If you want to date a woman, it is much easier to ask her out and get rejected upfront.
Never ever ever ever ever ever EVER go into the friendzone with women you want to date. It's a loss 99% of the time.
If you're friends with a woman and you develop feelings... speak on it. Put it out there and if it blows up? Let it be.
It is always better to lose a friend, get rejected, etc. than it is to sit in a friendship where unrequited love is involved.
I say this as someone who has been there.