Craigslist personals.....

[Gemini09]

I see there have been more than one discussion lately regarding online dating, but I decided to start this thread.

 

So, have any of you used Craigslist as means for meeting people? I know it probably has a bad reputation for meeting sane people, but would you believe I have spoken to more NORMAL people on there than some of the popular dating sites?

 

Recently, I have been speaking with a guy who seems like one of the nicest, normal guys I've met in a while, and he contacted me through the site. I put up one ad, and within a day I found someone more genuine and non-psycho than you do on the other sites, and believe me I've had my share of online dating.

 

I'm not saying there are not weirdos on there, because Craigslist has it's share as well. It's just a bit sad how a site like that seems to have more variety than regular dating sites that claim to match you up with the perfect person. And yes, I've tried to more than once, and always same outcome as opposed to other sites.

 

Regardless, I think all ONLINE dating sucks, but just saying I've had better luck on there:laugh:

[borbiusle]

Tried craigslist about 4 years ago when I lived in NYC, it's truly the bottom of the barrel in terms the quality of people you meet. Despite using a condom, I caught 2 STD's(curable ones thank God) from a chick I met there. Never again .

[skjd1220]

I actually tried CL for a bit. I emailed with three different guys, who all seemed very normal and genuine. I was thinking the same thing- I wasn't having much luck with Match and suddenly this seemed easier.

 

I will warn you, I did meet all three of them. (there were a lot of other crazies that contacted me but these guys seemed legit) All were quality guys but very truthfully, as much as they claimed to be looking for relationships, all were looking for hookups. When we met, all of them also sort of treated me pretty crappy, like I was someone who was coming around just to make out. The funny thing is, I had conversations with all of them prior to meeting about looking for a relationship, etc. I think a lot of men have a perception that if they meet you on CL, you are a bit more 'free'. When I called one guy out on it, he actually said 'what do you expect....we met on CL'.

Hopefully you have better luck but I've decided that it's not the right place for me to meet someone. I know that stuff can happen anywhere, but it seems those men might have different expectations.

[Gemini09]

Uh, I guess they could be coming across as genuine and all, but possibly after a hook up. That is why I said I think all online dating sucks.

 

Maybe I thought since Craigslist is not specifically for dating purposes, you have a better chance of meeting someone normal, who was just on there for instance, to find a computer in the for sale ads. Then, they decided to check the personal ads. That is what I did.

 

Other dating sites, they are primarily for dating, and I don't know if its just me, there almost always seems to be an issue with the person. I hate to say it but a lot of the guys are single for a reason.

 

Either way, all online dating has freaked me out. Way too many freaks.

[Vet]

I personally think that Craigslist is the best venue for online dating there is, but I am slightly biased--I met my wife on it.

 

People do a double-take when we say how we met. I think a lot of people think, for some reason, that Craigslist is a website for finding prostitutes and/or anonymous sexual encounters, but it's really a great community that's very reflective of the city you're in (after all, that's what it's made up of). Sure, it's a free site, so that in itself naturally brings out the dreck that are just doing the sexual equivalent of fly fishing; tossing out their wildest, most ridiculous ideas and fantasies and seeing if anything comes back. However, all that means is that if you're a real, down-to-earth person with the slightest trickle of a sense of humor, you will stand out (and you'll attract the others like you).

 

Make a post; it can be about anything. Unlike Match.com or any of the other dating sites, you don't need to post some long, boring ad responding to some canned questions. It can be a story, it can be a rant, it can be your random observations... anything that portrays your personality, and I think that's more real. If you're a guy and you post something interesting, you'll get some responses. If you're a girl, and you post something interesting, you'll get a lot of responses. Either way, you'll get your requisite share of pictures of people's penises, spam, and just plain losers, but you'll also most likely get some real prospects. And if you don't? Post again.

 

I think a lot of people do it once, aren't wowed by what they get back (most likely because their post sucked), and write it off as not worth their time. It's really one of the most time-efficient ways of online dating though--make one post, wait a day, and then go through the emails and write back the ones that look promising. Send back and forth some correspondence and get a feel for each other's personality, set up a date, and live happily ever after. Or not, and post again.

[bac]

What is the difference between AFF and Craiqslist?

Where do you have a chance to meet better people?

[monkey00]

I think CL is a pretty reliable source when it comes to many things, though a grey area is probably meeting a mate. My job, my apt, my roommates have all been found through CL. Honestly it's a great resource, but there are lots of crap you have to sort through to find the good stuff.

