If it’s 10 minutes and 17 seconds after you should be somewhere you are officially late, researchers have discovered this is the threshold where people feel it is necessary to telephone and admit they will be late.

During those 10 minutes and 17 seconds:

• 12 babies will be born in England and Wales
• There will be eight road accidents
• 3,804 people will board an aeroplane
• 590 million e-mails will be sent worldwide.

However, some late scholars (10%) feel that they would not consider calling until at least 30 minutes after the agreed meeting time!

Over 80% of people in their 50s claim they are never late for anything because they are gripped by “bus fuss” – the anxiety about being late for crucial events.

But almost 70% of young women believe it is “acceptable, if not fashionable” to be late on a first date because it makes them feel “less desperate”.

On one subject, both men and women agree – they “wouldn’t care” if they were late for their mother-in-law’s birthday party.