playing victim is up to him.
What do you think? Was OP too harsh, or did Danny have this coming? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
This article is based on a real Reddit post from r/AmItheAsshole. Names have been changed to protect privacy.
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