Last week in gay Paris, authorities removed panels from the Pont des Arts that had been weighted down by hundreds of thousands of attached padlocks — installed there since late 2008 by visiting couples (and sure, probably an obsessed stalker or 7) who sought to commemorate their passions with a lockup and a ritual toss of the key into the River Seine below. Meanwhile, hereabouts in North Montrose, the “Love Lock” scene on the Rosemont Bridge over Buffalo Bayou just west of Downtown appears to be just getting started — the Buffalo Bayou Park version appears to be well behind copycat venues in other cities. While crossing the longer section of the bridge yesterday, Twitter user marathonjohn found 20 to 30 locks attached to the pedestrian crossing’s supports. Here are pics of a few of the ritual lockups he spotted:
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- Previously on Swamplot: Introducing the 7 See-Thru Alphabet Dudes Guarding Buffalo Bayou’s New Rosemont Bridge; Zero Tolerance for the New Buffalo Bayou Bridge; What They Were Hanging Over Memorial Dr. Last Weekend; New Buffalo Bayou Bridge Will Encourage Tolerance of Houston
Photos: marathonjohn
Can you get any money out of recycling these things? Might be worth it for the city to just let it happen and then come and cut them off every once in a while to pocket the recycling funds, but it’d have to be a really large quantity.
What a trashy way to show your love. Its like carving your name into a tree, lets make something other people enjoy ugly. Hope the city gets out there with some bolt cutters before it gets out of hand.
oh no! I use that bridge. I hope they get cut off tout d’suite.
this is ridiculous.
Oh shit, the cat is out of the bag. Before years end, there will be many more! Ha!
The essence of today’s youth: hipster and/or gay. Such a waste of tax payer dollars that will be needed to eventually remove this crap.
Aw.
Nothing says I love you like a $4 schlage lock.
Complete and utter trash. Saw love locks on the Brooklyn Bridge last summer and didn’t know what they were other than garbage. NY DoT had them removed in April, which resulted in 75 lbs of trash that went to the landfill (although the metal could apparently be recycled). Huge waste of taxpayer funds, not to mention, damaging to the environment.
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http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/04/07/450-love-locks-removed-from-brooklyn-bridge-thrown-away/
But no one’s putting them on see-thru alphabet guys?
http://10mosttoday.com/10-awesome-love-locks-locations-from-around-the-world/
I started noticing these in multiple European countries last year. This year I saw it had spread to eastern Europe, too. Sad to see it starting in Houston, also.
Maybe one of the lockpicking meetup groups can start meeting here, tackling the locks one at a time for sport?
Squash that practice now. When I first saw it in France I thought it was sort of neat. Then I saw it on just about every bridge throughout France, Italy, Spain and many other Euro countries. I no longer find it neat or romantic especially when also thinking of all the keys now in the water below.
Embarrassing.
First of all, this looks like shit. It’s vandalism, frankly. The bridge in Paris nearly collapsed into the Seine under the weight of these “Love Locks”. Houston needs to nip this in the bud and fine the hell these vandals.
“Where are you going, Patel?”
“To the bayou with Jasmine.”
http://www.recordholders.org/images/padlock/padlock5.jpg
I…I agree with Shannon.
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*shudder*
@Eric: I like that idea. They could call themselves “Hate Picks”. Sounds like fun!
The city should start cutting them all off to nip it in the bud.
Eric: “Maybe one of the lockpicking meetup groups can start meeting here, tackling the locks one at a time for sport?”
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Damn, that’s an awesome idea.
Well, so much for the oddball originality that made Houston special. If you’re gonna rip off an idea, at least cover your house in wine corks or build an elaborate complex paying homage to the health benefits of bananas. Come on, people, you’re better than this.
My cordless angle grinder will make short work of these locks.
Wow, so much hate for such a benign practice. You guys should have a cocktail or something.
@ Not Hip
The essence of today’s youth hipster and/or GAY??
WTH does that mean?
@Texas Exe
wow you don’t even get it. what a square!!
[ ]
lol
@ Ian: Exactly. @ I’m more concerned about the rust that is appearing already. Forget cutting off the locks. The City builds shiny,new projects , eventually NEGLECTS maintenance and then it becomes even more expensive to repair/replace. The architect /engineers should have used the metal that turns to rust in out swampy environment. At least it wouldn’t look so obvious. The bridge is already “deflecting”…. aka sagging.. It’s part of the “planned obsolescence” in vogue in the 21st century. Instead of building things to last a long time.