[Zephyr45]

Looking for advice on how to approach this situation. Here's the details:

I met a girl on a dating site and we've been talking for almost a month now. I'd say we've hit it off and we were both interested in meeting each other. Eventually we were discussing how we should go out for ice cream and it was then I dropped the apparent bombshell that I live 1 to 1.5 hours away (not quite sure yet, don't know her exact location) which was further than she realized. After getting to the bottom of it, it turns out that this is "too far" a distance for her to be dating someone, and that it was "a problem for her," that she needs to be close to someone. (This is not due to transportation related issues, we both have vehicles well capable of making the piddly hour long drive) However, she did say the distance was not a problem for just friends.

Now, I'd rather she lived next door too, but I'm really having trouble seeing eye to eye on this. I'd think being an hour to an hour and a half apart would be easily managable. Additionally, and most importantly, I'd think that after we do become friends that if there is some attraction to start dating, she could waive the distance issue because if you like/love someone, you tend to find a way to get around any obstacles.

So I guess some of my questions are:

1. Should I bother being "just friends" with her? (I actually think we would make great friends. And at the moment I don't have any true emotional/physical feelings for her yet because we've yet to meet in person.)

2. If we do agree to be friends, do I have a right to carefully suggest she get over the distance deal, and consider me as potential boyfriend? This would include anything from light flirting to outright trying to convince her to change her mind.

3. Do you think there's any chance she would change her mind on her own? Say we meet, become friends and soon after she just realizes that I'm too good to pass up, the distance isn't a problem anymore?

4. Just curious- do you agree that being 1-1.5 hours away is significant and side with her point of view? Or do you think that this really shouldn't be an issue?

Thanks for your input.