For topics unrelated to bush walking or to the forums.
Mon 20 Jun, 2016 4:44 pm
A new tourist attraction in China – one that people are too terrified to use! It poses an interesting question: Why isn’t nature enough to inspire us anymore? It seem that more and more we need some cantilevered engineered ‘experience’ to make being outdoors worthwhile. I think it’s because people are seeking a selfie moment rather than a nature moment.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3649713/Terrified-tourists-dragged-vertigo-inducing-glass-bridge-hundreds-feet-canyon-China.html
Mon 20 Jun, 2016 4:54 pm
It's a state of social transition, similar to how developed countries transitioned through varying priorities in developments of the great outdoors over the last century.
Mon 20 Jun, 2016 6:47 pm
I think that video is more about acrophobia...
Mon 20 Jun, 2016 8:40 pm
Earwig wrote:Why isn’t nature enough to inspire us anymore?
This has nothing to do with nature and all about creating a Unique Selling Proposition for this attraction. Or maybe I am just getting cynical as I age.
Mon 20 Jun, 2016 10:33 pm
Bad enough for people, but at least they have a choice. The scum dragging the obviously terrified dog across while the crowd laughed deserves to be dragged around a bit himself.
Tue 21 Jun, 2016 5:27 am
Is this a form of torture, a Chinese reality TV show, where they forced to cross the walkway? Maybe some aversion therapy? My concerns crossing it would be more about it being made in China by Chinese and not the view. One has already broken. I think these people are more likely to be the sensible ones. You would have to drag me kicking and screaming onto one as well. I have done the Otway Fly and found it quite boring walking around in the treetops. Much preferred the views from the ground with the dirt under my feet but I do like a good lookout.
Tue 21 Jun, 2016 9:33 am
michael_p wrote:Earwig wrote:Why isn’t nature enough to inspire us anymore?
This has nothing to do with nature and all about creating a Unique Selling Proposition for this attraction. Or maybe I am just getting cynical as I age.

Why does the attraction need a "unique selling proposition"? It's a spectacular gorge - why isn't that enough? I think it comes down to the tourist industry (from China to the Tarkine) needing to capitalise on nature and get a return to give it value. To do that you have to control the experience you're selling, which means you have to engineer it. Otherwise, it's not worth anything.
Tue 21 Jun, 2016 11:11 am
Earwig wrote:michael_p wrote:Earwig wrote:Why isn’t nature enough to inspire us anymore?
This has nothing to do with nature and all about creating a Unique Selling Proposition for this attraction. Or maybe I am just getting cynical as I age.

Why does the attraction need a "unique selling proposition"? It's a spectacular gorge - why isn't that enough? I think it comes down to the tourist industry (from China to the Tarkine) needing to capitalise on nature and get a return to give it value. To do that you have to control the experience you're selling, which means you have to engineer it. Otherwise, it's not worth anything.
100% agree. I don't understand the need to do this either.
Cheers,
Michael.
Tue 21 Jun, 2016 1:15 pm
Swing bridges are bad enough. That thing is insane.
But, yeah - why? Just another gimmick. I'd rather do what I've been doing for the past few days - head off into the bush on my own. No people, no glass, hardly any vertigo . . .
One also has to question the mentality of those doing the dragging. If someone is that *&%$#! scared, let them back out.
You'd never see it in Yankeeland. They'd have umpty-dozen lawsuits from the first day, each claiming millions of dollars for PTSD.
© Bushwalk Australia and contributors 2007-2013.