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The highs and lows of online dating according to Wolverhampton folk.
Express & Star
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24/04/2025
We asked people in Wolverhampton Centre about there experience of online dating, here is what they had to say.....
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News
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00:00
Yeah, we're here. Wayne, you said, obviously you got a door to it as well. You originally started on online dating on Yahoo?
00:08
It wasn't a dating site, it was a chat room.
00:11
It was a chat room, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah. So I mean, once you take an online dating, obviously it turns out successful for you, wasn't it?
00:15
It wasn't intended to be a dating thing, it was just a general chat.
00:21
And yeah, so we got to private message each other and that's where it all started really.
00:28
Fantastic.
00:29
She was from Bridgewater, Somerset. I was 18. I was 18 and I met her on her 16th birthday.
00:40
That's when we first actually went down, met. And it just went from there.
00:47
When she was about 19, she decided to move to Wolverhampton and got married, started to have kids.
00:56
Five kids down the line. Five kids down the line, that's it.
01:00
So not quite a dating site, but the same premise, isn't it?
01:05
It wasn't for intention.
01:07
But yeah, once we got chatting, got to know each other a bit better, sent each other pictures.
01:12
And it was all bypassed, the pictures and stuff like that, because the facilities wasn't there then.
01:18
Do all the scanning and stuff like that. So yeah, I think it was Windows 95 or something, kind of what I was using at the time.
01:28
And the computer was, if I remember right, it's called the Biglen.
01:31
Biglen. I'm not sure if I'm actually about anymore, so...
01:35
Yeah, tell me what's a general take on dating apps now?
01:38
You know, you get stuff like Tinder and that sort of thing.
01:40
What's a general take on dating apps?
01:42
A bit worrying, but...
01:48
A bit worrying for the kids?
01:50
A bit worrying for the kids, I think.
01:51
Yeah, you hear a lot of bad stories on it.
01:55
Yeah, yeah.
01:56
But I'm not sure whether it is just bad stories and it kind of puts you off.
02:02
You know, you read a lot in the news about bad things, what happens.
02:06
But, like we were saying, you don't hear about the success stories as often, so...
02:11
Yeah, exactly, yeah.
02:12
So let me put this into the...
02:14
Because what, like, a lot of...
02:16
What we've got is we've got figures that are showing that, like, middle-aged people, boomers.
02:20
Like, the baby boom.
02:21
The baby boom generation.
02:22
Yes.
02:23
They're most likely to get scammed by online dating as well.
02:26
Yes.
02:27
I mean, like, constant worry, isn't it?
02:29
I couldn't imagine it's anything that you've got to worry about with your own children.
02:32
But, I mean, like, what do you say?
02:33
You reckon that's something people should be scared about online scamming?
02:36
Because it could be quite common.
02:37
I mean, there was a whole documentary series about it.
02:39
Was that on Netflix?
02:40
I think it was.
02:41
I think for generations above me, yes.
02:42
Yeah.
02:43
Because I don't think them as used to technology as what we were growing up.
02:47
Yeah.
02:48
And I think, yeah, it can easily be scammed.
02:50
And I don't think them as aware, if you like, about it than we are.
02:55
Yeah, yeah.
02:56
Are you worried about your own kids going on dating sites if you ever do?
03:00
I'll always worry about my kids.
03:02
No matter what.
03:03
Even if I met somebody on the outside, it's just the father's instinct.
03:07
I think you're always going to worry.
03:09
More of my daughters than my lads, if I'm being honest.
03:11
Yeah.
03:12
I suppose that's just nature though, isn't it?
03:13
Yes.
03:14
Yes.
03:15
If my daughter said that she met somebody online, I would screw to the eyes.
03:20
Yeah.
03:21
And go into it.
03:22
I wonder if your wife's parents felt the same way.
03:25
I met this guy on Yahoo.
03:26
Believe it or not, they were very laid back.
03:29
Was they?
03:30
Yes.
