9 Signs Your Date is Going Downhill Before it Starts

by Maggie Parker for HowAboutWe

We've all been there; sitting across from someone during a first date, wishing there were a way you could have known before you left your house on a rainy Sunday night that you were going to regret it.

There may not be a foolproof method for determining a date's success in advance. But the few hours before a first date could offer some very clear red flags.

If you see one of said red flags, stop and take notice. We aren't saying you should cancel the date then and there, but if more than one flag gets waved, be sure you're paying attention. Here are the biggest signs to watch out for.

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1. You ask where to meet and he says, "I don't know but I only have $(15 or less) in my bank account so somewhere cheap."
Why is he bringing up his financial problems before your first date? And come on, why does he have so little money in his bank account?! You may not care about his financial status at this moment, but a desire for financial stability is a reasonable request. Utter disregard for boundaries so early on is not.

2. He suggests you meet on a street corner, with no exact venue in mind.
A casual date is perfectly understandable, but on a first date, you are allowed to expect him to put the effort in. Call us old-fashioned, but the first date is when both parties should behave at their best. That requires doing a little research and actually coming up with a plan.

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3. He knows you live far from him, but he suggests you meet him near his house/work.
If he's asking you to come to his territory so soon, take it as a sign that he isn't going to be the most considerate partner.

4. He has you pick the place, but then complains that he doesn't like that spot.
First of all, a gentleman offers to plan the date (and does it, if you take him up on his offer). Second of all, is a first date really the place to complain about the venue?

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5. He picks a place you know is a rowdy bar.
Movie dates have been retired for this exact reason; there is no difference between trying to get to know someone in a silent theatre and trying to get to know someone over the din of a crowd. If he is suggesting a place like this, either he doesn't care about hearing you, or he hasn't made the effort to figure out whether or not this is a sensible first date spot. Either way, it isn't looking good.

6. He pushes the time back more than once at the last minute.
Things happen; bosses have panic attacks. We get it. Running a little late is excusable. But being openly unreliable is not. This is his way of telling you that you'll probably never be his first priority.

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7. He tells you where to meet him, you Google the place for the address, and it's been closed for over a year.
This could be an honest mistake. But what it should signal is his lack of effort in planning the date. All he had to do was Google the name to find out it was closed. But he didn't.

8. He uses a (somewhat inappropriate) term of endearment.
There's a good chance this guy hasn't even saved your number in his phone yet. If you wanted someone you don't know well to call you "babe," you could just walk by a bunch of construction workers.

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9. He says something wildly inappropriate/suggestive.
There's nothing like a premature sexual innuendo to ruin the mood. The good thing is, this guy makes the guy who called you "babe" look like Brad Pitt.