What I feel is the ultimate act of being Rude.

There are numerous ways to be rude to someone and we've all no doubt been rude a few times in our lives, but there is one act of rudeness that I'd put right up on top of the list! Being late or tardy in my opinion is very rude, nothing compares in my opinion with someone being late or even tardy for a meeting or other event. When someone is late there's a tension that begins with others towards the person who's late, not to mention other consequences that might occur.
Being late cause a lot of folks to get speeding tickets, or skip other things in order to even make what they might consider a "fashionably" late appearance.

There is no such thing as being fashionably late, late is late and others have been waiting for you and it's just plain inconsiderate! In my opinion there is nothing wrong with being early, being early never causes the problems or consequences of someone being late. I have never understood how someone could be late for something recurring like say church on Sunday morning or punching the clock at work. After preparing for church or a class or something as simple as your bowling night, you'd think after a couple of times you'd know how long it take and plan accordingly. I don't care if you take 40 minute showers (can't see that for the life of me) and it takes another 30 minutes to get dressed and another 10 minutes for incidentals and then a 20 minute drive to your meeting or appointment that's for 9:00 am why you wouldn't get up and get started by at least 7:30 am. With that additional 10 minutes you would have in case it's needed or for just being a few minutes early!

No there is not many excuses in my book for someone being late and especially for those things that are or have the same recurring date or appointment time, it's rude and inconsiderate to your friends and family.