An innocently planned evening to meet Mr. or Ms. Right can turn into a horror story if you do not take proper precautions. Good and bad exist side by side in the world today and a friendship or date can take an ugly turn and turn into rape, murder, robbery and more.

Safety rules must be observed everywhere, whether you are traveling by train, driving a car, buying a house or piece of jewelry. So, also when you are dating be it speed dating, online dating, or dating at a singles bar, you must keep in mind safety and the rules of protection. Where a singles bar is concerned the rules are simple:

1. Choose to go to a bar which is located in a safe uptown locality and whose clientele are mainly working professionals.

2. Dress for the evening stylishly but try not to wear clothes that shout I am available.

3. Always leave a contact number with a friend or family and let them know your plans. Take along a mobile phone and ask someone to call casually during the evening to determine all is well.

4. Do not guzzle alcohol or take medications that will cloud your thinking.

5. Never accept a drink or food from strangers. Learn to say, No thank you with a smile.

6. Even if you like someone a lot, try and control your enthusiasm and find out as much as you can about the person. Many a time the so called perfect individual may not be perfect at all.

7. Keep all your faculties together always and trust your gut instincts. Never allow yourself to get carried away and agree to things you do not want to do normally.

Be vigilant at all times and watch out for what are known as red flags. Try and gauge how honest the person you like is and whether or not he or she is at the bar to play the field. Ask relevant questions and see if you get straight forward answers. Often a person who is hiding something will respond differently to a question that is reworded and repeated after a while.

Follow the rules of dating etiquette and pay your own bills so that you are not obligated to anyone. But dont let all the donts dampen your spirit. Be yourself, be friendly, smile a lot, leave apprehensions and fears at home locked up in a box. Never be intimidated that you are at the bar to meet an ideal date. Decide I am going to be open minded about what I want and am going to enjoy the evening with friends whether or not I meet the date.

If you are single and want to date then try out online sites like www.americansingles.com or http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dating/. At these from the comfort of your home you can explore the various options singles have as far as dating is concerned.