Signs You Need to Ditch Your Date and Leave Early

I remember one date I had in college. Not because it was that good...It was that bad. The guy showed up wasted! And it was the middle of the afternoon! Only, I didn't realize the state he was in until we were already on the road. Suddenly It occurred to me that his slurred words weren't a case of nerves. I can't remember what I said, but I made some excuse and got him to take me home.

What do you do if you're in a really bad situation on a first date? First of all, throw politeness out the window. If you believe this person is not completely coherent, had one too many, or whatever, leave immediately. In fact, talk to him for a few minutes before you get into the car. Listen to how he speaks. Does he stammer and stumble? (You can tell if it's nerves or not.) Does he stand tall or shift his wait around mindlessly? If you are a little concerned, drop something and see how balanced he is when he goes to pick it up.

Of course, you should always meet in a public place on the first date, but this scenario could easily play out on a second or third date. You want to be on guard at all times. And if you see him ordering more than two drinks in the first half hour, it's OK to give the classic headache excuse and get out of there.

But what if the person you are with is stone-cold sober but you're just having a lousy time? If you can at all get through it, try to at least finish the meal, and if you can stomach it, stay a little longer for dessert. After all, this guy is footing the bill, and he deserves at least that long before you figure out that you really can't stand one more second with him.

But if this person is in any way insulting you, criticizing you, or acts demeaning in any way, don't feel one ounce of guilt. You don't even need an excuse. Just say, "It's time for me to leave." Look at the bright side. You've got one more dating horror story to share during your next girls night out.