So, I've had this happen to me a few times now, I figured I'd ask if I'm doing something wrong.

Whenever I get a "contact" calling me and inviting me to City, and I say yes, a bubble immediately comes up saying "You better get moving to a community lot... You don't want to keep [sim] waiting!" (Or something like that, my game isn't in english).
So I'm like, alright, jeez, and ring a taxi on my own (I think I've waited for one aswell in the past, but it doesn't show up for aaaages).
Then, as soon as the taxi comes, another bubble pops up saying "Where were you?! I can't believe you let me stand there and wait! Never call me again!", and no group will be on the community lot if I go in the taxi.

What the heck?! It literally just happened again in my game, and although this time it might have been because there is no City connected to my neighbourhood (?) it's happened before when there is a City.

Well, no, if there is no Downtown connected to your hood, the outing won't work correctly. I don't remember exactly what happens, but I think when the taxi arrives it'll say there is no Downtown and thus, nowhere to go.

You are also not supposed to call a taxi, and instead wait for the taxi to arrive. I've never done it, but I'm guessing it would mess up the outing.

I think this is the only situation when you should call up a taxi and pick a destination where to go instead of waiting for one (of course not counting these times when you call a taxi on your own initiative ). And do it immediately once you accepted the invitation, I never paid attention how long they wait until you get a warning message about being late, but it's very short, so call a taxi at once.

I had the same problem for a while, but it subsided later and I have no idea why. It was even worse if a sim got invited to an outing and then suddenly found out upon arrival that a lot of time has passed and the outing is over in a second! As if time started ticking when a sim was still back on home lot.

These days it rarely happens but sims often run to the curb like crazy to wait for taxi. The force of habit.

Is your game fully patched? Because I've never had this problem. If it says the taxi's on the way, the taxi will arrive in a timely manner and get me to the outing in plenty of time. If I don't get a taxi notice, I walk to a lot. And I don't always have to go downtown, either. This seems to be a common problem, and it's one I've never, ever had.

Thanks for replies. I'll look for patches, otherwise I guess I'll have to see if it solves itself heh. Annoying glitch :p

I think you're only meant to get the "You better get moving to a community lot... You don't want to keep [sim] waiting!" message if, for some reason, you don't go in the taxi that was sent for you.

Because you can't quit and save during a community lot visit, I had a habit of saving and quitting after the taxi was ordered, but before actually leaving. Unfortunately I discovered that this didn't work. When I restarted the game a taxi would show up but my Sim couldn't get into it, and the taxi would drive off empty (except of course for the driver!). Once when I did this for a "meet Sims on a lot" casual outing, I got this message and had to order another taxi. It's important that you do go. If you don't go and meet your friends, they get furious with you for "standing them up". It can ruin a beautiful friendship!

If you get the message immediately after the first phone call then it does indeed sound like a glitch.

As for these outings when a Sim phones you up and asks you to go downtown, I find they always phone at the most inconvenient times! Invariably my Sims have something else planned, are just sitting down for a meal, or have to go to work! (Only once in the whole time I've been playing has a Sim accepted such an invitation, when Garry agreed to go out with Gloria. I doubt if he'd have gone for anyone else. Then he got "caught cheating" with Gloria by Trista Shaw. Trista failed to realise that Gloria was his real girlfriend and she [Trista] was his "bit on the side"!)

The important thing to remember is that most outing calls are received between six and seven. So I like to have my sims reasonably rested and free about that time. If they don't get an outing, they'll have a better evening that way anyhow.

I love outings.