I haven't had a lot of bad/strange excuses, but I do have a couple related stories.
On your point of there being few women who are straight with you about not wanting to see you, when I first started dating after my divorce (actually think it may have been my first Bumble date), I went out on two dates with a girl, didn't try to kiss her and I acted like what I thought a gentleman was supposed to be. This despite her touching my leg a couple times during the dates (I didn't lay a finger on her). At the end of the second date when I walked her to her car, she gave me this impatient/expecting look on her face like, "FOR F*CK's SAKE CLUELESS DUDE, this is your LAST CHANCE to kiss me or I'm gone forever!" I literally CRINGE looking back on this. I texted a few days later for a third date and she was really polite and told me that she really enjoyed meeting me but was feeling platonic instead of romantic vibes from me and that she wishes me the best. Totally honest and spot-on too.