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There are areas where there is a possible need for a pedestrian bridge over a busy road. Not everywhere is either suitable or long-term enough for a conventional bridge to go in.
This idea is for a semi permanent rope bridge to be slung from reinforced lamp posts at either side of the road to enable
suitably keen people to cross there. Access to the bridge would be via ladders attached to the lamp posts.
It’s not an ideal solution as only the fit and agile would be able to use it, but it’s better than no crossing at all.
Interrobang
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrobang
How did I miss this word?! [calum, Jan 19 2005]
The Indian Rope Trick
http://skepdic.com/indianrope.html
Peter Lamont's investigation into the rope trick. [oneoffdave, Jan 20 2005]
(?) Tufty Bridge
http://www.highways...eral/2004_02_27.htm
Helping squirrels cross the road. [oneoffdave, Apr 14 2005]
Pygmies build bridge
https://www.youtube...PYvaA0Lz70A&t=2m16s
[pashute, Apr 13 2015]
The Abernathy footbridge
http://www.ngcc.org...3D&tabid=84&mid=456
A lighweight footbridge in Scotland. See anno. [CraigD, Apr 27 2015]
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Oops! Corrected now. Should have known better as I was reading 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' last night. Nice mentions of the 'bakery and the interrobang. |
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Why not just put a normal bridge across the road? Expense or something? |
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Also vandals would cut the rope. The wooden slats risk rotting. Wood gets slippy in the wet. The ladders would be nicked. the rope bridge would stretch in time, getting dangerously low. Kids would use it as an adventure playground. People not able to easily climb the ladder would try anyway. Discriminatory. Wobbly so more people likely to fall off them. Ladder would make accidents more common as people fall down them. Easier for muggers, who know escape routes from the bridge are slow and cumbersome. During high winds people would fall off. A car hitting the ladder accidentally could leave people stranded. There would have to be a safety limit for number of people on the ladders at the same time (as ladders are not as good as concrete). The rope would rot. The ladder rungs would become slippy or rot. Yobs would purposefully rock the bridge as people tried to cross. Pervs would look up girls skirts between the slats as they tried to cross. Pervs would look up girls skirts as they climbed the ladders. Pickpockets would find good opportunity to work as people scaled the ladders. If someone had a medical illness on the rope bridge it would not be easy to get them down or get medical attention up there. The weight capacity would not be as good as for concrete bridges. |
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I like it, but I think it would be more fun if you just installed a zip line. |
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Do rope bridges *really* count as a new idea...? They've been around for quite a while now. |
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Although referred to as a rope bridge, the structure would actually be constructed of heavy duty wire rope. The ladder would be welded to the lamp post. This is only a very temporary structure desgined for short-term use. |
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A 'proper' bridge costs in the region of £2-3m and can take 3-6 months to build. |
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As far as the discriminatory nature of the bridge, as stated in the original idea, it's not an ideal solution as it was never intended to be. |
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Some of the issues raised are also common factors with 'conventional' foot bridges. After every vehicle/bridge impact they have to be inspected by a civil engineer. A lot of footbridges in the Uk aren't yet reinforced enough to survive an impact with the larger heavy goods vehicles allowed on the road. |
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To be even more discriminatory, put up tight-ropes over busy roads. Then only circus performers could cross. |
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[Dr Curry] The rope bridge part of this wasn't really the idea. What was, was using them in an urban setting as a method (albeit limited) of crossing roads. |
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I would have liked this better if it were a pneumatic tube that sent people over. Thup! |
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An arched rope bridge via an Indian rope trick would be neat. |
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It seems this idea has now been implemented for squirrels in Lancashire [link] |
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//Pickpockets would find good opportunity to work as people scaled the ladders// that's one very nimble pickpocket |
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Tarzan swings, and a big vertical catch-net? [+] |
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[+] The idea. I think lightweight bridges are
underappreciated and used. |
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My first thought on reading this idea was of the Aberfeldy
footbridge (see link), a 14500 kg (light!), quite
comfortable, 63 m main span fiberglass (GRP) and Kevlar
cable suspension bridge. It uses A-shaped 18 m fiberglass
pylons, about twice the height of a typical light pole, but
I don’t see that adding a lightweight, stayed extension to
a light pole would be showstopper. |
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The Aberfeldy footbridge has fiberglass decking. Though
it’s denser, I think it’d be extra-nifty to use recycled
plastic decking. This stuff can be extruded in a hollow-
cored section that I’ve a hunch could be as stiff as and
weight as much or less than the solid fiberglass used at
Aberfeldy, and is a better endpoint in the plastic waste
stream than the usual landfill. |
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