Advice on first internet date

[singlestress]

Hi there

I have a date for this weekend with someone Ive been chatting too a while on PoF. All checked out so far so just need advice on the actual night, safety etc etc as this is my first time and really bloody terrified. Location is a popular restaurant and I will be driving myself there and back so not going to drink but if anyone else has any tips please let me know and tell me that not all these guys are going to be knife weilding maniacs!!!

My top tip, having just done similar is talk on the phone first, even very quickly, if you can. I didn't, and his voice wasn't what I was expecting when we met, and it totally threw me (I know that sounds utterly ridiculous!)

Stay in the restaurant, don't go on anywhere else, and have a friend on standby to get you out with an urgent call if you need them. I had a codeword which I could have texted a friend, who would have then phoned me 10 mins later.. thankfully I didn't need it.

I think you will know pretty quickly how the land lies. Try not to set your expectations too high, and remember he will be equally nervous (male friend told me that, and it really helped to remember it.) Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

ooooh...my ex is on PoF.....he is on probation and assessed as high risk to women and apparently targets women with kids!

sorry.....but just be careful...and if his initials are DC...it could be him!!

Yeah if you can at least talk on the phone first (or even better, webcam) then do so. My biggest tip is no flirting until you're in person.

I've met a few guys from off the web in real life and this was always my mistake, as it doesn't matter how sweet they are online or how nice their picture is, you may meet up and realise that when their face is in motion they look EXACTLY like your brother and there's no way you could ever sleep with them.

Or just be uglybugly having posted a black n white pic of themselves in their prime from ten years ago before they gained three stone and lost most of their hair.

Or maybe they do a horrible upwards sniff thing every ten seconds which makes them look like a rat. God I've met some shit men.

Erm, good luck!

First of all, just bear in mind that most men are not crazy psycho stalkers. Most are perfectly normal. (nb. that does not mean you will fancy them)

Just use your common sense, so stay in public, don't get drunk, don't go back to his place etc etc.

Also bear in mind that he's probably met his share of losers too. Those who think their photo from 10 years ago and 100lb lighter is still an accurate description. Those who spend the entire night yabbering about what a shit their ex is.

Overall enjoy it. If you go in expecting it to fail then often it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Thanks for the advice and no initials are not DC so think Im OK there. I guess its common sense really, Im not planning to drink, have told friends where I will be and will be dricing myself home at the end of the evening!! I shall let yu know how it goes!

Bit late for this particular date but in future i would strongly advise arranging a day time coffee, this is far easier to escape if things aren't going well than an evening meal... otherwise the only other thing i would say is enjoy meeting a variety of people you would otherwise never have met... and be prepared to (metaphorically) kiss a lot of frogs before a prince hoves into view... and remember even the worse dates are a valuble source of material to entertain your friends