What does 'we met in a bar' actually mean?

[PotteringPondering]

People often share grim experiences of online dating. I hear people say, 'I'd rather do it the traditional way and meet in a bar'.

I realise have no idea what that actually means. Does it smuggle in other assumptions (eg you're in the bar with a group of friends, and the group gets chatting to another group of people)?

I'm a 50s m – no matter how good looking, witty or charming I am, if walked up to a complete stranger in a bar and started chatting, wouldn't that be seen as creepy and inappropriate?

I'm genuinely puzzled. Are there contexts where that wouldn't be seen as creepy? Are there people who wouldn't find that creepy?

I met my DH at a bar but I got speaking to him because he was there with a relative of mine who i had gone over to speak with, he asked my relative who i was, they introduced us and the rest is history

I'm not on the market but our local groups tend to women of a certain age and unfit men!

Ha ha, I know what you mean! It's definitely popular with women who are at the 'give no fucks' age and ready to do some mad stuff after years of raising a family [looks in mirror].

There's some fit fellas where I swim, and of course if you embrace the whole triathlon scene or open water competitions you enter a whole different league of hunk!