Internet Dating, A.K.A. How to Scar Yourself Forever

[AJR]

No girl I've known online and actually met offline has been normal.

I avoid internet dating like it's genital gangrene.

Are we talking purely dating sites? Because the women I've met through forums and meetup.com have all been pretty normal. The dudes have been weirder, if anything.

If I was single, I'd probably try internet dating. I think I'd generally rather try bars and clubs though.

[Ashtrot]

In general, my luck with meeting people I've known online has been discouraging, at best, and made me think mankind was actually evolved from a race of cannibalistic pigeon-rats, at worst.

Maybe I'm just some sort of insanity black hole that draws all kinds of craziness towards me. I dunno.

[AJR]

Did these people seem normal when you talked to them online?

[Ashtrot]

You tend to put your best foot forward, so yeah, for the most part. They had some quirks but nothing really unusual at first. It's after the screening period that they start throwing out crazy in chunks that could flatten the Hulk.

[Aurian]

I dunno, some people get a bit weird fast. Remember, you're supposed to be putting your best foot forward so anything you see now will just be the tip of the iceberg. I do chat a little bit to screen out the obvious crazies, why bother dating them if they are obviously lying about their profile, have a temper, act looney or want things you don't (kids, religion, etc).

One problem with online dating is spending weeks/months chatting with a persona on the computer. Try to keep the dating pool to locals, and meet up sooner rather than later. It is harder to hide the "real person" in person than it is online, so that first date in a coffee shop or somewhere casual is the second screen.