The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland Has Collapsed

Re:The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland Has C... by KineticLensman on Tuesday March 26, 2024 @09:14AM (#39827404)

> enormously massive objects moving very slowly messes with human perception and "common sense"

Yes, hence warnings to amateur boat users (e.g. on a canal boat) not to try to stop a collision with the bank using your arms or legs.

[Edit] Boats can also do things that are unintuitive if you are used to driving a car. E.g. turning round the centre of gravity when you steer rather than following the front wheels.

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Re:The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland Has C... by smogcutter on Tuesday March 26, 2024 @09:49AM (#39827794)

In the black powder era of warfare, soldiers were given similar warnings about “slowly” rolling cannonballs.

People would think they could stop them like soccer balls, and lose a foot.

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Re:The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland Has C... by bmelton on Tuesday March 26, 2024 @09:50AM (#39827814)

There are similar warnings for sailing vessels, but because the standing rigging of the ship is usually kept in high enough tension that putting your hands on a pilon to stop a collision might leave your hands vulnerable to being cut off by a mainsail's shrouds.

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Re:The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland Has C... by KineticLensman on Tuesday March 26, 2024 @09:58AM (#39827895)

Ouch! That reminded me of seeing someone get a rope burn from a line on a yacht. I always wear gloves when handling lines on a boat nowadays.

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