Internet dating, speed dating and singles parties are starting to look old hat. In Germany, the public transportation services are becoming matchmakers and the demand has been overwhelming.
Free German Web service helps commuters trace the attractive person they saw on a train or bus
BERLIN: Internet dating, speed dating and singles parties are starting to look old hat. In Germany, the public transportation services are becoming matchmakers and the demand has been overwhelming. Berlin commuters looking to contact a beautiful stranger they saw on a train or a bus can now use a free online service called Augenblicke (Moments) to track them down in what organisers call an international first.
The site, www.bvg.de/augenblicke, clocked more than one million “page views” between its launch last Valentine’s Day, February 14, and the end of December, with demand growing daily, Berlin Transit Operators (BVG) said. The rules are simple. Passengers left lovestruck after a stolen glance on the subway can use a pseudonym and post a message, which BVG then lists according to metro, tram or bus line where the encounter took place.
If visitors to the site recognise themselves in the description, they can respond by opening a online mailbox with the other passenger in which they can exchange messages, away from the public bulletin board.
The postings range from hilarious to heartbreaking. “You looked like a dreadlock fairy — I can’t describe it any other way,” a passenger wrote. “A light blue headband/headscarf, dressed in black from head to toe and a briefcase. What an entrance... I was the one with a khaki-coloured jacket, strange glasses and closely cropped hair half a carriage away. I have to know what was in that briefcase! That is one of my three wishes...”
Cupid’s arrow pierced “Greeneye” on a train. “You were carrying a bouquet of flowers,” the rider wrote. “We both got on at Friedrichstrasse in the direction of Bernau and while I was sitting there I suddenly felt your gaze which held me as I looked at you. I couldn’t look away nor could I keep my eyes on you and I had to smile. Those were magic moments.”
BVG spokesman Klaus Wazlak said the writing style pointed to a younger crowd and the number of mailboxes used for private communication indicated that dozens of would-be lovers were connecting.
Although magazines have long featured “lonely hearts” advertisements in their pages, Wazlak said BVG believes it is the first public transportation company to offer its own matchmaking service.
The service seems to appeal to a wide range of passengers. “You were reading an English book. I hope you can even understand me,” Phil1919 wrote in German. “Please get in touch.”
Wazlak said BVG allowed users of the site to blacklist anyone posting abusive, pushy or obscene messages. The spokesman, who described himself as “over 50”, said the Augenblicke service was a sign of how the younger generation approaches dating. “It takes courage to chat someone up and the Internet can help bridge the gap,” he said.
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