1. Never meet without a photo. Crucial. Also, find out height if possible, because photos can be misleading. I'm fairly tall, so the idea of turning up find a man who's 5'2, far from ideal. He might be the most lovely man on the face of the earth, but if he's eye level with my boobs, we're both going to be distracted - him for obvious reasons and me wanting to slap him, for the obvious reasons.
2. Always have an escape clause handy. Even if this is just a friend who can call with an "emergency". And double check that your friend understands the emergency smoke signal. You don't want to end up in a situation where you're trapped, and your emergency "Help, I''m about to pass out from sheer boredom, whilst bleeding from the ears because he hasn't stopped talking" message is misunderstood and you're left holding the phone a willing it to ring. If the wires are crossed, it won't.
3. Don't assume that because a guy is great with words in an email that he will be the best conversationalist. Chances are pretty good that he won't, in my experience. Think about it. When writing an email, you can edit, you can take your time, you can have someone else read over it. Hell, you can do what one non-English-speaking girl I've heard about did, and get someone else to WRITE it for you (the translator turning up for the date as well was the giveaway). But in person? There's nowhere to hide when he starts rambling about how great his ex was, or mutters incoherently. Or, worst crime of all, is just plain boring.
4. Arrange to meet somewhere public. Several reasons, here. The most obvious is the safety issue, of course. As much as it might have been nice to get picked up from your parents' house by your date when you were younger - and your parents wanted to check out the reprobate you were spending your time with - it's much safer to meet publicly for most people in the age of stalking. You don't want to let them know where you live until you've had a chance to vet them. But always make sure someone knows where you are. Sometimes, you can even combine this with point 2; a friend coming by to pose as your current boyfriend/girlfriend and dragging you away is a surefire way of making sure the hideous horror across the table from you in the cafe knows never to contact you again. The other advantage of meeting publicly, if your date is either a slow starter or, in case of failure at point 2, never-ending, at least in areas with lots of people you've got something else to do. Eavesdropping, people watching, all valid entertainments. And if your date doesn't notice that they don't have your whole attention? You know they weren't worth the effort anyway.
5. Always have an escape route planned. And I'm not talking about your phone-a-friend or a phantom getaway - although that's another possible option in case point 2 fails and you really can't stand another minute in his or her company. Know your way home, or have the money for a cab to get you there. The last thing you want at the end of a bad date is to be forced into sharing a cab. Not only does that let the other person know where you live (see point 3), but it also means you're trapped in their company for that bit longer. Sure, if it's a good date, sharing a cab is fine - perfect, in fact - but at least prepare for any eventualities.
So there you have it. My 5 rules for internet dating when it comes time to meet up. There are other points out there, I'm sure. Tips and tricks during the email phase, phrasing for the profile, suggestions for venues, for outfits, hell, any step of the process can be analysed. But this is what I've got to offer. The other stuff? Well, I'm sure you can figure it out. I just wish I hadn't needed experience to put together this list. Because for all the good dates - and there have been some - there's been some shockers too. Hard won information above, people. Use it wisely!
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