Point taken, and thank you for elaborating. I don't disagree, or think that it's wrong to write negative reviews. They can be both valuable and warranted, which I think can be true also for the 100th positive review. For me it's a judgment call based on different factors (one simply being what I feel like writing), and in this case, the negatives didn't tip the scale enough.
Just to clarify, the 30 minute delay in itself was not a big deal for me. Shit happens and I could also happily wait if my schedule allows it. But it was a bit annoying that she texted me already 15 minutes late "I'm going to be late" (duh) because she didn't look up how long the ride to my hotel was (not cool), making it sound like it was my fault (what?!) that she didn't plan in advance and then rushing through the remaining 30 minutes (sigh), even though I asked her if the late arrival meant she was going to be in a rush, to which she said no (...).
Even now as I write it out, I'm automatically starting to blow off steam and vent my frustration. It easily happens, and sometimes I get the feeling that's what some negative reviews are mainly for, to vent rather than for the purpose of providing information. I can't really back this up, but I have the feeling that even the most balanced critique will not be taken at face value by all. It will be interpreted and exaggerated, and thus risk a negative impact for the provider that's perhaps not motivated. I respect that others would want this information and if they think I'm in the wrong in this case.
I expressed my criticism to her, I felt like she listened even though she wasn't happy about it and I hope she took it to heart. Then I feel like I can leave it at that. It would be different if she had advertised "Always on time and Always taking responsibility for my actions" as key selling points (a ludicrously sexy ad). That would have made a negative review warranted in my mind, as any other experience would have if a provider didn't offer services as advertised or agreed. Now it was a pretty minor thing (she was late and handled it poorly, and maybe she just had a bad day), that I'm not sure is relevant to others to know about her. It could be, I'm just not sure. So I feel the potential upside to the many is smaller than the potential damage to her in writing a review about her in this case.
Lastly, I agree p4p in a lot of ways don't differ from the logic of other markets or services rendered. But in some key ways it does. More so than elsewhere, it's very personal to the service provider. This is especially true for independents. I'd also have less concern voicing public criticism to Large Soda Corporation than to Soda Joe on the corner, but even with Large Soda I would in most cases prefer reaching out directly to them than doing it publicly online.
