And the concern is free

As I've been gearing up for another round of 10 Dates, 10 Men™, I've been scaring myself shitless researching various dating protocal and opportunities. To be frank, I talk a lot more about dating than I actual go out and date, but that's another post.

Tonight I ran across a helpful website called bConcerned. It's a free check-in service run by a police detective and someone else with legal expertise (apparently serving subpoenas) for people who want extra security if they're going on a date, traveling, or doing anything that might require someone to check up if they don't check in.

Here's how it works. A member checks in on the website before she leaves -- on a date, for example or maybe to go to the Kroger up the road from me -- and gives the company information about where she'll be, what the guy looks like, his phone number, which vet he takes his dog to, and his photo.

Then she goes on the date where she will find out he's married. If she hasn't checked in within 8 hours, the service sends her an email reminding her to log on. After another 8 hours, the service sends an email to the member and to the member's "alert contact." And then after 24 hours a third email is sent to the member telling her she's going to be slapped on the hand for worrying everybody while she was getting married in Vegas and enjoying mind-blowing sex in the hot tub of a hotel on the strip locked out of the service.

I was surprised calling the police wasn't part of the procedure, but I guess that would be up to the contact -- given the contact gets the message, of course.

I also thought a lot could go on in a period of 8 hours -- anything from a long poetry reading to fantastic sex to rape and murder. By the time her contact got the email 16 hours later decomposition would have set in.

It's an interesting service. Personally, if I were stupid enough to go out with a stranger to a place where he might press upon me his evil intent, I'd have left that information with a dozen friends, including the ones with guns. And they would expect me to check in way sooner than 8 hours.

In fact, last time I went on a date, three people texted me within an hour of my arrival at the restaurant to make sure I was OK, my son insisted I keep Skype open, and I glimpsed one friend hiding behind a potted plant. My daughter didn't want to hear from me unless I got laid.

The question is would I use this service? Maybe, but only if for some reason I didn't want my friends and kids to know I was going out. And it's unlikely I'll be doing any undercover dating. (Hee.)

But I can certainly see how this might be valuable for someone who doesn't have close friends to leave the information with or for someone who doesn't want her friends and family to know what she's doing. It doesn't provide a high level of security, but it could give the person using it some peace of mind.

I do have to add one note about the website: Somebody needs an editor. A professional editor. Like me. I give another kind of peace of mind.