After capturing and sharing a trippy picture on Facebook, one woman’s post about the Brisbane Gateway Bridge has gone viral. People who see the photo for the first time wonder what exactly they are looking at, which shows a warped view of the bridge. While some say they’re scared to drive somewhere that looks like that, locals say there’s a whole other reason people should be scared.
The bridge experienced an expansion
Located in the east of Brisbane, Australia, the first Gateway Bridge opened in January 1986. Offering six lanes, three in each direction, the bridge stood by itself all the way until early 2010, accommodating approximately 100,000 vehicles daily. However, the three lanes weren’t enough to house the ever-increasing flow of traffic, so another was constructed.
After planning began in 2005, the second bridge, which is a duplicate of the first, was opened in May 2010. Now, each bridge offers six lanes in either direction, more than enough to accommodate the high traffic. Complimenting their wide width, the pair of bridges aren’t small either, with their highest point standing at 212 feet tall.
The construction of the second bridge was the largest bridge and road development in Queensland‘s history. Prior to its opening, the Queensland Government renamed the original bridge (along with its soon-to-be counterpart) the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges, which is officially its designation today. However, the majority of the population was against this change and still refers to it as the Brisbane Gateway Bridge all the same.
The photo has people freaking out
A woman named Wendy Martin shared a photo of the bridge on her Facebook, which quickly went viral. She captioned it saying, “From the passenger seat,” and the photo showcases her vehicle’s entrance onto one of the bridges, with the other also included in the frame. However, the bridges in the photo appear to be drastically warped.
More than 2,000 comments have been made on the post, with many people observing how strange the bridge looks. Several noted how it scared them, as it looks dangerous to drive on. “This makes me want to cry and be sick at the same time,” said one. “The road that screams at you ‘you’re drunk!’ while you’re driving,” said another.
Martin said that she didn’t intend to capture a warped photo of the bridge, but rather the sunset. She said that she, too, was shocked to see how to photo came out, but reassured viewers that she hadn’t edited the photo. The angular features of the light posts and rail design certainly add to the warped illusion.
Locals say there’s one thing that’s scary about the bridge
While the photo has many people spooked, locals say that actually driving across the bridge isn’t all that scary. Instead, they say there is an entirely different reason why people should be scared of the Gateway Bridge.
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“The only anxiety people should have over this wee bridge is the price to cross it. Now that’s a nightmare!,” commented someone on the post. “It doesn’t look that trippy in real life, the worst thing about this bridge is the cost of the toll,” another commenter said. The bridge has a Class 2 toll, which currently stands at a cost of $5.07 per crossing.