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"Love Locks" removed from the Pont des Arts in Paris, people complain


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Here's the MSN article:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/breaking-hearts-breaking-chains-paris-removes-love-locks/ar-BBktxqa

From the article:

What is for couples a harmless act of passion is for city authorities a potentially dangerous headache.

Last year police hurriedly ushered tourists off the Pont des Arts when a section of the footbridge collapsed under the weight of the locks covering the 155-metre-(509-foot-)long bridge.

Plastic panels were put up in places to deter lovebirds and authorities launched a drive to get tourists to upload selfies instead of attaching a lock.

But nothing stands in the way of true love, and tourists have kept piling the locks on the bridge and elsewhere, forcing authorities to take drastic measures.

The NPR report states people have already started attaching the locks to other bridges and the Eifel tower. Do people not understand why these things had to go, that part of the bridge collapsed last year due to the weight they added? I'm a romantic and a sentamentalist. But romantic gestures shouldn't put people's lives at risk or do damage to infrastructure like bridges.

What is wrong with people?

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What is wrong with people?

Quite a lot, obviously. In this case it's probably a thought along the lines of "one more surely won't make a difference".

Incidentally, the Hohenzollern bridge in Cologne is also a popular place for this fad, and apparently officials there have declared that the bridge can support the added weight. Clearly Cologne is going to usurp Paris' position as destination for romantic trips in the near future.

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I've never understood love locks. It's a really dumb and unsightly expression of love. If people need to do this sort of thing to feel as though their love is relevant, then they really ought to be pushing for more purpose-built love lock installations. Or maybe looking into having a relationship where destruction of the environment and property isn't necessary to express their love. Perhaps putting tourist police and giving out really hefty fines will help deter the love lock fetish.


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Solmyr,

I've never taken an engineering class. This problem seems pretty straight forward to me. I'm just floored by the people whining about the locks being removed.

You are probably not representative of the demographic of average, unwashed Joes, that are emitting the whining sounds in question. I hazard to venture a guess as to how their minds rationalize such whining, lest it brings me closer to their twisted mentality, but I imagine it follows the 'rationale' that because these locks were there for so long they now have aesthetic/cultural/sentimental value and it's worth investing bucketloads of money to reinforce the bridge (if it's even possible) instead of removing them.

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I've never heard of this before and I'm rather amazed that it's become so popular it actually can have a negative effect on structural integrity.



The article says the fad has spread from Europe to Morocco and China. Does anyone know of anywhere in North America where people are doing this?


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romantic gestures shouldn't put people's lives at risk or do damage to infrastructure like bridges.

I disagree, I think gestures can only be truly romantic if reason, caution, and concern for consequences are thrown to the wind. You can't be romantic and even think about using a word like "infrastructure"

Also, I didn't really see in the article where people complain. Was it in the video?

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Quorra,

I'm sure that makes having a portion of the Pont des Art collapse into the Seine last year all worth it.

Go to facebook and look at the Buzzfeed, NPR, and PBS articles. People are complaining loudly the comment claiming it's wrong to cut the locks off, becuase destroying bridges is worth the romance of it.

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Quorra,

I'm sure that makes having a portion of the Pont des Art collapse into the Seine last year all worth it.

Exactly, that's why it's "romantic" and that's why people get all emotional over "romance." You're missing the point. There isn't supposed to be a concern for practicality or anything other than the gesture. People are idiots. That's what romantic gestures are for, to show off what an idiot you are for someone. I'm not saying it's right or good, or that stupid romantic gestures are anything other than stupid gestures.I'm totally on board with chucking those locks into a smelting pot and making sewer pipes out of them.

I'm sure that to you, being romantic is something meaningful and private like putting a machine-washable blanket over your sleeping wife and then going to do the dishes, and that's your idea of a true romantic gesture. I'm sure that's practical and an expression of love that doesn't hurt anyone. But that's not one of those silly gestures most people think of as "romantic." (Much good wishes to you in this tough time, BTW re: other thread special request.)

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Quorra,

First, thank you I really appreciate that. :)

Second, I see your point. That said if people started randomly setting forest fires to symbolize the "fire of their love" would eveyone find it romantic for the same rational you are offering for the love locks? The difference is that in my new example the damage is immediate. With the love locks it grows over time but both do serious damage hence my frustration with the sentiment of it.

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What is the most romantic gesture you have ever committed? I've done many things out of love but I can't think of anything I've ever done that was meant to be a public romantic gesture, to declare my love for someone.



Although, I made a sandwich for a guy once, in front of my cousins. I asked him if he wanted one and I got up to go make it. They all stared agape in disbelief at my self sacrifice. I didn't even want one, it was all for him. Are you weak in the knees yet? It was cold cuts, not anything fancy like... meatloaf. I would do anything for lunch, but I won't do that. No, I won't do that.


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Solmyr,

I've never taken an engineering class. This problem seems pretty straight forward to me. I'm just floored by the people whining about the locks being removed.

Scot, please trust me when I say that a huge proportion of the population does not understand this problem at all.

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I've never heard of this before and I'm rather amazed that it's become so popular it actually can have a negative effect on structural integrity.

The article says the fad has spread from Europe to Morocco and China. Does anyone know of anywhere in North America where people are doing this?

I thought they were an eyesore. I think they are on the Brooklyn Bridge now too.

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