Mossop -- I quickly gave up on writing to anybody first here, after making some attempts to contact locals I saw running through the "New Matches" area. Never got ONE reply! I said screw it and just kept posting in the forums.

After awhile, I started getting mail from other people on the site. I really think it's all about exposure in the forums, giving people something to think about or laugh at. Once you get noticed, and once people get a sense of who you are, they pay more attention to what you're writing, and they're more amenable to making contact.

I still refuse to write to anybody first, though.

And I still -- a year later -- have yet to hear anything from anyone in my search area. Oh well.

I said this, too, the other day. It only takes 30 seconds to type, No thank you, but good luck in your search. My mom taught me manners when I was growing up, and I still use them.

I sent out emails to ladies on this site when I first arrived. I think about 5 after like the third day I was here. I got 4 responses, so that wasn't so bad. Nowadays, I will email someone just to say hi or to comment on something they might have said. But for the most part, women email me, and when they do, I always respond to them. Nothing wrong with being polite and nothing wrong with making some cool internet friends.

I was raised with common courtesy slammed into my brain so I cannot just ignore someone. The only emails I do not respond to are the ones who obviously did not read my profile or people asking for sex. I used to reply to the people looking for sex but most of them just cant take no for an answer so why bother? But I do reply to every other message I get, which usually are just from friends anyway.

I have to agree with you there, Suz, if they're being just plain stupid, then they really know they aren't going to get a response. But, people that are sincere in their emails deserve a reply, one way or another.

I couldn't agree more

All of the women I have written usually answer. Most of the time they tell me to go to hell !