Aussies are known for their laid back approach to life, but are lingering lockdown habits encouraging us to become annoyingly late? Fresh research reveals a rise in Tidsoptimism – also known as Chronic Lateness – in Australians.

Defined as a person who is constantly late, Tidsoptimists think they have more time than they actually do. With almost a quarter of Aussies now identifying as a tidsoptimist – the equivalent to 6.1 million adults – they claim to leave their friends, family members and colleagues waiting almost half an hour (28 minutes) on average.

It’s been over six months since lockdowns ended, but it appears the increased time at home and a lack of travel/ commuting have turned us tardy, directly impacting our punctuality – with 29% claiming their punctuality has taken a turn for the worse. Gen Zers are the worst culprits, with more than half (55%) becoming less punctual as a result of the pandemic.

Being optimistic about how much time things take (45%), leaving things to the last minute (18%), and trying to cram as much into their day as possible (39%) are the main drivers of tidsoptimism. Scrolling social media (20%), struggling to finish work on time (19%), and general laziness (16%) also contribute to the wave of chronic lateness with a mere 8% admitting they don’t care about being late. 

With 7 in 10 Aussies (70%) claiming they get annoyed when their friends leave them waiting, the rise in tidsoptimism is clearly becoming a point of contention. In fact, the research found those who identify as tidsoptimists go as far to lying to their friends about being on time, with 53% admitting to have told a lie about their punctuality up to four times this year already. 

Margarita Peker, Head of Rider Operations said: “Uber’s latest research into tidsoptimism has revealed interesting insights about the behavioural habits of Aussies when it comes to punctuality.

“The great news for chronically-late Australians is that Uber Reserve is the perfect addition to your schedule, offering the ability to plan ahead and book a ride up to 30 days in advance, to keep you accountable to punctuality. With a locked-in upfront price with no surge charges or price surprises, you can say goodbye to elaborate excuses for being late with Uber Reserve.”

How does Uber Reserve work?

  • Uber Reserve allows riders to reserve their trip between 2 hours and up to 30 days in advance.
  • With exclusive features like locked-in upfront price for your route, and the ability for a driver partner to accept a trip in advance, Uber Reserve offers riders peace of mind when it’s needed most.
  • Simply go into your Uber app, click ‘Reserve a ride’, select your pickup location and drop off destination, followed by your chosen date and time, and you’re good to go.