What’s your worst dating disaster?

British singles have had their fair share of dating disasters, according to a recent survey by online dating site PARSHIP.co.uk.

• Two out of five admitted to turning up late to a first date, or not showing up at all;
• 28% talked about their ex and past sexual experiences;
• 14% confessed to over-indulging in alcohol;
• 6% said they’d been chaperoned by a friend, their mother, or even a pet.

The top ten of bad dating behaviour is:

1. Entrances & Exits: On average, 30% of men and 48% of women admitted to turning up late for a first date, with one in ten women keeping the man waiting for 30 minutes or more. However, 12% of women and 6% of men admitted to taking advantage of their date’s absence at the bar or in the loo, and leaving without saying goodbye. Some dates never even got that far: a total of 5% of men and women said they had turned up to a date, not liked what they saw and then made a speedy exit.
2. The Ex: Most people know they shouldn’t talk about their ex on a first date, but for one in five men and women (27%) the urge has proved too great. In a similar vein, 12% of men and 6% of women admitted to talking about previous sexual experiences.
3. Drinking: A more disturbing set of statistics: 11% of men and 14% of women say they’ve drunk so much alcohol on a first date that they’ve felt they weren’t fully in control of themselves. 25% of men and 20% of women say they’ve drunk 9 units or more on a date. (The recommended weekly maximum intake is 21 units for men and 14 for women, with a two day break.)
4. Yours or mine? 30% of men and 20% of women admitted to going home with their date, with one in four men (26%) and one in five women (20%) claiming it led to sex.
5. The Bill: Credit-crunched Brits are now more likely to keep their hands firmly in their pockets, particularly if the date isn’t going well. One in four women (19%) and 4% of men say they’ve purposely not offered to contribute financially towards the evening, leaving it to their date to pick up the bill.
6. Lies and more lies: 8% of singles say they’ve lied about their age on a first date; 6% pretend that they’re not dating other people, 4% lie about their job and salary, 3% that they still live with their parents — and 2% have conveniently forgotten that they’re not in fact single.
7. What’s in a name? 10% of men and 3% of women say they’ve even forgotten their date’s name.
8. Three’s company: 5% of women and 3% of men say they’ve been chaperoned by a friend or even their mother – on a first date. 1% thought it acceptable to bring a pet, maybe named Gooseberry.
9. Arguments: With all these bad manners going on, maybe it’s surprising that just 3% of singles say they’ve (further) spoiled the evening by arguing.
10. Text, please! 4% of women and 2% of men say they’ve called or texted another potential date in the course of a first date.

Dr Victoria Lukats, psychiatrist and PARSHIP’s dating exert, commented, “For some, a first date can be more like negotiating through a minefield. People can feel under an enormous amount of pressure to make a good impression on a date. Dating faux pas can be put down to several factors, including bad manners, nerves, inexperience or lack of compatibility. Action can be taken to improve bad manners or to calm nerves. On the other hand, if two people have little in common or their personalities clash, it’s never going to be a match made in heaven — but there’s still no harm in behaving in a dignified manner.”

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So what’s been your worst dating disaster? Can you even bear to share?

My worst one has to be the week-long visit to a girl I’d been communicating with long-distance. Neither of us had any transport and she lived in the middle of nowhere, so we were driven around (and mad) by either her mother or her ex-boyfriend. Not great.