 

I've tried it a couple of times in the past in terms of dates, it wasn't too bad. The ones I met weren't right for me. I don't know if I'd ever use it again though that's for sure.

[CaliGuy]

Tried craigslist about 4 years ago when I lived in NYC, it's truly the bottom of the barrel in terms the quality of people you meet. Despite using a condom, I caught 2 STD's(curable ones thank God) from a chick I met there. Never again .

 

Well I agree that CL is bottom of the barrell (but not about the STDs! LOL).

Plentyoffish is better than CL and is free.

[butcher's hook]

Yup, bottom of the barrell, with POF following closely after that but POF can be hit and miss I would think still a cut above. I never gave POF a real chance so....but I wouldn't have dreamt of posting an ad on CL.

 

I was scammed looking for work on CL a few years ago, the personals are REALLY scary.

[MSUE]

Tried craigslist about 4 years ago when I lived in NYC, it's truly the bottom of the barrel in terms the quality of people you meet. Despite using a condom, I caught 2 STD's(curable ones thank God) from a chick I met there. Never again .

 

OMG that's just awful ...that goes to tell you what a great site it is huh? I have trust issues with craigslist...heard plenty of terrible stories as far as the personals goes...i did hoever find my new apt there

[Vet]

OMG that's just awful ...that goes to tell you what a great site it is huh? I have trust issues with craigslist...heard plenty of terrible stories as far as the personals goes...i did hoever find my new apt there

 

If he had met a girl in a bar, brought her home, and ended up with a couple of STDs in the process, would you be blaming him and the girl or the bar?

[butcher's hook]

If he had met a girl in a bar, brought her home, and ended up with a couple of STDs in the process, would you be blaming him and the girl or the bar?

 

 

That's a good point.

 

Still, there is a great deal of room for ominous characters to lurk on a site like CL where it is virtually unregulated and the site is completely unaccountable for its users. People have been murdered by people they meet on CL. If you meet someone at a public venue such as a bar, typically speaking, it is more conducive to transparency and people tend to want to save face. An STD you can get anywhere, that's for sure, but a whack job is easier to encounter online than at a bar. People don't even really post pics on CL so there is complete anonymity, it's not like a dating site where you are still somehow forced to make a rep for yourself and if someone seems off you can blow the whistle on them with the site admins. CL is pretty much a free for all in that respect.

[BCCA]

I think its much better for women. I have tried posting a bunch of personals just looking for company for anything from a baseball game to a museum, and ALL I ever got was spam. On the flip side, all of the adds I answered were spam, or at least 95% of them. So, even if something is free, it usually comes at a price. I can bet that any of you that go to CL now and look at the w4m section are going to find that no less than 85% of the adds are fake, most of them obviously. Then I've had several gay guys respond to my adds, and try and convince me that being gay is where its at (no thanks).

 

Jobs, a couch, an apartment...CL is great. A date? I'll pass

[Vet]

That's a good point.

 

Still, there is a great deal of room for ominous characters to lurk on a site like CL where it is virtually unregulated and the site is completely unaccountable for its users. People have been murdered by people they meet on CL. If you meet someone at a public venue such as a bar, typically speaking, it is more conducive to transparency and people tend to want to save face. An STD you can get anywhere, that's for sure, but a whack job is easier to encounter online than at a bar. People don't even really post pics on CL so there is complete anonymity, it's not like a dating site where you are still somehow forced to make a rep for yourself and if someone seems off you can blow the whistle on them with the site admins. CL is pretty much a free for all in that respect.

 

I have to disagree with you. Empirically speaking, more people have been murdered by people they met in a bar than people who they have met on Craigslist (just by the virtue of bars being around much, much longer). I'll go out on a limb and state that, in any given year, more people are assaulted, raped, or killed by people they've met in a bar than they've met on Craigslist. Mainly out of the fear you allude to, people are a lot more on their guard when meeting people in person that they've initiated contact with online than they are people that they meet in bars (where they're often inebriated).

 

The anonymity you decry, I celebrate. I don't really want people knowing that I'm looking for a date or have my picture plastered over every dating website on the internet. Is it abused? Sure, but I still call it a good thing.

[Shygirl15]

So, have any of you used Craigslist as means for meeting people? I know it probably has a bad reputation for meeting sane people, but would you believe I have spoken to more NORMAL people on there than some of the popular dating sites?

Using Craiglist as a way of meeting people is not what I would consider normal.

[Jilly Bean]

Yup' date=' bottom of the barrell, with POF following closely after that but POF can be hit and miss I would think still a cut above. I never gave POF a real chance so....but I wouldn't have dreamt of posting an ad on CL. [/quote']

 

+1.

