30 September 2008

So who decided the barbed wire was necessary?

| johnboy
Join the conversation
68

Many years ago a team of workers were dispatched to the storm-water drain forming the border between Ainslie and Watson.

Someone had decreed that where the Watson drain broke cover needed fencing. Maybe it does, someone walking along in the dark could in theory fall down there.

So they dug holes, poured concrete, set up posts and ran some chain link fence.

They don’t appear to have done a very good job.

The chain link doesn’t go all the way to the ground, and the fence only runs along three sides.

But it seems unlikely anyone will accidentally fall into the drain opening (as opposed to the whole drain which runs thereafter).

What I really want to know is who decided the whole thing then needed a double string of barbed wire running around the top?

Is it in fact a cunning piece of public art which has lost it’s plaque?

Perhaps titled “Dumb Insolence”? “Meaningless adherence to standards”?

Join the conversation

68
All Comments
  • All Comments
  • Website Comments
LatestOldest

10-4, good buddy!

Emails replied to…Check yer inboxes people.

Sounds like a plan, Dan.

: )

Im on the pushie today and already done 80km this week.
Dont wanna add 2 or so km to my 16k ride home – ill suss it out tomorrow when I get soft and drive to work.

Suggest you head over for a spot of reconnaissance on the way home from work, Danman.

Just up the drain from Dickson College.

Definitely daytime, I think, and yes, where is this place?

are we doing it at night time?

I have a video camera we can you tube a clip up – but its pretty crap for night vision – its no 1080p 16:9 HDD – its a 16:9 DV cam with no ir night vision…

My preference is for day time – mainly for safety assurance 🙂

Anyone know a decent sign writer to do a quick mock up – there is plenty of corrugated plastic signs strewn about the road on my daily slog into work (testament to the Lab v Lib v Indep election spruiking going on at the moment) that I could come back with my car for…

Just need a stencil – I have a black spray can I use for framing.

Besides, I really have to see what this place is like before saying yay or nay.

Maybe I can do a half arsed fat bastard shuffle under the fence?

Well, we do need a spotlight searchlight …

; )

Email Danman, PBO!

i want to help, do u need someone to run distraction? I do a mean Mormon disguise.

Will do.

: )

Keep us posted about what you end up doing guys.

*chuckle*

Email sent! This is pretty cool!!

Im sure ill have a laugh at the footage after the fact as well 😛

Granny – email me …. spasticschooldropout (h)at gmail dot com

I will have to dress up as an inmate per normal

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy7:51 am 01 Oct 08

It’ll be pretty damn funny when the fence collapses under your weight and you nut yourself on the post on the way down.

I shall assist you, Danman! This sort of quixotic escapade is right up my alley ….

I am pretty sure I have some old carpet somewhere, but I think that we will need a sign saying, “Standope Supermax’, and perhaps a couple of deckchairs and pina coladas to set the stage. I could get dressed up as a flight attendant prison warden!

I can source a helmet-cam, so that we may have a “Danman vision” record of the event.

Once I organise a camera crew, public liability insurance, on site catering and my agent brokering a decent wage for me.

Seriously though – I dunno…God knows where the Standope supermax is, and who will assist me…

When are you planning on doing it, Danman?

Test schmest – this is about spontaneity.

I’m happy to risk life (Barely) and limb (Maybe) to give fellow rioters a bit of a guffaw for a while.

No one ever died from a broken ankle, tetanus and lockjaw from rusty things however….

Deadmandrinking4:09 pm 30 Sep 08

Well, it just seems a bit strange to do something with the intention of breaking your ankle then worrying about safety precautions.

I could maybe climb it from the drain up over to the other side. I’d need to test it first.

Ok, DMD gets to do it without the carpet!

*haha*

I want to see you break out of or into the Stanhope Supamax, Danman! Pick me! Pick me!

Deadmandrinking3:59 pm 30 Sep 08

Pussy!

So sweet and innocent….

Its to lay over the barbed wire to stop it inflicting grevious bodily harm…

Deadmandrinking3:56 pm 30 Sep 08

I don’t quite get what the carpet’s for…

DMD – see above – Carpet must be supplied then ill do a running lunge jump type thing over it (Dont have a plan of attack yet) and break my ankle in the culvert below 🙂

Deadmandrinking3:45 pm 30 Sep 08

Will you put your foot down on the wire? Or do it hardc0re and roll over it belly-first?

So who wants to see me break into (Out of?) the Standope Supamax ?

mutley said :

I don’t think their advisers, who have brains,

You SURE about that?

hey, we can’t expect the candidates to do their own thinking, can we?

think hollowmen…

The 30cm gap from the ground is caused by soil erosion. Back when it was first installed, i’m sure it was a very nice well built fence (despite its awkward placement)

I don’t think their advisers, who have brains,

You SURE about that?

Deadmandrinking3:00 pm 30 Sep 08

jakez said :

Deadmandrinking said :

Yeah, he’ll get you one Leonard-style!

OHHHH right Liberal Party, and Stanhopes Peter Leonard journalism scholarship (hadn’t read that thread yet when I first read your post). Sorry mate.

Since when were the liberals aware of what was going on?

(You left it open, mate :))

Danman said :

If you supply the carpet and photographer, ill attempt lugging myself over said fence in order to access whats on the other side (That I could have walked around to see)

It would make a fantastic photograph!!

*laughs*

I’ll come along to supervise.

Deadmandrinking said :

Yeah, he’ll get you one Leonard-style!

