it's not unthinkable they couldn't post a policeman or two on every bridge to do the same.>

Oh come one Paris has far more security problems than station flics on bridges at what cost - those policement chasing down bikers in parks were probably lowly paid gardiens - like those that used to fine folks for walking on the grass.

And I tend to agree with erudite flanner in this case too - Paris has many more aesthetic problems than the locks - like the seriously fouled air - and its infamous dog droppings - cops on every bridge - how many cops would that be - thousands and a really IMO daft idea in light of many other pressing needs.

Just put gym lockers on the bridges, half the kids forget to bring their locks.

OMG! I drive over numerous bridges in Pittsburgh PA every single day of my life, and I've never seen any sort of lock on any bridge.

We just aren't that romantic here. Even our graffitti is dull and the last time I saw Tim loves Jenny was about 1977.

But now I'm on the look out for locks. We do have one bridge that it is popular to walk over; I'm going to check it out.

Or how about electrifying the bridge railings - that would be a shock to those wishing to 'vandalize' Paris.

Oh, what a splendid suggestion! It might not work so well for those who simply want to lean on the rail and observe the passing scene, however.

It might put the strobe lights on the Eiffel Tower to shame.

In France I have had policemen tell me not to sit on the grass. I can't imagine it would be that hard to tell people not to put a lock on the bridge. They managed to solve the dog droppings problem, and that was much more widespread than this one.

I say lock up all those who put locks on any bridge. And throw away the key... maybe get the guillotine back out to drive the point home?

It isn't Persians putting the locks on the railings, it tourist (from all over).

Yes, the guillotine sounds good!

They need more police on those bridges as that is really the only place we were bothered by the young girls waving their petitions to lift your wallets. Just hire more police or security guards. I heard China sent over their own police to protect their citizens.

Over here on Long Island,NY many make a living driving around picking up metal that has been placed on the curb for recycling. They sell it to junkyards. How about arming jobless in Paris or anyplace that has the lock problem with those big metalcutters and sending them out every night to collect and recycle/sell the locks. Incidentally, I believe I saw an article in the NYT some weeks ago re a similar problem in NYC. The lovelocks that is.

Kerouac, there was an article in the DAILY MAIL yesterday about a panel of the Pont des Arts bridge railing falling off. Fortunately, the chunk landed on the bridge - not on some unsuspecting Seine cruiser below which could have caused a catastrophe. Enough!!!

A discrete sign that says "locks removed nightly" (or weekly) might deter, might not. That and initially some police presence chasing off the lock vendors and waving their gloved fingers at the lovers murmuring "non, non, non" or " interdit".

Having lived here for 5 years, I've found there's lots of waffling--laws or rulings passed then not enforced, European decisions completely ignored (not always a bad thing). So, something causing damage and destruction, which is blatantly obvious to many, still takes FOREVER to be addressed.

I worry about the millions of keys in the river too. At first I thought it was Romantic, years ago, when it was not taking over like kudzu.

I was stunned last Fall when I saw so many Lock vendors... with a line to buy them!

Pont des Arts was closed off on Sunday as a result of a part of the railing collapsing under the weight of the locks. To my mind it is very little different than spraying your declaration of love on the side of the bridge: vandalism in either case.

It may be necessary to remove woven metal railings and install solid panels instead.

Youth of today.

I would lock them all up for 10 years.

Because you think that everybody doing this is young?

Deputy Mayor Bruno Julliard is in charge of the love lock problem for the city of Paris. Do not hesitate to contact him, but don't just say "do something about it" -- he knows that. What he is looking for is alternative ideas that will satisfy the romantic while cleaning the trash off the bridges and monuments.

https://fr-fr.facebook.com/pages/Bru...d/203706546958

They can declare their love on Facebook for all their "friends" to see. The rest of us aren't interested! I was totally disgusted to see those locks.

Surely this is a fad that will die out...? In the meantime, I would think they can make the selling of the locks by vendors illegal. I mean, as it is, you can't sell just anything, anywhere, right? And lastly, beef up patrols. The cops don't have to be on every bridge, all day, every day, but a roaming patrol would discourage people over time if fines and admonishments are meted out.

I hesitate to contact M. Julliard, because this all sounds rather obvious...