Love locks - basically just vandalism?

[SnoozingFox]

Piece on the One Show about those people who attach padlocks to bridges and it's being pushed as an "awwww isn't this lovely, it's a gesture of love, people come back every year to see their lock, such as shame when they have to be removed" and I'm sitting thinking the opposite.

It's no different from scratching your initials into the bricks of a castle, or spray painting a wall. Vandalism. Nobody cares that some random bridge is where you had your first date or your boyfriend proposed. Nobody wants to walk across a city centre bridge covered in padlocks which the council then eventually have to pay to remove.

Leave no trace.

I think it's really sweet. Better than hammering coins into trees!

Why is it better than hammering coins into trees?

Nobody should be doing that either.

At least with the coins, once you've thrown them in 'for luck' for yourself, they can then go on to bring 'luck' for the next person.

I'll bet more than a few homeless, hungry people have visited their local 'wishing fountains' of an early morning and been very grateful indeed.

A locked padlock, though? Not so much.

It's very sheep like behaviour

It’s vandalism. The ones local to me were removed.

I remember seeing a padlock in Bakewell years ago that said 'Tim & Lisa 4 Eva ❤️' (I forget the actual first two names). Sounded like quite an intriguing thrupple

There’s a beautiful waterfall in Glencoe where there’s a railing between it and the road which is covered in love locks. Total eyesore.

I can see how one solitary padlock hidden away out of general view in the corner at the base of the bridge might well be seen as romantic and really quite special.

Shoving along 2,937 existing ones to just about make enough room for you to squeeze the 2,938th in there... you'd think it would rather lose its unique appeal, wouldn't you?

I like bridges with locks. I like having a look to the locks. I will visit again if I can. They become landmarks to me.
This and wishing wells with coins at the bottom.

Not everybody is fortunate enough to own their own property..... And I am not just being glib. Maybe there is something about ownership and permanence, and having a place. Which some young couples may struggle to feel, which is why they may choose the lock as an expression. I don't know, I am only speculating.....

I agree on the whole about the locks, to be honest, though equally it seems an extremely minor offence compared to many. People jetting off on flights, sometimes several times per year, simply to divert themselves with a holiday/new experience, often only for a weekend or so, does much more harm to the environment and angers me far, far more than a single lock placed somewhere - and yet it's frequently presented as an entirely acceptable act.

So yeah, there we go. If it's a choice between flying somewhere on honeymoon, or leaving a lock in a local beauty spot, I would rather couples left the lock.

It's just not that bad, in the overall scheme of things......

TheLightSideOfTheMoon
Nah, they can be cut off.

People want to do something cute.

It’s fine.

That's like saying it's fine if loads of people shit in the street, as it can be hosed down

No , it's nothing like that at all.
It's cute and reversible if necessary

Omg lighten up ! Its nothing like graffiti. Its a beautiful thing and looks far nicer than any graffiti/vandalism. "Too many snowflakes, not enough snow ploughs" #giveyourselfaweewobble

You really think they look beautiful? Not just one or two here and there but all bunched up together any old how and struggling for space?

Also, people just don't appreciate the weight and how that can seriously damage the bridge. One padlock probably doesn't weigh that much (although some are indeed chunky and heavy); but when there are hundreds or thousands of them combined, it's a very significant weight indeed. Just like most people could pick up a brick, but even Geoff Capes couldn't lift up an entire house!

Somebody should make an influential film where the young lovers symbolically demonstrate their tender feelings for each other by litter-picking on beaches or challenging people who don't pick up their dog's poo or who fart in a crowded lift - all being well, those behaviours might widely catch on then as well!

@Tigertigertigertiger It's cute and reversible if necessary

Well, "cute" is entirely subjective. Some of us would rather see the bridge as the architect intended.

As for reversible, yes, but at what cost?
• the direct cost of their removal and disposal
• the indirect cost of their removal and disposal diverting those resources away from more necessary needs
• the environmental and energy costs of the metal mining and extraction and the lock manufacturing, only for them not to be used for their intended purpose

Still think it's "cute"?

It's tacky. Nobody cares about your relationship. It doesn't matter. BTW he's shagging your best friend. 🤣

I hate them too.

I live in the most gorgeous town, it’s always on the list of top 5 most beautiful places in the U.K. and we get visitors from all over the world. I was admiring views from our ancient castle walls the other day and noticed a few of these awful fucking padlocks rusting away on one of the iron bannister thingy. I felt like kicking the horrible garish little fuckers off. Leave places alone!

Bravo OP! It’s self serving arrogant attention seeking Instagram twaddle. And no bugger comes back to remove it once her OH cheats or she kicks him out for being lazy and disgusting, so they.

Do they think people go “Awwww look at this Alice and David REALLY love each other! They spent £2.99 on a bright red padlock at B&M Bargains and have forever secured it to this ancient monument. I wish I was as happy as Alice and David”.

I recently saw this bridge covered with them and considered adding one myself. I was going to vote YABU but after reading the other comments I’ve changed my mind.
it made me wonder if someone was selling the locks with the pink hearts to tourists though, if that’s the case it should be discouraged.

I agree, it's awful

Argh don't get me started on that one

@TheLightSideOfTheMoon "Vapes with lithium batteries chucked on the ground is vandalism (and dangerous). No one seems bothered by that" em, yes they are?!

Are those the only 2 options available?

I agree 💯!
It's not "a lovely sentiment" ar all. Give your loved one a card, gift, flowers, night out, whatever.
Don't create problems for other people with performative actions like this.

Now that would be productive!
The silly people who blindly follow trends would actually be doing something worthwhile!