Paris 'Love locks' to be Removed from Bridges

[JI7]

Tying a 'love lock' on to the Pont des Arts before throwing the key into the River Seine beneath has become a tourist tradition in recent years.

But part of the bridge collapsed under the weight last year.

City officials say all locks will all be removed from Monday as they pose a safety risk.

Close to a million padlocks - weighing 45 tonnes - are expected to be cut off.

The Pont de l'Archeveche, near the Notre Dame cathedral, will also have locks removed from its side.



http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32939684

[Warpy]

1. Cutting them off seems inefficient

They'll be at it for years, during which time more romantic idiots will add more locks, thanking them for freeing up some room that no longer exists as of now.

Maybe they need to kiss the railing goodbye and use liquid nitro and a sledge hammer.

[madaboutharry]

2. I also thought that new locks will go on as fast as they take them off.

Maybe they need to remove the railing and replace it with some other barrier, such as cement or stone.

[Warpy]

3. It's a beautiful old cast iron bridge

with delicate iron arches supported on concrete piers in the river. I don't think there's any way they could do a completely solid barrier. However, a steel mesh that is too narrow to admit padlock hasps will certainly work.

It's just a pity that people seeking closure after nasty breakups didn't go out and saw the locks off as a way of achieving it.

[JI7]

4. they said they are going to remove what they have now and put transparent panels

[madaboutharry]

8. I guess I was thinking something that would prevent

getting a lock on.

[JI7]

9. wouldn't that prevent it ?

because it wouldn't have those metal bars or whatever to lock around.

[madaboutharry]

10. Yeah, sure it would.

And they could leave the original railings. It seems like a reasonable solution.

[Renew Deal]

5. Reading this gives me a heavy heart

[Brother Buzz]

7. The local serrurier doing a brisk business selling locks has a heavy heart too

[Avalux]

6. How sad. I was there last June and it really is awesome to see. They glint sunshine everywhere.

I hope they keep them and somehow figure out how to continue displaying the locks.

[LuvNewcastle]

11. Must be nice to live in a country

that takes care of its infrastructure before it all falls down. Maybe my country will start doing that one day.

[JI7]

13. there was some part that collapsed which is probably why they are doing something now

although they had been talking about it for a long time.

[TransitJohn]

12. Thank Christ.

I hate that lock thing. It's even made it to the historic pedestrian bridge in Laramie, Wyo.

[hunter]

14. It would be nice if they could commission someone to make art of the locks...

... and create a new custom that doesn't damage bridges or the environment.

Couples who left a lock on the bridge could revisit the art, knowing their lock was part of it.

That's a lot of metal in those locks. Mining metal is bad for the earth.

Somebody creates these traditions, someone creative could start a new tradition.