# Has Anyone Ever Met A Doper IRL By Pure Happenstance? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 6, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791 "2013-07-06T15:55:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/21 "2013-07-06T22:35:29Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It would have been a lot more awkward approaching a stranger on a train and saying “Excuse me? Foie gras is evil?” I think the correct counter-sign would be “DuckDuckGoose.” > [@](#): > > Just my luck, there’d be a wacky misunderstanding and I’d end up with a briefcase full of nuclear secrets. At which point the counter-counter sign is “What the … ?!?” ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/22 "2013-07-06T23:45:33Z")
I’m not aware of having met any of the board members here, but I was almost convinced a former boss of mine was an SDMBer - he had a lot of the same combination of viewpoints I’ve only heard expressed here (didn’t have a TV, cycled everywhere, mobile phone from Ye Olden Days, bit of a trendy organic locavore foodie type, and other things generally considered a bit hipster) and almost nowhere else in real life. I never asked him about it (because if he was I didn’t want him knowing I was also here and if he wasn’t, I was just going to look like even more of an oddball to him for asking) but ultimately I concluded he wasn’t a member here - he didn’t strike me as the type to be hanging out on an internet messageboard, among other things. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/23 "2013-07-07T00:05:57Z")
For certain values of “met,” “Doper,” and “real life” – I had an online pal (not sure how we “met” online – mighta been OKC or similar, though since he lived in Boston and I live in Philly, that doesn’t exactly make sense either). Anyway, we used chat on IM all the time, and one time I said something about an online community I was active in, and it turned out he was a former Doper. Hm. On reflection, I guess I’d have to say “no.” ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/24 "2013-07-07T00:37:11Z")
When I was in college, most people decorated their dorm room doors with magazine pictures, cartoons, funny stuff from the Internet, etc. A girl three doors down from me who I didn’t yet know very well had put up a list of funny quotes that happened to catch my eye one day. I don’t remember what they were now, but a couple seemed familiar…and were attributed to names that also seemed familiar…THEY WERE FROM THE SDMB! This girl wasn’t in her room at the time, so I left a note on her whiteboard saying something like “Hey, are you on the SDMB?” She dropped by my room later and confirmed that she was. She was mostly a lurker and hasn’t been active here in several years, but I had seen a thread she’d started and she was familiar with my posts too. ---
**Author:** ![panaccione](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@panaccione](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panaccione)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/25 "2013-07-07T01:56:09Z")
I have not, but I am quite sure I went to school with one of his/her kids. It was about 8 years or so, when I still just lurked and there was a thread asking about a trip to NYC. All of the details described in the thread were the exactly the same for my trip. It was kind of surreal because this was a very small group. Only around 15-20 kids. Never did figure out who it was. Kind of surreal though. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/26 "2013-07-07T02:56:59Z")
I once ran into **Robot Arm** at Legacy Place, but we had already met at a Dopefest or three, so I don’t think it meets the OP’s criteria. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/27 "2013-07-07T07:37:46Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > How many of you have met a fellow Doper purely by accident? No, not at a Dopefest or other organized get together. I’m talking purely by chance. If so, how did this occur? In Jan of 2004, I met my first Doper, **Gundy** (and one of the handful I’ve ever met) when I ended up next to her cubicle on a two-month temp job I had here in Chicago. I overheard her talking on the phone about some message board for nerds (or something like that) and organizing some kind of large get-together, and I strongly suspected she was talking about a Dope Fest. So I asked, and found out she was, indeed, a Doper. ETA: Actually, I guess it was Jan of 2004 as [evidenced by this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=241656) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/28 "2013-07-07T07:43:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > ETA: Actually, I guess it was Jan of 2004 as [evidenced by this thread.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=241656) Dammit, I could have sworn I wrote “Feb of 2004” there. Grr… ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/29 "2013-07-07T08:00:27Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > I once ran into **Robot Arm** at Legacy Place, but we had already met at a Dopefest or three, so I don’t think it meets the OP’s criteria. I was about to mention that very same meeting. And it’s been way too long since; we really must do something about that. I hope you’re well. ---
**Author:** ![Sr\_Siete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@Sr\_Siete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sr_Siete)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/30 "2013-07-07T08:38:18Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Not a chance meeting but a close call. Twice I’ve seen a car with a California plate “I(heart)SDMB”. If you ever meet that guy/gal again, just say ‘no’ if s/he asks you to help carry some bundles of rope to his/her dungeon… ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/31 "2013-07-07T08:42:58Z")
I met a lurker once many years ago, in passing. I didn’t really know the guy, but I mentioned something that I had come across on here, and he mentioned that he was a lurker (complete lurker; never posted). Not a very exciting story. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/32 "2013-07-07T10:58:20Z")
I have a fairly close friend that frequents the dope. She doesn’t know that I do or that I figured out who she is. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/33 "2013-07-07T12:38:41Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > And it’s been way too long since; we really must do something about that. I hope you’re well. Yes, let’s!! PMs to follow. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/34 "2013-07-07T12:57:12Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Not a chance meeting but a close call. Twice I’ve seen a car with a California plate “I(heart)SDMB”. Maybe it was “San Diego Marching Band.” ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/35 "2013-07-09T01:07:13Z")
I used to travel a hell of a lot ( roughly 12 days a month ) and use a stand to keep my iPad vertical. I surf the Dope incessantly whilst on the road. And not. 😃 I always wondered if someone would walk by and see the banner or forum format and ask. Never happened. The initial conversation might be quite amusing. " What ensues? " " Penis ! " 😃 ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/36 "2013-07-09T01:12:20Z")
I mentioned the SDMB to a colleague once or twice, and since then, I caught glimpses of the masthead on her phone and computer screen from time to time. I suspect she has worked out my nickname, which is, well, a bit awkward if true. Hi, if you’re reading. Come clean! ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/37 "2013-07-09T20:44:41Z")
Not exactly the scenario posited by the OP… …But I have known **Nava** in person for quite a while, and as a matter of fact we were friends before I realized, more or less by happenstance, that she **also** posted here at the SDMB 🙂 BTW, **Nava** , we have to finish that RPG game we started all those years ago… 😉 (yes, I actually directed an RPG session with her and a few other guys. It was _fun_… …especially when I remember what happened to the poor rogue XD XD XD). ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/38 "2013-07-09T21:01:37Z")
Based on a thread about an event that a local doper was involved in, and narrowing down to 1 of 3 similar events based on details, I am pretty sure I have spoken to them. Assuming gender based on screen name. Never talked about SDMB; did jokingly mock another similar online community. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/39 "2013-07-09T21:32:45Z")
Yeah once… [it didn’t end well.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzMqnwSmMnI) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791/40 "2013-07-09T22:42:54Z")
Turns out my own brother occasionally lurks. He checks the column every week. As for other members. Why yes, I had one for dinner once, with fava beans, and a nice Chianti. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-ever-met-a-doper-irl-by-pure-happenstance/662791.md?page=3)