Gateway popularity causes computer crash
The popularity of yesterday’s second Gateway Bridge opening extended into cyberspace, causing the official website to crash more than 12 hours before the event.
Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace confirmed the system crashed on Saturday night.
The site went into meltdown when last-minute visitors tried to register for the event to assist the government public transport strategy.
When the website did return online about 6.30am on Sunday a message appeared encouraging people to attend even if they had not registered.
“The more the merrier will make for a great opening for a Second Gateway Bridge,” it said.
Mr Wallace said he was pleased the computer glitch did not deter people from attending the historic event.
“We had so many people jumping onto our website it crashed but that’s the unfortunate part of modern technology,” he said.
“But we can see here the great turn-up today means that Brisbanites and South East Queenslanders have come out and voted with their feet.”
More than 175,000 people attended the community day celebrations, nearly three times the number who registered online.
Event organiser Kath Rose whose PR company Kath Rose and Associates managed the website said she was not concerned by the malfunction.
“It melted but that’s positive because it means interest was so hot,” she said.
“The web only crashes when extraordinary things happen so that was a really, really good thing.”
Despite the higher than expected turnout it seems not everyone heeded the government’s advice to use public transport.
A Newsbytes poll of 100 people found 70 per cent of visitors did not use public transport.
Great story Aniela, well-written. I thought there would be a pun on internet ‘traffic’ in there somewhere though ;)