Behold, the power of string!
This is a suspension bridge. No really, it is.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge
Or, it’s the starting point for one. You see a suspension bridge is really just a piece of rope, tied across a river. Everything else from that point on is just stabilization and convenience.
The basis for any suspension bridge is a piece of rope pulled taut across two points. But if you were to use that to cross a river, you’d need to either be a tightrope walker, or inch your way across by hanging underneath the wire, an inch at a time. While this might effectively get the job done, it is remarkably ineffective if you also want to get, say, your car across with you.
By adding two more ropes a bit higher up, and tying those ropes off to the base rope, you create a stable platform that will allow you to cross more easily, and without the need for a long balance bar, or a good set of gloves. But it still doesn’t make it convenient.
So suppose you add a second rope below, beside the original rope, and fasten planks between them. Suddenly you have a deck, and virtually anyone can cross on foot. Make the ropes strong enough, and the planks thick enough, and you can take a fairly substantial load. Keep upgrading each of those details, and you suddenly have a real live bridge.
In essence, this is the whole story of all the greatest suspension bridges in the world. But you don’t have to take my word for it:
Quit stringing me along with your theories.
Atomic Toasters: now with string theories attached.
Oh, stop twining. We're all supposed to be in accord here.
Did you mean "a cord"? Because if you didn't I totally got dibs on that pun so I can join the club here.
Frayed so.
Jute think I'd have something in-sisal to add to this thread but I'm tied-up at the moment.
Thanks, Dearthair, for a new twist on a familiar subject.
How did I get entangled in this thread?
No idea, but it looks as though I got roped in as well.
Ugh these comments are terrible. I just want to let you all know that you're all aweful and I cant strand the lot of ya.
We're knot forcing you to stay. You're cableble of leaving at any time.
What and sever all ties? I don't think so.
[...] Brooklyn Bridge opened to the public for the first time. We’ve touched on the topic of suspension bridges here on AtomicToasters before, but the Brooklyn Bridge remains one of the most distinguished [...]