[hedora]

I've heard the saying: Any idiot can make a bridge stand up. It takes an engineer to make the bridge barely stand up.

I want a class on making the bridge stand up for idiots (like "let's write this bridge in python, and build it with cob"). I don't care if I spend twice as much on wood and hay and mud or titanium or whatever. I live in the SF Bay Area, so I can't afford the mechanical engineers I can actually hire to design my crappy little bridge, and the ones I can actually hire are incompetent. Also, I don't want to buy more tools.

(To be clear: If you're a MechE in the SF Bay Area and reading this site then I can't afford your time.)

[chongli]

Bridge building is the purview of civil engineers. Mechanical engineers deal with machines, moving parts and the like.

[sokoloff]

The old engineering chestnut: Mechanical engineers build weapons. Civil engineers build targets.

[chongli]

Love that! Reminds me of playing Civilization games. Sending in my catapults to smash the enemy city to pieces! I always tried to time the discovery of mathematics with transitioning my economy to a war footing!

[whatshisface]

It's not legal to build a little bridge anywhere in the SF Bay Area.

[pjmorris]

Look around at the scout troops near you; it is possible that a scout is building a trail bridge for their Eagle scout project. Volunteer with the troop and you've got your class.