rdnt03

Some of this is on you. Relationships take time, work and effort from both parties. Meetup is just a platform for making RSVPs to events.

Pretty spot on. As an organizer, you're worried about turnout and interest along with the logistics. My thing is now, just let others do the organizing and show up and leave early if I want to.

I've even had people on vacation go into meetups to get to know locals. So I assume yes. Not something I'd do.

You're not kidding. A group of even a small size brings in a misfit or two. A guy with olfactory problems or a girl who doesn't say anything except the low mumblings to herself. This is not me spreading gossip to bring the rest of the group together, but that one or two people always brings the meetup down. This is not even including conspiracy theorists or people in general who want to rant.