Ditch a "Dud"

I just got an email from my Virgin Mobile Wireless. In the subject line it reads:  Ditch a Dud!  Apply your "rescue" rings!   Ha ha....  Where were you when I needed you like 5 years ago?!  How I wish I could have had the phone call before I had to hear the "I was bit by an Emu at my mom's ranch.  You wanna see my scar?" story! 

No longer do you have to ask a friend or relative to rescue you on a blind date!  Now you can activate your phone to ring at an appropriate time!  No longer do you need to use the bathroom window of a coffee shop, or restaurant or movie theatre for an escape!  (I do not reccomend the window thing if you are on the 2nd floor). 

Has anyone done that?  I mean actually tell a date that you need to use the restroom, and simply not return?  I do know of one person doing it, and her date was left sitting at his table, waiting, and waiting....  Finally he asked someone to check for her because he was actually worried that she had dropped dead or something.  How awful is that?!  This person I know, who will remain nameless, felt bad afterwards of course, and the friends who fixed her up with the guy stopped talking to her for months.  Too bad she didn't think of the phone option.  Sure, she would still be lying, but, leaving a guy at a table is just plain rude and humiliating!