OHHHH right Liberal Party, and Stanhopes Peter Leonard journalism scholarship (hadn’t read that thread yet when I first read your post). Sorry mate.

If you supply the carpet and photographer, ill attempt lugging myself over said fence in order to access whats on the other side (That I could have walked around to see)

Deadmandrinking1:53 pm 30 Sep 08

Depends who you work for.

DMD, I checked my head. And found a telephone headset.
Is that the same thing?
:p

Deadmandrinking1:47 pm 30 Sep 08

Check your head, Aurelis, CHECK IT!!!

tylersmayhem1:45 pm 30 Sep 08

Wow Aurelius, thats twice in one day that we agree on something!

JB = 1
Aurelius = 2

Result!

Aurelius said :

Can someone throw a MLA on the wire to make it newsworthy?
Some of us would pay for tickets to THAT!

I don’t think their advisers, who have brains, would let em do it.

Can someone throw a MLA on the wire to make it newsworthy?
Some of us would pay for tickets to THAT!

Deadmandrinking1:25 pm 30 Sep 08

tylersmayhem said :

Maybe someone can go throw themselves on the barbed wire and make it newsworthy. Anyone?

I’ll pay good money to come and watch you do this DMD! Please post when the tickets go on sale!

Have to take a raincheck on that one, sorry, mate. I got one of them things called a brain which prevents me from mindless self-injury and blaming the ACT judiciary for not being able to get laid. Can you cover?

tylersmayhem1:20 pm 30 Sep 08

Maybe someone can go throw themselves on the barbed wire and make it newsworthy. Anyone?

I’ll pay good money to come and watch you do this DMD! Please post when the tickets go on sale!

Solution:
Back in day, it was a contractual requirement that any fence put up by a contractor as requested by Dept of whatever had to have barbed wire at its top to ensure there was a significant deterrant to people who may attempt to enter said fenced off area. One of those moments where following the rule ends up with a special monument to the stupidity of the unintelligent and uncreative.

The 30cm gap under the wire, could easily be explained by the fact that the fence is on uneven ground and said contractor probably was smoking as much crack as the clowns who believe legislating for ‘companion pets’ to figure out how to ensure the mesh is placed on an appropriate angle that may cover off the fall of the land.

Perhaps it’s a folly?

Danman said :

Its a Standope version of a supamax prison

he abandoned it when he found that there wasn’t a helicopter base nearby….

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:42 pm 30 Sep 08

Its a Standope version of a supamax prison

Perhaps the missing wall makes it human rights compliant?

LOL, I love you guys… You keep me so entertained.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:41 pm 30 Sep 08

The day we can’t put something up here just because it’s amusing, or because it’s an opinion which isn’t universally popular, will be the day you may as well just read the paper.

I love you, man.

Its a Standope version of a supamax prison

The day we can’t put something up here just because it’s amusing, or because it’s an opinion which isn’t universally popular, will be the day you may as well just read the paper.

Deadmandrinking12:39 pm 30 Sep 08

johnboy said :

Just because DMD demands it doesn’t means it happens.

That’s what you say….now.

Muahahaha!

Deadmandrinking12:38 pm 30 Sep 08

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

That’s ok, you’re forgiven. But you have to admit that having a poke at local govco for putting a strand of barbed wire on a fence that doesn’t enclose anything is a bit petty.

Maybe someone can go throw themselves on the barbed wire and make it newsworthy. Anyone?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:38 pm 30 Sep 08

Seen the financial news today DMD? I imagine you’ll get your fill of disaster from there.

Just because DMD demands it doesn’t means it happens.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:37 pm 30 Sep 08

That’s ok, you’re forgiven. But you have to admit that having a poke at local govco for putting a strand of barbed wire on a fence that doesn’t enclose anything is a bit petty.

You can do that?

Deadmandrinking12:35 pm 30 Sep 08

I demand disaster. Murder, rape, pillage and disaster.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

Slow news day, huh?

My abject apologies for not making every story to your personal taste.

Is the weather today satisfactory? Would you like me to change that for you?

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy12:29 pm 30 Sep 08

Slow news day, huh?

Deadmandrinking12:22 pm 30 Sep 08

Yeah, he’ll get you one Leonard-style!

Deadmandrinking said :

jakez said :

Deano said :

Its not for keeping people out – its for keeping things in!

Fortunately I managed to escape the underworld and have started a new life amongst the humans…waiting for the right moment to strike!

But you and Zed and the rest of them will crawl back in after the mighty Stanhope sees to you with his scholarships!

I’m getting a scholarship?

Deadmandrinking12:19 pm 30 Sep 08

jakez said :

Deano said :

Its not for keeping people out – its for keeping things in!

Fortunately I managed to escape the underworld and have started a new life amongst the humans…waiting for the right moment to strike!

But you and Zed and the rest of them will crawl back in after the mighty Stanhope sees to you with his scholarships!

Deano said :

Its not for keeping people out – its for keeping things in!

Fortunately I managed to escape the underworld and have started a new life amongst the humans…waiting for the right moment to strike!

Deano said :

Its not for keeping people out – its for keeping things in!

Then they REALLY should have run the fence a bit lower than thirty cm off the ground.

Its not for keeping people out – its for keeping things in!

Gotta love work that was done pre-self-gov, when there was plenty of funding. Like all the little bits of beautiful stone work dotted around the place beside cycleways, where just a lower angle slope would have been cheaper, quicker, and simpler.

Daily Digest

Want the best Canberra news delivered daily? Every day we package the most popular Riotact stories and send them straight to your inbox. Sign-up now for trusted local news that will never be behind a paywall.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.