03:31
I mean, her dad was a farmer, so he was at the house 18 hours a day.
03:36
So, never saw him that much.
03:38
We got on with him really well.
03:41
It was nervous to meet her at the first time.
03:43
We met at the train station in Bridgewater.
03:45
So, yeah, it was nervous at the time, but it worked out well for us.
03:50
Oh, fantastic.
03:51
Well, there we go.
03:52
I mean, not quite a dating app, not quite a dating website.
03:54
But still an online dating success.
03:56
It was a chat forum and it turned into, yeah, something good, didn't it, Greg?
04:01
Yeah.
04:02
Yeah, yeah.
04:03
So, we're here with John.
04:05
John, you said, obviously, you're married, aren't you?
04:07
Yeah.
04:08
But you said, so, I mean, like, what are the worries about online dating?
04:11
Because, obviously, with the babe-booming generation being one of the most susceptible,
04:15
I mean, you know, it's always a scary thing.
04:17
Do you reckon people have to be a bit cautious online?
04:20
I wouldn't be cautious.
04:21
I just wouldn't be interested in doing it that way.
04:23
Yeah, yeah.
04:24
I prefer to go to a dance or meet them in the pub or whatever.
04:27
So, you've got a harder chance of being scammed if you actually meet people face-to-face, haven't you?
04:30
It's that, yeah.
04:31
Yeah, yeah.
04:32
How long have you been married for?
04:33
Quite a while.
04:34
45 years.
04:35
45 years.
04:36
Ah, brilliant.
04:37
You didn't meet your wife online dating, did you?
04:38
No, no.
04:39
I suppose it wasn't a thing back then, was it?
04:40
No.
04:41
Now, where'd you meet?
04:42
Or was it down the pub?
04:43
Was it down the pub?
04:44
At the dances?
04:45
Anything like that?
04:46
It was in a pub, actually.
04:47
Yeah, yeah.
04:48
I mean, like, do you think it's a better way to meet people than just face-to-face instead
04:51
of doing it on you?
04:52
Oh, without any shadow of doubt.
04:54
Yeah, yeah.
04:55
You get to know the person a bit better first meeting, you know, you've got no chance
05:00
of being scammed online.
05:01
No.
05:02
That sort of thing.
05:03
I mean, like, what are you like online at the moment?
05:04
Are you quite cautious?
05:05
The world's worst.
05:06
Yeah.
05:07
I'm not very good with technology.
05:08
Yeah, yeah.
05:09
Do you reckon that's sort of like not being very good with technology?
05:12
I don't use it.
05:13
I've got a jump phone.
05:14
I haven't got a smartphone.
05:15
In fact, the only person I know hasn't got a smartphone.
05:16
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:17
Yeah.
05:18
But this does make it.
05:19
If they want to get any touch of your candy coming in.
05:20
Yeah.
05:21
So it makes the older generation a bit more susceptible than it to being scammed, if they're
05:25
not quite handy with tech.
05:27
Well, we're a lot less, actually, because we don't get caught up in these things.
05:31
Oh, you think you're less likely to see.
05:33
The youngsters have got real problems.
05:35
You've got all these weirdos trying to get any touchy and all that.
05:37
Oh, that's a, yeah, yeah.
05:39
It's not very good for them, is it?
05:41
The cold callers and that, yeah.
05:42
Well, people say they can't stop it, but I think they could, actually.
05:45
Yeah, yeah.
05:46
Because some could go for it.
05:47
The youngsters, I'm talking about youngsters, under 18.
05:50
It's not really good.
05:52
You're new to try to get any touchy, are you?
05:54
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:55
No, I don't like it at all.
05:57
I mean, like, you know, you said you had a friend, Uber, who's honest on the dating apps.
06:00
What's your opinion on dating apps?
06:02
Obviously, Grindr, Tinder, the whole lot.
06:03
I think they're a little bit awkward, too.
06:05
A little bit awkward?
06:06
I know that it's like, it's harder to go out and date than I think now.
