Doesn't know how to be alone

I will try to be a devil's advocate for him.
Break ups can make you stupid for a while. I can't point to any peer reviewed study, only anecdotes.
Maybe he is trying to keep up some facade that he's tough and can move forward. Toxic masculinity?

All that aside, it blows getting your hopes up and then being disappointed. I'd hug you if I could (and you were okay with hugs from strangers.)

Got lucky

Good call. Glad you trusted your gut. Obviously he isn't ready to date.

I refuse to be a rebound girlfriend.

I can't speak for him, of course, and I can't even directly relate because I've never been in that specific situation, but I do know that I have my good days and my bad days. Generally, I'm happy to meet a friend for lunch or dinner or whatever and have a pleasant conversation, even if I'm otherwise having an "off" day, but other times I'm truly out of sorts and no matter how much I want to be present for my friend and fully engaged in the conversation, I just can't seem to focus. I've occasionally felt annoyed at a friend for no apparent reason and just couldn't connect with them like we typically would have. I can see something similar happening with a relatively recent breakup, where I think I'm ready to start dating again and then find myself having a particularly bad day and not connecting with my date as I might otherwise be able to do.

Some people are compulsive daters or serial monogamists and literally cannot stand being alone, not in a romantic relationship, for too long. They need to do some introspection and stop dragging people down to fill their empty voids.

That out the first time you met him . You do not have to waste your time on a second date . I am sorry that happened ,hopefully you will find someone who ould like to get to know you .

If you are to believe his excuse, it was deigned to not hurt your feelings. I suspect the truth is more along the lines of he just wasn’t that into you and he thought by saying he wasn’t ready for dating in general that that would hurt less than he just didn’t feel a connection with you.
I am not being mean by saying this. Hopefully you realize you had a lucky escape as he couldn’t even respect you while on the date to pay attention.
I could be wrong as I am overly skeptical and cynical. Just my opinion.
I’m sorry he wasted your time and well done for blocking him.

If I meet someone it's to get to know each other see what happens I'm way out of practice, haven't dated since 2001 so am awkward but take my lead from the one I'm meeting

That wasn't very nice of him.

Right, don't get dates if you you are not ready. You have a fair argument.

Distraction. Distraction from your grief.

Beats me

Some members are not just on here for dating. How long has he been on? Are you new to the site? Did he meet someone on this site and it did not work out? That happened to me. We even lived together for a year then I was asked to leave and willingly got my own apartment 2 months ago. Sometimes they feel they are ready -Dan wasn't honest with me about another relationship with another woman. Maybe this guy felt he was ready but really wasn't.