| We all have heard stories about people who met | | | | 6. Plan a short first date. Meet during lunchtime or for |
| favorably online but then were disappointed when | | | | coffee. If you find that you do not really like the |
| they met for the first time in the real world. | | | | person, than you won't have to put up with him or |
| Sometimes, these stories can even be scary, | | | | her for hours on end. After that first half-hour or |
| although the reality is that truly bad experiences have | | | | maybe hour-long meeting, you can go back to work |
| happened to very few people. | | | | or home and decide if you want to pursue a longer |
| However, if you are nervous or if you just want to | | | | date at later time. |
| set your mind at ease when meeting for the first | | | | 7. Have a phone conversation before you meet. This |
| time, please follow these eight safety tips to ensure | | | | will give you a sense of the person. Ask as many |
| a safe first meeting and keep any disappointments | | | | questions as you want. Then, after a conversation |
| to a minimum. | | | | (or several), you can agree to meet. |
| 1. Tell a friend about whom you are meeting, where | | | | 8. If you must travel out of town, plan your own |
| you are going, and what time you should be back. If | | | | accommodations. You don't have to say where you |
| you have a photo of the person you are meeting, | | | | are staying. As I said above, plan your own |
| you can give a copy to your friend. You may also | | | | transportation to travel between your |
| wish to call this friend during the date to share how | | | | accommodations and your date. |
| everything is going. | | | | Men and women have different approaches when |
| 2. Meet in a busy place, such as a restaurant or a | | | | meeting for the first time. I know a woman who |
| coffee shop. Having people around you will create a | | | | wanted to meet in person within the first or second |
| safety zone, and you will know that nothing can | | | | week after meeting a man online. She made sure the |
| really harm you with all those witnesses around. | | | | coffee date was in a busy area. That was her way |
| 3. Have your own transportation. Do not allow this | | | | of finding out more about the person she was |
| person to pick you up at your home for the first | | | | meeting and whether he was worth it. She could |
| date. Set up a place and a time, and get there a bit | | | | then weed out those she did not like or did not feel |
| earlier so you can see this person coming. | | | | good about. |
| 4. Follow your instinct. If you do not feel good or | | | | She met many men that way, without having to |
| comfortable about meeting someone, then do not | | | | take extreme safety precautions, and she never got |
| meet that person. Never agree to meet someone | | | | into trouble. She liked to meet for a first short date |
| because he or she is being insistent about it. Meet | | | | in a busy area, and then she would follow her |
| someone only when you feel comfortable doing so. | | | | instincts. If the man she was meeting was clearly |
| Remember that you always have the choice to say | | | | looking for just a quick one-night, or if she simply did |
| no. If this person does not respect your choice, you | | | | not feel good about him, she would just stop |
| should question his or her credibility as a caring and | | | | interacting with him right then and there. |
| respectful person. | | | | Whatever you do, have a safety plan when meeting |
| 5. Bring your cellular phone with you. As I said, you | | | | for the first time. The odds are that you are meeting |
| can call your friend during the meeting to report how | | | | a good person, but you never know, and you |
| you are doing, and it will also be handy in case of an | | | | certainly don't want to become a statistic. |
| emergency. | | | | |