Exit Strategies for a Bad Date

First dates do not always go as planned, and a lot of unprepared individuals often find themselves stuck in a situation that they do not wish to be in. Blind dates are especially tricky because you have no idea what type of person your date is. Chances are, you will make a decision never to see your date again after engaging in a few minutes of conversation with him. You can end up spending torturous hours forcing yourself to make do with your unfortunate situation while waiting for your date to finish his plans for the night. Fortunately, you can avoid this predicament by setting up an exit strategy beforehand. With a little creativity and the help of some friends, you can pull yourself away from your date without hurting his feelings too much.

The Deadline

During the first few minutes of your date, make it clear that you need to cut the night short after a certain time. You can tell your date that your babysitter or a parent expects you at home after an hour, or that you need to meet somebody else because of an emergency. Setting expectations at the onset will make it easier for you to leave when you need to. If you happen to like your date, you can always come up with an excuse to "extend" your deadline for a few more hours.

The Sick Card

Being sick is the best excuse to leave at the soonest possible time. After a few bites of dinner, let him know that you are not feeling well. Tell him that it could be because of the long and stressful day that you had at the office. After a few more bites, you are feeling worse and spend some time in the bathroom. When you get back to the table, apologize and explain that your nausea has aggravated. Tell him that you need to rest and that you have to cut the evening short. Alternatively, you can explain that you are allergic to one of the ingredients of your dish and this is a panic because you need your medication at home.

Call a Friend

Your best friend can also be your best accomplice when it comes to exit strategies. Ask her to give you a phone call thirty minutes into the date. Using a pre-designated code word, she can determine if the night is going badly. She can then need you for an emergency. Or your friend can also "accidentally" be in the area and crash your date. She can take over the conversation with you, and you can just pretend like you are having a girls' night out. This is the oldest trick in the book but it still works like a charm.

The Friend Zone

Another great way of getting out of the romantic spotlight with your date is to indicate that the two of you can become great friends. Comment on how hilarious he is and how he reminds you of your brother or your best friend. Ask for his advice on how to get the attention of a guy from work that you find attractive. Let him know that he is a great person and that you would be interested in setting him up with a friend. Play the matchmaker and make it clear to him that you have no plans of going beyond the friend zone. This is a great way of killing any romantic ideas he may have.

Many individuals get carried away with the romance of going into a blind date and ignore the possibility that they will not like their date. They try to make a good impression by dressing up and putting their best foot forward but fail to anticipate the possibility that they may be having a disastrous night. Having a great exit strategy can be a lifesaver for these types of situations.

However, if silly excuses make you uncomfortable or dishonest, you could just tell your date the truth. Be considerate of the fact that your date has spent time and money on this date and don't insult him with exit trickery. Tell him that you don't feel the two of you are a good match but that you're happy you met. Finish the dinner or coffee that was planned and be willing to pay your half of the expense. Part in a friendly way and have a backup plan to ask for a friend or restaurant employee to walk you to your car if you are concerned for your safety.