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You met someone you like, you exchanged numerous
emails, pictures and cards, and you chatted online, and on the phone. And now
you both feel you are ready for a first real life meeting or date. Once again,
don’t be pressured into meeting each other face to face when you feel you’re not
ready, or you haven’t gotten to know each other better. After being convinced
that we played it save so far, and we used our best judgment, we still have to
exercise caution in making plans to meet, and we can’t let our guard down.
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Meet in a public place. Choose a safe
environment, like a coffee shop or a familiar restaurant, and a time when
there are lots of people around. Think ahead and memorize the surroundings and
find out where the nearest police station, and public telephones are, etc, so
you can get yourself out of a jam when needed.
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Double date or take a friend to the date.
Meeting in a group can be fun, and could make you more at ease. Your friends
are dying to find out everything anyway.
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Notify relatives and friends where you are, and
how long you gone be, and leave them your dates name and telephone
number, and write it down. Call them when you gone be late.
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Take your cell phone with you or ask to borrow a
friends, so you can be reached at all times, or call for help when needed.
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Get your own transport. Never let your date
pick you up at home, or drive you home. If you don’t have your own car, ask a
friend to drive you or take a cab. Its never safe to leave your home or to
give out your home address to a stranger.
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Never leave your purse and drink or food
unattended. When meeting in a bar or restaurant. In your purse is all
your personal information, name, address, house and car keys, you don’t want
to trust them to a stranger. Never ever leave your drink on the bar
when going to the bathroom, or if you have to leave for another reason. Take
it with you or get rid of it and order a new one when you get back. And I
would advise against drinking alcohol at all when meeting someone for the
first time.
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Meeting outside your area. Take extra
precautions when you go abroad to another country or state, or even another
town where you are not familiar. Make the arrangements for a hotel and car
yourself, never let your date arrange it for you, and do not disclose that
info to your date. Always tell a friend or family where you gone be and your
plans.
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Get yourself out of a jam, if you feel
uncomfortable about your date, or you get bad vibes that something isn’t
adding up, or the person turns out to be completely different form her or his
online persona. Use your best judgment to cut the date short, excuse yourself
long enough to call for advice or help, or leave out the back door, and drive
away. Or if you really feel in danger or threatened, call the police. Never
feel embarrassed about your behavior, your life might depend on it and its
better to be save then sorry.
As dating online or offline is never completely risk
free. Use common sense and a little caution so you reduce the risks. And if you
done your homework, and prepared, both you and your date can relax and have a
good time.
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