You may have seen speed dating in the movies Hitch or the 40 year old virgin. Now it is a new craze that is sweeping the country and people of all races, creeds and religion are holding speed dating events or speed dating parties for the singles set.

No more hanging out at bars or being fixed up with a blind date that makes you want to run the minute you see them.

Although it is called speed dating it isn't really a date, it's more like an interview so you are not stuck with someone that you are dying to get away from for an entire evening. The way speed dating works:

Usually anywhere from 6 to 40 people are involved, divided equally by sex. Each woman sits at a separate table and the men move from one table to another. They spend 6 minutes with each other and at the end of the time period a whistle is blown and the man moves on to the next table and woman.

During the allotted time period you can ask questions and get to know each other. Six minutes might not seem like very long to get to know a person but it is plenty of time to see if there is any chemistry between you. The getting to know better can come later.

At the end of the evening if there is someone you would like to get to know better, you turn in a card with their number on it. Now the hitch here is that the other person has to turn in your number too. Of course you can arrange this if you are both agreeable at the table during your 6 minutes.

What happens then is that you are given a way to contact the other person. This is usually done by email for further safety and privacy. This way you can set up a date and take the budding romance from there. Speed dating has been the answer for many people, why not you?