Saturday, January 31, 2015

Who Started The Damned Love Lock Trend Anyway?

I added in a link in yesterday's post- there are a number of places in Canada that have Beavertail outlets at least at some point during the year, so have a look if you missed it; perhaps there's a spot within a reasonable distance to you.

At her blog Paris Through My Lens this week, Virginia has been posting on the problem of these locks placed on the bridges of Paris since Wednesday. It's been awhile since I've shown this pic- the same thing is taking place here on the Corktown Bridge, a pedestrian bridge linking Centretown with the University of Ottawa. 

As time goes on, I'm finding this habit to be more and more of a problem. People seem to have no regard for the eyesore that these are becoming, the possible damage the collective weight these things can inflict on a structure, or the fact that these bridges are not their private property that they're free to do with as they like.


44 comments:

  1. I haven't checked Virginia's blog, but on at least one Paris bridge there are vendors who sell locks to tourists. The police try to shoo them away, but the demand is there. In theory at least it's supposed to be romantic. I'd read about it, took pictures, and found it easy to resist adding to the clutter.

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  2. Sentiment is such a strange thing!

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  3. I would NEVER say anything like this on my goody two shoes blog, but in your free-opinion zone I will say: this is a perfect example of the short sighted conformism in our species that alternately baffles, angers, and depresses me, W. Shhhh! I'm going back to being all positive-all the time now, LOL

    You said it beautifully!


    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    <3

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  4. I have also read the big problem of these locks in Paris.
    It was a nice idea, but enough is enough, in every case.
    Have a happy weekend.

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  5. Once it becomes a commercial trick it loses the romance so it needs some containing I think too.

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  6. Indeed, you can not make private use of which is public.

    Tomás.

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  7. Need to invent a new way for people to express their undying love for each other. :-)

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  8. I hate this! They destroy heritage bridges in Amsterdam too with their stupid locks.

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  9. I saw the post on Virginia's blog, we have these scenes here too... not SO many padlocks, but anyway...

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  10. If someone creates a counter campaign of the locks not being eco-friendly or "green", the tradition can probably be at least diminished. For me, the metaphor of being forcibly linked to someone (with no way out) is not appealing- in spite of the fact that I have been happily married for years! I stay without the "lock". Thanks for the image, William.

    Janis
    GDP

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  11. They had to remove thousands of padlocks from the lamp posts of an ancient bridge in Rome. They also placed dedicated racks...

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  12. It's becoming a problem worldwide.

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  13. @Kay: Virginia was definitely not pleased.

    @Linda: it certainly can be.

    @Cloudia: short sighted definitely seems to be a common human trait.

    @Orvokki: enough is enough indeed.

    @Gerald: it really needs to be stopped.

    @Tomas: you can't, no.

    @Revrunner: something that doesn't have adverse reactions.

    @Marianne: I suppose they think, "what's the harm of one more lock?"

    @Karl: I think Paris might be the ultimate example of it.

    @Janis: that would be a good idea.

    @Luis: thanks!

    @VP: people seem not to care.

    @Marleen: it certainly seems that way.

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  14. Hate this trend...it's vandalism, however people try to dress it up.
    Jane x

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  15. Ah - they're not where people leave their bikes then?

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  16. i saw it featured for the first time on a netherlands blog, i think, but i know it is spreading everywhere. i agree. the weight and wear on the bridges is terrible.

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  17. The locks are really just another form of graffiti. I don't like them either.

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  18. That would one fine bunch of bikes. We have a couple of spots in the city. Not and eyesore or danger... YET.

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  19. Someone got it started and then everyone wants to join in. I don't follow the leader in that respect. But I know people who do.

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  20. I've questioned the silliness of this for many years. I've been accused of being not very romantic but, I don't care. It's just a stupid and destructive fad.

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  21. @Norma: I guess I do come across a bit Grumpy Cat!

    @Grace: this is the only bridge here I've noticed it on, but there's a new one I haven't been to that might qualify.

    @Jane and Chris: it really is.

    @Mike: definitely not!

    @Tex: and people don't care. I would have thought the news story about the damage to the Paris bridge would have been enough.

    @Halcyon: they really have become graffiti.

    @Birdman: compared to Paris, this isn't bad, but it can get there.

    @Judy: none of the people I know would do this sort of thing. When we pass over that bridge, the comments tend to be more: "why don't they stop doing this?"

    @Sharon: it is very silly, and thoughtless.

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  22. I would echo your sentiments exactly. Dumbness prevails. And, I've heard of at least one bridge that went kaput from all that extra weight.

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  23. I haven't had a Beaver tail in ages! The locks, well, kooky. Just sayin'!

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  24. I really don;t like lovelocks. Someone tried to put one on a bridge in Belgrade, but it was immediately removed.

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  25. Oh no... they seem to be absolutely everywhere. I hate them. Who wants to be locked in love anyway?

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  26. This is certainly a good example of irrational thinking.

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  27. i have heard these are a problem on so many different kind of bridges all over the world - i wonder if there is something else folks can do to have a remembrance or such like that??! there has to be something??! ( :

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  28. I don't see the fun of this strange habit either.
    And probably a lot of those locks have lost their function meanwhile.

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  29. They used to do this on link fencing guess they don't any more ! It was big in the States and Britain a few years ago . Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !

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  30. Well, I don't get it, that's for sure. So if you break up with someone are you supposed to go back and take your lock off the bridge?

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  31. @Lowell: dumbness definitely prevails.

    @Jennifer: kooky is an understatement.

    @Pat: that's the right way to deal with them.

    @Ciel: not me!

    @RedPat: it's silly.

    @Red: very irrational.

    @Beth: I think part of it comes from a self entitled I can do whatever I want kind of attitude.

    @Jan: no doubt.

    @Geoff: just a matter of time.

    @Country Gal: I wish the trend would go away.

    @EG: if only!

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  32. I REALLY and completely agree with Virginia and you. This is not a cute trend. It defiles public property and in many cases the weight threatens the safety of the structures.

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  33. In Paris I saw such an overflow of padlocks that could not be seen at all barriers.
    I think that you need to create a safe alternative.

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  34. Not sure why this is so romantic. Like a gal says. Spoils the look for what is good.

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  35. A waste of perfectly good locks! Some people just do whatever they want, without giving it a thought.

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  36. @Randy: but not always well thought out.

    @Jack: that's true.

    @Mariusz: I agree.

    @Carolann: true.

    @TDP: I think so.

    @Pat: unfortunately.

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