Has anybody seen the bridge??

[What?]

Got up to Puke on Sunday morning and first thing I noticed was the new bridge across the track to the pits. Bloody great, I thought... until I was sitting in the grandstand to watch the racing! Following the bikes off the start, through Castrol, down the back, into the hairpin, then.... wait for them to come past the new bridge and completely miss all the post-hairpin action!

Sorry, Puke owners, nice try, but no cigar. And I reckon an under-pass should have been less expensive to build.

What does anyone else think??

[750Y]

not to mention You can't see the big corner when You're coming over the hill till Your nearly halfway down the straight. Gives You less time to focus and prepare mentally than before. Even the track guy said they shoulda put it where the dunlop bridge used to be. But then the v8 fans woulda had to walk 600odd yards. that's a long way to walk in high heels carrying an umbrella, and that's just the Ford fans.

[Coldkiwi]

yeah, she's a bit dirty! Does the job but a certain lack of architectural flair! Bikerboy, you should've gone for the job!

"Has anybody seen the bridge?"

...And here was me thinking this was a Led Zeppelin thread

[wkid_one]

My arse - they should have put a tunnel under the track so that riders/racers can go to and for without having to wiat for racing to finish. 

The bridge was apparently a requirement for the V8 races - both safety and advertising requirements (notice the nice flat surfaces for hoardings)

 

[Coldkiwi]

I agree... but digging a tunnel without ripping up the track (or the resurfacing needed to dig a trench and infill it) would be FRIGGEN expensive. How they can get the money for it I do not know, but the bridge will have been far cheaper if less useful

[bikerboy]

Coldkiwi, bridges are designed by engineers, not architects.

Besides if you think the tunnel would have been expensive, just let an Architect loose and see what it costs.

[bluninja]

Err...why didn't they make the track into a bridge at that point???? so you crest the hill and just keep going until you drop down into the next corner...oh yeah...a trench/tunnel would be cheaper, and a footbrideg only cheaper still. Must say the noise from the bikes going underneath on full chat is quite impressive. Can't say Puke is much good for spectating as you can't see that much of the track from any one place on the outside anyway.

TTFN

[What?]

Originally posted by bluninja
Can't say Puke is much good for spectating as you can't see that much of the track from any one place on the outside anyway. 

You're right, but that's no reason to make it worse, is it?

[Coldkiwi]

nevermind the cost if you only had an architect on the job, i'd be worried about the bugger falling down!

However, it must be said that there is a balance because you can just tell the engineer had too much input on that bridge (its butt ugly!)

 

[bluninja]

Did you hear about the architect who had his house made backwards so that he could watch TV? (think I may have mis-spelt that somewhere )

The thing about the bridge is that it is just the same as every other footbridge at a race course, no better no worse. You don't go to a racetrack to ooh and ahhh at a bridge you go to watch the racing. I accept what's been said that just cos spectating at Puke is not good there's no need to make it worse......however moving the bridge elsewehere would have involved  more cost (loss of seating, access to the ends of the bridge), and if away from the pits and main stand no bugger would use it. It's all pretty piecemeal anyway, no body seems to actually have a plan to develop Puke, but reacts to things imposed on them (like for V8s).

Maybe it would be ok if you were allowed to ride your bike over the bridge

 

 

TTFN

[bikerboy]

I don't get it, by "backwards" do you mean a mirror image
or rotated 180 degrees?

[bluninja]

Whoops....silly me...it's Had his house maid Backwards

TTFN

[What?]

Originally posted by Coldkiwi
...And here was me thinking this was a Led Zeppelin thread

Heh heh. You must be an old bastard like me!!!!!

[Redstar]

Last time I went they charged $5 to cross the bridge and If you got track cross between races $5 to get back. That was at the classic bikes in Feb I spoilt the whole day, The last year they had heaps of static displays pit side but this year it was killed even though it was a special year 100 years of Triumph. And Triumph have cause to celebrate they have finally fixed the leaking oil pump problem realised in 1934!
$5 to cross a damed bridge I ask you if they had a cheer leader half way across you wouldnt mind but not so much as a window I would not have minded if they covered it off with the gate charge but theres nothing worse than paying more when you have already shelled out to get in without any warning.
so you winge to the event organisers and they blame the bridge owners. Bugger the bridge!

[MikeL]

Yeah, I went to the classic day in Feb and couldn't believe it when they wanted $5 to cross the bridge. I refused to pay out of principle and waited until they let people cross the track. I think "user pays" has gone far enough... Next there'll be toll booth set up at every pedestrian crossing in Queen St and they'll charge 50c to cover the wear and tear on the zebra lines...
Talking of jokes, I think your one about the "house made backwards" was a bit too subtle for some of us, Bluninja. But very good.