I’m BB7, a male member.
If you really have the flu or are otherwise seriously unwell, I think it’s best to pay a little extra to get a proper medical certificate from a hospital and submit it to the club.
The club should be willing to take situations like that into consideration to some extent. You went to the trouble of registering, so if your first date results in immediate dismissal because of the flu... nobody benefits.
This is Saito, the columnist♪
Rules have to be put in place because, unfortunately, there will always be people who abuse the system. So I think it’s best to explain your sincerity and provide evidence that outweighs those concerns, then let the club make the decision.
You could also list all your available dates after you’ve recovered and share your schedule in advance.
There’s nothing you can do about getting sick. I think the best approach is to be considerate of the other person and handle things in a way that doesn’t create extra work for them.
Maezawa from the Business Planning Office here as well.
This is actually a very tricky issue.
If it’s your first date after registering with the club, canceling the day before or on the day itself can result in being forcibly removed from the club.
I seem to remember that in the past, same-day cancellations were the only ones penalized, and contacting them by the day before was still acceptable. However, depending on the branch, even canceling the day before may now result in forced removal.
You may be thinking, “Even if she has the flu?”
The problem is that there’s no way to know whether a last-minute cancellation really is due to the flu, even if someone is lying.
Most people probably really do have the flu. Some women are genuinely unfortunate and even ask, “Should I provide my hospital receipt?”—the kind of thing that makes you think they really must be sick.
There aren’t any official provisions for exceptions in cases like this. If the staff believe you really have the flu, you may be spared forced removal even with a receipt, but in the past, some women were still removed despite that.
Of course, someone could simply give you another person’s receipt. So there may be a chance of avoiding removal by submitting a doctor’s note instead—although since it costs money, I doubt many people would get one.
If this happens, ask the staff whether a doctor’s note would be sufficient. (There may be staff members who say, “It’s against the rules, so no—even with a doctor’s note.” ＞＜)
The reason the rules are so strict, even though most people are probably telling the truth, is that some people do lie and cancel at the last minute.
Also, if you come down with the flu before your first date, you could say something like:
“I’ve come down with the flu, but I’m willing to crawl there if I have to. However, I don’t want to risk causing trouble for the gentleman, so could you please let Mr. ○○ know?”
When the man hears that, he’ll either reschedule or look for someone else.
That means the cancellation is technically coming from the man rather than the woman, so you won’t be forcibly removed.
That little workaround does exist. (lol)
Of course, if the man is insensitive and says something like, “I’ll be fine even if she has the flu,” then you really would have to drag yourself to the meeting place while barely able to stand. ＞＜
One additional note:
If a woman who already has a history of going on dates cancels at the last minute because she has the flu, her rating may go down, but she won’t be forcibly removed.
That’s because, since she has properly attended dates in the past, it’s considered more likely that she’s telling the truth.
Even women with a dating history may still be forcibly removed if the reason for the last-minute cancellation seems suspicious.
I’m a male member named Seattle.
If you have a cold, I’d prefer you to cancel—even on the day of the date. I don’t want to catch it, and it wouldn’t be enjoyable to go out with someone who isn’t feeling well.
Please explain the situation politely so the staff can trust that you’re genuinely sick—send a photo of your thermometer, visit a doctor, or whatever helps. Along with an apology, suggest some possible alternative dates and ask to reschedule.
