Want to see something pretty unlikely on this Saturday afternoon? Wish granted. But, rather, you are not going to see it, you are going to listen to it, because what draws the attention of the videos that are circulating right now on social networks about the San Francisco bridge is the amazing sound it generates after the installation of some bars for beat the wind . Turn up the volume on the speakers (although not too much, we warn you), continue reading and hallucinate.
A Golden Gate Bridge with its own music
The San Francisco suspension bridge is without a doubt one of the most emblematic points of the city, of the United States and of the world. Rare is someone who does not know how to identify the picture of the great red bridge over the bay, being one of the most famous buildings on the planet. And that this bridge, built in 1933 to link the San Francisco peninsula to the north with the south of Marin County, is not even the largest in the city, but it is still the most representative, and a must see if You walk through this area of California.
Now it is also possibly the loudest. Yes, you read correctly, noisy. It turns out that the recent installation of some panels on the sides of the sidewalks to help with wind resistance is causing an unheard-of and tremendously annoying sound effect for many. This has begun to be documented by several citizens on social networks through videos, which they have published on Twitter (and on other platforms), in which it is possible to hear the triggered (and annoying) issue.
In the first tweet below you will see that someone asks why for an hour a mysterious noise has not stopped sounding throughout the city, to which another tweeter responds that it is due to the installation of the aforementioned panels, designed by engineers, and shows him another video slowly entering the bridge, from the side, with a motorized vehicle:
Alberto Martinez A@betogilardinoCan someone explain me why is this eerie sound has been going on for an hour in #SanFrancisco #presidio #sound #eerie #whatisthis #2020SoFar #2020BingoCard
Mark Krueger@markkruegAnthony J.:
“Engineers designed new sides for the sidewalk to help with wind resistance but didn’t take into account the EXTREME sound it creates when wind passes through it. The bridge sings crazy songs now it’s so trippy. It hurts the ears and unbearable it’s that loud.”
The recording crossing the bridge is followed by another video where you can see how it is heard from Lands End Park, about 5 kilometers from the Golden Gate:
Mark Krueger@markkruegAnthony J.:
“Engineers designed new sides for the sidewalk to help with wind resistance but didn’t take into account the EXTREME sound it creates when wind passes through it. The bridge sings crazy songs now it’s so trippy. It hurts the ears and unbearable it’s that loud.”
chilibrianno@chilibrianno
Why does this happen?
As you may have heard, the sound is similar to what you can get for example when you move a finger around the edge of a cup or glass – some on social networks also allude to the fact that it seems that a UFO is coming down to Earth. It may be charming and curious to listen to it from afar and for a few moments, but that it has become the musical thread of the city throughout the day is another very different story.
It is clear that those in charge of designing the new panels know a lot about engineering but did not take into account the basic principles of music and how wind instruments work : they produce sound by the vibration of the air inside, without the need for strings ( as is the case with a guitar). So yes, we could say that they have turned the San Francisco bridge into a kind of giant harmonica when the wind blows hard.
Given the complaints, we suppose it will be a matter of little if the city government authorizes the removal of the panels, either with a view to returning to the previous situation of the bridge or designing a solution that does not provoke a soundtrack of its own in the Golden Gate .
