The Big Clock is a perfectly normal mechanical clock apart from (a) having its dial horizontal - in fact, the clock mechanism is set into the ground and the dial is co-planar with the surface of the Earth and (b) being very big - at least 500m in diameter, and preferably several miles.

The hands proceed around the dial in the usual manner, except that it's now necessary for pedestrians to step out of the way of the minute hand (it's large, but it's still a minute hand), the tip of which will be moving at a gentle walking pace. They will also have to be careful to jump every time the seconds hand whooshes past, since the tip of it will be travelling at at least 60mph.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 05 2019

a number of parallels Kiritimaticentrifugomobile
[calum, Mar 05 2019]

Near/far https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MMiKyfd6hA0
from my favourite comedy show of all time [xenzag, Mar 05 2019]

Ah yes, the Kirimaticentrifugomobile. I hope they find the funding for it one day.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 05 2019


Ah yes, but is it adjustable or in "one size only - big"?
-- xenzag, Mar 05 2019


We have a complimentary bus service. From far away, it's small.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 05 2019


//mechanism is set into the ground and the dial is co- planar with the surface of the Earth//

//seconds hand whooshes past, since the tip of it will be travelling at at least 60mph.//

My initial thoughts were to utilize existing infrastructure, the slow middle and outside lanes of the M25. It's 117 miles around, however, so with traffic it might be possible to do Years, Months & Days. There's plenty of big 3 lane roundabouts you could use though.
-- bs0u0155, Mar 05 2019



random, halfbakery