It would sometimes be very benficial to be aware of the marital status of an individual without actually having to ask them. A good example of this can be provided within a nightclub setting. If one catches the eye of an attractive woman (or man if appropriate) the first question that enters the mind is 'is he/she available?'. Many hours of pulling time could be wasted chatting to someone who, at the end of the day, has a wife/husband/partner to go home to.
My idea involves the wearing of a 'Marital Status necklace' the centre of which changes colour according to the marital status of the individual at the time. A typical colour coding scheme would be as follows :-
Red - Married with no intention of getting involved with another person
Amber - involved with partner, but would consider ending it for the right person
Blue - single, but not looking for anyone at this time
Green - single and looking for potential partner
Pink - monogomist-- ccaamgw, Jul 12 2000 (?) The Canonical Hanky Code http://www.halcyon.com/elf/hankies.htmlThere must be some way of working this into this.... [jutta, Jul 12 2000] The device [RISK] mentions is headed for the US. http://www.majon.co...isting/lovegety.txtI really wonder if they'll catch on. [centauri, Jul 12 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004] There is, of course, the old fashioned wedding ring. Simplistic, I know, but besides indicating your (lack of) availability to others, it also shows commitment to your partner. How would you feel if your SO went around wearing an amber necklace?-- Lemon, Jul 12 2000 If I saw it was glowing Amber, I would consider ending the relationship. Likewise if I found out they were regularly removing their wedding ring when they were out without me.-- ccaamgw, Jul 12 2000 Would you want to get involved with the kind of person who'd wear an Amber necklace?-- hippo, Jul 12 2000 Amber doesn't necessarily mean someone who 'sleeps around'. It simply means that they are unhappy in their relationship. Ethically they should end their relationship in these circumstances but not many people do until they meet someone new. I was thinking more along the lines that the necklace would glow amber only when the user wanted it too. In other words, it wouldn't glow amber when the wife/husband/partner was around to see it. In fact one might argue that the necklace would only be worn when needed (i.e. in pubs/bars/clubs) and could potentially be handed out by the door staff on entry.-- ccaamgw, Jul 12 2000 I have to say, any invention along these lines needs a sexual preference code variant. I know that there are many possible indicators (earings, maybe handkerchiefs, etc.), but one universal signal would be fantastically useful. Actually, there's very little offensiveness potential for a simple preference-indicator necklace (so it seems on first glance; I can't tell who I'm offending). You walk into the club, and the bouncer offers you a selection of three: blue, pink, or green (gay, straight, or bi). Does anyone know if this gets done anywhere? It might make life simpler _without_ making it harder at the same time (re: the amber necklace).-- mcfrank, Jul 12 2000 Interesting idea but too low tech for this day and age. I have heard that in Japan u can get a watch that u punch your details in like what your interest are and the type of person u are together with details of your ideal person. Other people with the same gadget do the same and when u are in the proximity of someone that has similar interests both watches flash.
Saves alot of time pulling me guess, after all u will already have something in common and the watch can't lie.....can it????-- RISK, Jul 12 2000 I'm sure a sexual preference modification to the necklace would be a good idea. God knows how much time must be wasted with 'is he/she gay?'. It's hard enough deciding whether it's worth trying to pull someone without their sexual preference having to be decided also! Personally, I've spent far to much time chatting to women who seem not to let on that they're already involved until you've wasted half the night trying to pull (or tapping in, as I call it). RISK, what do you think the chances are of a european/US release of that watch?-- ccaamgw, Jul 12 2000 Talking of sexual preference it would be pretty embarassing if the guuys watch next to u flashed..Doh!
I think that the craze is very big in Japan and like those Tamagochi feed your virtual pet toys for kids that eventually came to the West for sure so will these. I have been thinking of importing em myself but not sure the wife will approve:-)-- RISK, Jul 12 2000 On the AIDS Ride, participants can wear stickers on their helmets with checkboxes for
Gay/Straight
Married/Seeing-someone/Available/Too-tired-- syost, Jul 14 2000 A "Just Flirting" designation might also be popular. Perhaps an already defined designation could just blink.-- johan, Jul 19 2000 How about orange for "just flirting but wait until I'm drunk!" ?-- ccaamgw, Jul 19 2000 Let's not forget a color for, "All I'm interested in is getting you to fall in love with me so I can use you, humiliate you, and leave you to blow around some dark, stinking alleyway like last week's newspaper."-- Ander, Jul 26 2000 Ander you should take a look at my Relationship contract idea.....-- ccaamgw, Jul 26 2000 It is immoral to be "hunting" when you are married. Poor animals. It is immoral to be "hunting" when you are married. Poor animal. Go for the necklace!-- Vance, Jan 30 2001 Wot about the polygamous people? Or the Part-time marriages (to a military service person, etc)?-- gz, Apr 25 2001 random, halfbakery