06:10
But, like, getting on a dating app and sort of talk to someone that you don't know.
06:15
And you don't know if they're real or not.
06:17
Yeah.
06:18
Do you reckon it's a bit, like, do you reckon it's a bit impersonal?
06:20
Like, you're not really, you're not really knowing that person, do you reckon?
06:23
I think, as well, for a first-time relationship, using a dating app is not the way to go.
06:29
Yeah.
06:30
Because I think it becomes a bit of a different section.
06:33
Yeah.
06:34
Yeah.
06:35
You reckon it's sort of like a quantity over quality sort of thing, you reckon?
06:38
Yeah.
06:39
Yeah, because that's what our friend's situation is.
06:42
It's her first real experience with dating, and then it doesn't go right.
06:48
And then it's like, oh, dating's the worst thing ever.
06:51
Yeah, but is it like you're basing it off that one thing, though, instead of, like, meeting people face to face?
06:55
Yeah.
06:56
Yeah.
06:57
Do you reckon there's a bit of a fear about online dating as well?
06:59
Yeah.
07:00
Do you reckon you actually know who you're talking to?
07:01
I wouldn't personally use it.
07:03
No, I don't think I would either.
07:05
It's just sort of like, if you're taking a risk, if it's a dodgy person.
07:09
Yeah.
07:10
That's the thing, you've got catfishes on you.
07:11
Yeah.
07:12
But I mean, they're getting worse, though, because they're trying to steal your money as well.
07:14
So it's like, you know, it's...
07:16
Do you reckon...
07:17
Well, I'm not...
07:18
Do you reckon the sort of older generation are more susceptible to it?
07:21
Or do you reckon the younger generation are more susceptible to it?
07:23
I'd say it's probably the older generation that's more susceptible to it.
07:26
But it's...
07:27
There's a lot of scam warnings out there now as well, so it's like...
07:30
Yeah, yeah.
07:31
Depends what ages they put in the apps as well.
07:33
I think they should stick to their own age group.
07:35
Yeah.
07:36
Do you reckon it's the quality of app?
07:38
Because obviously Tinder's a bit of a...
07:39
Bit of a landmine, innit?
07:40
You know, it's a bit of a...
07:41
It's a bit hit and miss.
07:42
But...
07:43
There's so much that you can pay for because our friend was on my bar going to pay for it.
07:47
Yeah.
07:48
Don't do that.
07:49
Don't do that.
07:50
And it's like where the girl talks messages first.
07:52
Yeah, yeah.
07:53
So it's like...
07:54
Now she has to pay for it.
07:57
What?!
07:58
Yeah.
07:59
How what?!
08:00
It's like quality of app, isn't it?
08:01
You know, you get ones like Tinder and it's always free.
08:04
And you get ones that are like...
08:05
There's plenty of...
08:06
Plenty of Frischia is like paid for, innit?
08:07
And that's more of like a CD-based service.
08:08
Yeah.
08:09
I mean, I don't know if this means...
08:10
Are there younger people on Plenty of Frischia?
08:12
I don't...
08:13
You've never heard of that one.
08:14
No.
08:15
That answers the question, doesn't it?
08:16
Yeah.
08:17
Personally, you'd never use it.
08:18
You would use it.
08:19
You wouldn't use it for your first relationship.
08:20
I wouldn't use it for my first.
08:22
Yep.
08:23
Honestly...
08:24
It's for a relationship!
08:26
I don't really like the idea of it.
08:28
It's like you're putting a picture of yourself and...
08:31
You kind of just want to meet in person.
08:33
And I think that's the problem with our generation.
08:36
Yeah.
08:37
We don't meet in person.
08:39
Because I feel like we're both in university and that's kind of our last dating pool.
08:44
Yeah.
08:45
Yeah.
08:46
And then we're in real life and looking for work and have real life problems to deal with.
08:52
Fantastic!
08:53
Yeah.
08:54
Don't you say this is good?
08:55
No!
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