#1
His response, "let's have a proper date, you will be begging to have my babies before the nights out" 🤢🤢🤢
Declined the offer of a proper date!!
With so many young people swearing off dating apps, it's important to understand why they might not be working anymore. Dating and relationship coach Beck Thompson tells Bored Panda that one reason might be that some people think they can get away with certain kinds of behaviors they wouldn't get away with in real life.
"Dating apps give people a false sense of access and entitlement and they enable behaviour that just would not (or at least I hope would not) exist in reality," she explains. "People are brave behind a screen."
#2
We then went to a bar where he proceeded to tell me he had just escaped death the month before running away from the collapsing twin towers in New York. "Yeah yeah what a bulls***ter" I thought. At this point he was irritating me slightly as he didn't shut up and then to top it all off his glasses suddenly swung apart in the middle - it turned out he was late bc his glasses had broken before he left the house and he'd tried to mend them with glue. I must admit I found this hilarious and I started to quite like him.
We've now been together for 20-odd years!
(And the twin towers story turned out to be true!)
#3
He had very little hair, was wearing a T-shirt that needed ironing and his profile photo must have been at least 10 years out of date!
"There's a constant stream of faces to swipe on, which means many treat dating like ordering a takeaway: fast, disposable, and low-effort. That, mixed with minimal accountability and curated profiles, means people can show up however they want—with zero intention of actually being present, honest or kind."
When you're on a date in real life, you and the date share at least some common things. Perhaps that's mutual friends, shared environments, and actual eye contact. "Online, it's way too easy to lie, ghost, breadcrumb, or just be a total idiot with no real consequences," Thompson says. "People can show up however they want—and often, that version is nowhere near who they really are."
#4
#5
He took ages looking at the menu .. then stood up and said " come on we are going I'm not paying these prices".
I was so hungry having had no breakfast and was an hour train ( cost me £12 )..
We ended up walking round town.. l thought we were looking for another cafe.. just as we were passing a Greg's he gave me a pound coin and said " here get in the queue and buy yourself a sausage roll on me"
I threw the pound back at him and walked off in the direction of the train station.
#6
Anyway, he sent me a daft tiktok, but his account name was his real name. I googled it with his location and the first few results included a local news report of a court case- he was found guilty of harrassing his ex. The details of his harrassment did not make for pleasant reading. I'm so glad I googled him. Always do this.
It's not long until you finally say "Enough" and log off Tinder, Hinge, or Bumble forever. One psychologist told AP News in 2024 that around 80% to 90% of her clients report experiencing dating app burnout. Beck Thompson says that if the thought of opening a dating app makes you feel exhausted, you're probably one of them.
But there are other signs as well, and Beck goes over some of them:
- You're swiping mindlessly and matching just for the dopamine hit.
- You've become overly cynical—assuming everyone is lying, a scammer, or emotionally unavailable (which, to be fair, might not be wrong—but still).
- You're settling for conversations that go nowhere or forcing connections with people you're not even interested in, just to avoid feeling alone.
In the end, the relationship coach says, dating is supposed to feel exciting. "Or at the very least, hopeful," she adds. "If it feels like a chore or a battlefield, it's time to take a break and come back with clearer intentions and I really encourage this."
#7
I cut it short and we walked out to the car park together. When I unlocked my car, he got in the passenger seat and asked me to flash under my dress, I said no, and he tried to persuade me. Then had the nerve to look affronted and confused when I asked him to get out because he was making me uncomfortable.
#8
#9
He arrived at the pub and there was no sign of her so he bought a drink and sat down. Then an old lady with a walking stick approached his table and said ‘hi, I’m Sue’ - turns out she’d been using her daughters photos!
He got up and said ‘sorry but I’m going home. And she burst into tears and started screaming after him ‘age is only a number’ as he made a hasty retreat
Beck sympathizes with anyone disillusioned with the apps and those who think they'll never find their soulmate on there. "Your feelings are valid," she says. "Modern dating can be brutal, especially when you're genuinely seeking depth in a sea of surface-level swiping."
But she also says people might want to look in the mirror. "Here's the truth: meaningful connection starts with you. How you show up. What you tolerate. How clearly you communicate your standards and desires."
#10
Arranged a first date with a guy . I turned up to find that the guy had brought his toddler along to the "date". I should have just left immediately but I sat and had my coffee in stunned silence whilst he basically interviewed me for the job of stepmother.
#11
Several days before he texted me "I know nothings going to happen but it would be great if you could wear some sexy lingerie"
Of course when I called him out he said it was "A joke" Just like they always do when they say something deeply inappropriate.
#12
When told where to go, he said he was genuinely asking as believed redheaded women produced superior babies.
I had no idea where to go with that lol. What an absolute creep.
"Most people date reactively—they wait to see what someone else brings before deciding how much of themselves to offer. Flip that. Get grounded in who you are and what you want. That energy is magnetic," the dating coach urges.
Thompson also encourages people to take some time off the apps. "Take a breather. Reset. Reconnect with who you are and why you want love in the first place. Real connection doesn't come from hustling harder—it comes from showing up more honestly. You're not behind. You're not broken. You're just being selective—and that's a really good thing."
#13
#14
#15
When we could finally meet up he turned up with a black eye. He was a secret d**g dealer on the side.
Never saw him again.
#16
#17
We were in a pub with loads of mirrors, all over each wall behind the bar and more in the restaurant part.
Even worse, every time he caught sight of himself, he'd do a sort of head flick, to shake all that (bleached) hair, open his mouth slightly and open his eyes wide, in a sort of coquettish pose that would only suit a teenage girl of under fifteen years.
I wonder if he would be doing a trout pout nowadays.
He also looked at me like this a few times, over the meal.
I didn't know if I was expected to swoon at his feet, or what. It was so hard not to laugh in his face.
#18
Also used 'I'm on fire' a lot. Pity he wasn't
#19
Would you believe he chased me and harassed me for months after that awful date. So gross and rude
#20
A friend of mine met a man who claimed to be landscape gardener with his own business, and a waterfront apartment in Leeds city centre. He turned out to mow grass verges for the council and still lived with his parents. Worse than that, he slept in a single bed, and had a poster of Kylie Minogue on his wall. He was 47.