Saturday, 4 July 2009

They Don't Build Very Sturdy Lampposts...

...in Ferndown, Dorset:
Council chiefs fear stringing up the tiny, colourful plastic flags between sturdy metal posts could make the columns topple over and injure people.
No, it's not April 1st again. They claim this really could happen:
Rod Mainstone, Dorset County Council’s street lighting manager, sent guidance notes to town and parish councils which stated: ‘Street lighting columns are not generally designed to be strong enough to support any additional attachments.

‘Even relatively light additions such as a small sign can lead to considerable extra load being imposed on a column in strong wind.

‘Furthermore, internal corrosion, which cannot be seen, may have weakened the column and the additional load could lead to it collapsing.’
If your lamposts are so weak a bit of bunting will bring them down, are the residents of Ferndown safe as they walk the streets?
A Dorset County Council spokesman said the note was sent because it was risky attaching signs, banners or advertising to street lighting as some older columns may be in a worn structural condition.

‘Bunting hung between street lighting columns that stand close to the road can sag and become entangled in passing traffic, such as buses and lorries,’ the spokesman added.
I hope they are strong enough to support the weight of all those useless 'elf and safety 'experts' and pointless council staff someday...

7 comments:

Rob said...

"Street lighting columns are not generally designed to be strong enough to support any additional attachments"

Er, council, there is one of YOUR OWN FUCKING SIGNS attached to the one in the photograph, and I bet it weighs a great deal more than the bunting.

Rob said...

Surely these lampposts are designed to cope with winds in excess of 70mph, which would put a gigantically greater strain on them than a string of bunting which might weigh, what, 400g?

Can you prosecute a public 'servant' for pisstake lying?

JuliaM said...

"...I bet it weighs a great deal more than the bunting."

Council owned paraphenalia has no mass, obviously...

"Can you prosecute a public 'servant' for pisstake lying?"

What, all of 'em? You don't think the jails are full enough already...? :)

Anonymous said...

I can think of one good reason why our political masters might have erected lampposts that can't bear the weight of a few bits of bunting.

cough*Mussolini*cough

Kevin B

Scottie said...

JuliaM said:
"Council owned paraphernalia has no mass, obviously..."

Ye cannae change the by-laws of physics!

JuliaM said...

Lol! ;)

Anonymous said...

Kevin B, you beat me to it.

So THAT's why they make the lamp-posts weak.

There had to be a reason!