Always the friend, never the love

[Valiant_Moon]

I'm coming to terms with this and I am wondering what I can do to change it.

I don't like plunging head first into a relationship with a person based on looks, I want to get to know the person better, befriend them, be sure that there is common footing for us to establish a relationship on before anything happens.

Lately though, everytime I confess how I feel... I get one of two answers.

1. "Your to good of a friend for me to risk our friendship by us dating"

or

2. "Had you told me sooner.... I just started dating someone..."

What can I do to change this about myself? Or is it a bad thing?  

[Thirteenth_Floor]

i see your problem, you don't want to be to impulsive by jumping into a relationship blindly, but you feel you wait too long (sorry for restating the obvious)
i have the same problem, and though this isn't the most fullproof way to avoid this, the best suggestion i can come up with is to drop subtle hints every now and then once you get to know them. i know it's a bit of a long process, but it also would help if you know how intuitive the person you like is. when i say subtle, i don't mean like code kinda thing where it's so hard to interpret, but something that that person would understand
as for the friends thing...that's tricky, it usually means that that person would either be interested, but feels insecure of what may happen over the course of the relationship, or is trying not to hurt your feelings. that's the best thing i can think of