Ancient law requires a bale of straw to hang from Charing Cross rail bridge

Purpose of the straw bale

• Several commenters note the article’s “lost to time” line is misleading: the byelaw itself explicitly says the bale warns mariners when bridge clearance is temporarily reduced.
• Explanations for “why straw” include: cheap, large, soft, easy to source historically, conspicuous, and harmless if it falls in the river.
• Some see it mainly as a visibility signal; others also see it as a physical “soft bumper” or clearance gauge you might nudge before hitting the bridge.

Human factors and attention

• Multiple comments stress that unusual, out-of-place objects (like a bale of straw or handwritten signs) are more likely to be noticed than standard, permanent-looking signage.
• Fudge factors in posted clearances train drivers to ignore height warnings; hence interest in more salient or physical indicators (e.g., hanging chains, metal bars, or straw bales).

Is the law outdated, ancient, or reasonable?

• One thread clarifies the current rule is in Port of London Thames Byelaws (2012), codifying a medieval practice; calling it “ancient law” is seen as journalistic embellishment.
• There is some pedantry about “ancient” vs “medieval” and “time immemorial” having a specific legal meaning.
• Some ask whether the law is even complied with here, since the wording says “centre of that arch or span” but the bales hang from adjacent footbridges.

Sunset clauses and legal maintenance

• One camp argues all laws should have sunset clauses so obsolete rules (like straw bales) naturally expire unless renewed.
• Others push back: recurring reauthorization for every safety rule would be wasteful and risky in periods of political dysfunction.
• A middle view: don’t remove safety rules lightly, but update them to modern standards when context changes.

British legal culture vs other systems

• Several comments frame this as “the British system working as designed”: if a rule exists, it is followed until Parliament changes it; courts apply law “as is” rather than reshaping it.
• This sparks broader comparisons to US and European courts, constitutional interpretation, and the tension between letter vs spirit of the law.

Tradition, precedent, and forgotten reasons

• The straw bale is likened to long-lived but obscure traditions (e.g., historic Oxford oaths, topping-out trees, “onion in the varnish,” inherited feuds).
• These examples illustrate how practical origins can be forgotten while the ritual persists, sometimes still serving a useful signaling or social function.