No Driving Gloves

The 1940 Tacoma Narrows Bridge, a once-majestic suspension bridge, stretched across Washington State's Puget Sound like a steel spider's web. It served as a vital link between Tacoma and the Kitsap Peninsula. However, on November 7, 1940, the bridge succumbed to a deadly dance with gravity, collapsing into the watery depths below.Dubbed "Galloping Gertie" by its builders, the bridge was known for its mysterious vertical undulations in the wind. Despite attempts to tame its movements, it met its demise in 40 mph winds that morning. The twisting motion grew increasingly violent until the deck tore apart, leaving only remnants of towers and cables as silent witnesses to the catastrophe.The fallen bridge now lies beneath the waves as an artificial reef while its successor, built in 1950, stands proudly upon the original pedestals. This tragic collapse served as a catalyst for advancements in bridge aerodynamics and aeroelastics, shaping future suspension bridge designs.As early as 1923, engineers like Joseph B. S