Properties of Punctuality

I have always tried to be on time. I grew up with a mom who was (amazingly!) always doing one task too many, and inevitably we arrived late the majority of all the time.

Since getting my driver's license and thus being able to independently transport myself, I became much more punctual, and often arrive early.*

However, it seems that Time [sic] always seems to outsmart me.
Whenever I am trying to catch a train, it works like this:

• I am early ---> train is extremely late
• I am exactly on time ---> train is extremely early and I arrive just as it is pulling away
• I am late ---> train is also late but not as late as I am, and I arrive just as it is pulling away 

I'm serious. Ask my mother if you don't believe me; every time we've been overconfident (aka stopped at Starbucks before going to the train), we miss it. Every time we sacrifice our caffeine fix, we wait...and wait...and realize that we could have hand-pressed a cup of joe in the amount of time we spend waiting for the delayed train.

I'm not really sure what to do about it. My loathing of time wasted while waiting around (which is probably the Type A/East Coaster in me) always trumps my fear of missing the train. I suppose that living in Manhattan hasn't helped, because there is always another bus/subway within sight. I think from now on, I'm always going to stop for coffee...because even if I miss the train, at least I'll have my java.

*Disclaimer: I usually arrive late to social engagements, but more often than not that is on purpose. I hate a) wasting time while sitting around waiting for someone and b) looking like an idiot while sitting around waiting for someone. But I'm trying to improve these habits.