Take a look at the map below:

It’s a summary of a scholarly study by Dorothy Gambrell of the “missed connections” section of Craigslist. The biggest item that stood out for me: most missed connections happened in the car for the state of Georgia (my home state).

Andrew Sullivan adds:

Nationally, the chart shows that great arc of life. In your twenties, you are most likely to think you’ve caught the eye of someone in an ice cream shop; in your thirties, in a bar; in your forties, a strip club or adult bookstore (those still exist?).  That sounds like the trajectory of the single male to me, doesn’t it? With almost the precision of a novel.

Now look at the South – more people spy love at Wal-Mart than anywhere else, from Florida all the way to New Mexico. And that thread runs all the way through deep red America. Only Oklahoma cites the state fair as a mixer. The rest see each other under the merciless lighting of the giant super-store. This is how we fall in love or lust, where we flirt and look back: when we’re shopping. The big cities – like NYC and DC – showcase the random human interaction on the subway or metro. The Northwest has it all going on on buses.

At least Wal-Mart wasn’t on top of the list for Georgia… With the amount of time Georgia drivers spend on the road commuting to work, it makes sense that the car would be the place for the most common missed connection. It’s certainly happened with me, though I’ve never posted an ad on Craigslist.