 

CL personals are the lowest of the low, and POF is only slightly above that.

 

Just shows - you get what you pay for...

 

That being said, I did sell a TV on CL a few years back, and that went well.

[borbiusle]

If he had met a girl in a bar, brought her home, and ended up with a couple of STDs in the process, would you be blaming him and the girl or the bar?

 

I did everything to protect myself and still got "burned", but I'm not blaming anyone or being bitter. I got over it a long time ago and wised up in general. I'm not the first person nor the last with horror stories about meeting people on CL. It seems more bad than good comes out of that site when it comes to the personals section.

[CaliGuy]

+1.

 

CL personals are the lowest of the low, and POF is only slightly above that.

 

Just shows - you get what you pay for...

 

That being said, I did sell a TV on CL a few years back, and that went well.

 

I have sold many things on CL so it's always good for that (Trailer, Motorcycle, etc).

 

Finding the love of my life? Nah, I'll pass. And PoF is full of flakey people TBH. I've found better luck (with much higher calibre women) elsewhere.

[butcher's hook]

I have to disagree with you. Empirically speaking, more people have been murdered by people they met in a bar than people who they have met on Craigslist (just by the virtue of bars being around much, much longer). I'll go out on a limb and state that, in any given year, more people are assaulted, raped, or killed by people they've met in a bar than they've met on Craigslist. Mainly out of the fear you allude to, people are a lot more on their guard when meeting people in person that they've initiated contact with online than they are people that they meet in bars (where they're often inebriated).

 

The anonymity you decry, I celebrate. I don't really want people knowing that I'm looking for a date or have my picture plastered over every dating website on the internet. Is it abused? Sure, but I still call it a good thing.

 

 

 

Look, I honestly have no desire to argue with you about this, there is a reason why most people think CL is the lowest of the low.

It's because it is.

 

General perception is reality as far as I'm concerned, it's a social tool that is appraised on experience. The general experience of CL users is that the place is a dump, it's fine for selling a tv stand but not fine for meeting quality people. I would agree.

[Vet]

I did everything to protect myself and still got "burned", but I'm not blaming anyone or being bitter. I got over it a long time ago and wised up in general. I'm not the first person nor the last with horror stories about meeting people on CL. It seems more bad than good comes out of that site when it comes to the personals section.

 

Out of curiosity, how well did you know her before you had sex with her?

[Gemini09]

Well I'm considering not speaking to this guy anymore that I met from CL. Maybe that's stupid, because he might be a regular guy. I have some trust issues with meeting guys online anyways.

 

I don't know, it doesn't help when so many others look down upon the site. I guess it doesn't really matter. You either luck up or you don't. There is a chance on any dating site to come across psychos and freaks. There is also a chance to meet someone pretty decent, whether it be e-harmony, match, yahoo personals or CL. What the heck is plenty of fish? That sounds like another horrible dating site.

[Vet]

Look' date=' I honestly have no desire to argue with you about this, there is a reason why [u']most[/u] people think CL is the lowest of the low.

It's because it is.

 

General perception is reality as far as I'm concerned, it's a social tool that is appraised on experience. The general experience of CL users is that the place is a dump, it's fine for selling a tv stand but not fine for meeting quality people. I would agree.

 

That's fair; I'm really not trying to argue with you, I just think that the general perception is usually not correct ("what's right is not always popular, what's popular is not always right" and such), and I encourage people to buck the popular (mis)conceptions in lieu of their own experience.

[borbiusle]

Out of curiosity, how well did you know her before you had sex with her?

 

3.5 weeks if I recall correctly. Sure, you can blame me for rushing things, I dont really care to defend myself at this point as it was 4 years ago, but I'm not sure why you have such a raging hard-on for defending Craigslist....

[Gemini09]

Tried craigslist about 4 years ago when I lived in NYC, it's truly the bottom of the barrel in terms the quality of people you meet. Despite using a condom, I caught 2 STD's(curable ones thank God) from a chick I met there. Never again .

 

 

Update, STD's are everywhere.....

[BCCA]

Some people meet their wives in a bar, most agree its not the best place to meet.

 

Some people meet at work, while most agree thats not a good idea.

 

Some people meet on CL, while most agree its full of weirdos.

 

Point being, what works for you might not work for someone else, and vice versa. I had TERRIBLE luck on match, but some people love it. You just have to put your best foot forward, and hope it doesnt land in dog crap. If you didnt do anything that other people said they had bad experiences with, you would never leave your house. Just know what youre getting into, be smart about it, and hope for the best.