Well, I suppose this is going to be a slightly controversial post, but nevertheless I'm going to do it anyway.
We haven't been using this site very long, and I have mainly chatted in the room, before becoming comfortable enough to start posting in the forum. We went to the Chesterfield Munch, to get to know people and to show our faces and let people know we were genuine, and we will be going to the NW Munch too, so looking forward to meeting people there.
The chatroom is manic, and I know a lot of people have difficulty chatting in there, as do I, but I dont generally talk in private. I prefer to just go in and say hello and have a general chinwag so that when people do meet me at parties and stuff, they will be able to relate to who I am. (I keep saying 'I' cos its me on the computer, but I do have a hubby, as some of you who have met us will know).
Right, here's my gripe. Sometimes, there are people in the chatroom, who start to chat privately to us. And sometimes, if they come across as genuine, I will carry on the conversation and we get to know each other and things progress, and we arrange to meet up for a drink. On two occasions now we have arranged to meet someone when the conversation has started from a private chat in the room. And on two occasions, we have been 'stood up'. Now one of those occasions was completely our fault. We were too inexperienced and niaive to recognise the signs that this wasnt a genuine person, and with hindsight, we should have known. The other however, seemed very genuine, I took time to get to know them, to have a good old chat about everything under the sun, and then arranged to meet for a drink. They didnt turn up.
Now, sometimes these things happen, family commitments, work, the unforeseen, whatever. We know this. But a phone call would be nice. A text message saying sorry but we have to cancel. Anything.
I know in some other sites, they have a list of members who are verified as genuine. I suppose in the great scheme of things it wouldnt really change much. There are still people out there who get their strange and weird kicks out of arranging meets and not turning up, but at least if there is a list of people who are genuine, its a place to start.
What do others think?
Jules n Dave