I’ve met a few people over the years. I think context is everything. If you meet for a game of ultimate frisbee at a field nearby it doesn’t seem like a big deal. If you connect with a support group that meets nearby, it’s not a big deal. Science fiction cons are the same. In all these examples, you are meeting with a group of people.
When it comes to individuals, it’s a little harder. Maybe you trust your sense of who someone is – after all, you’ve been communicating with them for long enough that you have a pretty clear idea of who they are, and you can tell they aren’t trying to snow you.
However, for me, there was an additional factor that made it seem dangerous. I kept asking, “why does she want to see me?” I just could not fully imagine anyone actually wanting to meet me, especially for romantic purposes, especially in my situation. That seemed crazy to me.
Several women said they wanted to meet me, but I only actually met one. I was scared that she would drag me into her basement and lock me up, like some kind of crazed serial killer. She is now higly amused at this, because she is, as she said, a harmless woman.
I have never even gotten close with anyone I’ve met on fluther. Maybe one or two email addresses, but we don’t even use them. Certainly no phone calls, much less visits. I’d like to meet people, but it would cause too much trouble at home, so it’s not worth it.