You Won't Date a Girl Unless You Ask Her Out

DR. WALLACE: I hope you can help me. I'm a 17-year-old guy and have never been on a date with a girl. It's not that I wouldn't like to, but it's just not happening. I've been told that I have a good personality and my grades in school are good. I have no problem holding a conversation with a female.

To make matters more confusing, I'm considered good-looking. Is it possible that being overweight and having a poor complexion are the problems? — Nameless, Phoenix.

NAMELESS: They may not be a problem to anybody else, but if they're a concern to you, they may be holding you back.

Fortunately, you can do something about both of these conditions, with determination and some professional help. I suggest you contact both a dietitian and a dermatologist as soon as possible. If you are serious and take their advice, you can expect to see improvement in both areas within weeks.

Meanwhile, remember that no girl is likely to go out with you until you ask her.

MALE TEEN DRIVERS MORE RECKLESS THAN TEEN GIRLS

DR. WALLACE: It's been proven that, pound for pound, females equal or surpass males in strength and coordination. Since this is a proven fact, I'm sure you will agree that females are safer drivers, and therefore our auto insurance should be lower than male drivers. Do you have any statistics on who has better driving habits, males or females? — Emma, Frederick, Md.

EMMA: I know of no statistics ranking traffic safety by gender, but I don't believe a person's sex has anything to do with the way he or she drives a car. Unsafe drivers tend to be reckless, careless, selfish, rude — and, of course, very dangerous. And they come in all shapes, sizes, colors, ethnicities and genders. But I also feel that male teenage drivers drive in a more reckless manner than teen female drivers. They also take more unsafe risks and are involved in a higher percentage of automobile accidents. It's primarily a macho thing!

It might be good business for a conscientious insurance company to give teenaged girls a bit of a break on their automobile insurance.

MANY GUYS SHY AWAY FROM FLIRTY GIRLS

DR. WALLACE: I'm 16 and so is my best friend, Nadia. We have been very close for over four years, but lately we've been having a problem, and the problem is boys. To be perfectly honest, we are both intelligent girls, witty and attractive. Nadia is really outgoing, but I'm really shy when it comes to meeting guys. Because Nadia is a big flirt, she has a lot of guys calling her all the time for dates.

Yesterday, Nadia had the nerve to tell me that if I would flirt with guys and wear sexy clothes, I'd have a lot of dates, too. I told her I'd never stoop that low just to attract a guy. If I can't get a guy to ask me out without being a big flirt and wearing sexy clothes (which I would feel uncomfortable wearing), then I just won't have a lot of dates. Do you agree? — Tonya, Naples, Fla.

TONYA: It's not necessary to be flashy and provocative to get dates. Many guys shy away from girls who are overly flirty. What works for Nadia makes you feel uncomfortable, so you should just be yourself. Being friendly and using the best possible communication tool, a broad smile, will attract the boys you would enjoy dating.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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