The internet is an unforgiving place, a lesson that the U.K. government’s Foreign Office learned this week when it posted the following tweet to boast about Britain’s new bridge:
Opening in 2017, the 2.7 km Queensferry Crossing will be the longest 3 tower cable-stayed bridge in the world #DesignisGREAT #GlobalBritain pic.twitter.com/3pTCUl1WnN
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) November 29, 2016
The bridge under construction is the Queensferry Crossing and is due to open behind schedule in May 2017. The bridge in the picture, however, is the Forth bridge—a Victorian railway crossing, now a UNESCO Heritage site.
The staff acknowledges in the tweet which bridge was in the picture. But with no Queensferry Crossing to be seen, the confused and amused Twitterati responded by trolling the FCO to hilarious effect.
You've used the wrong image, I think. THIS is the Queensferry Crossing. pic.twitter.com/6sqnOXmHt4
— Robert (@ClatchardCraig) November 29, 2016
I'm afraid you're mistaken. THIS is it. pic.twitter.com/uZGxZSRXcH
— MajorBloodnok 🇺🇦🏴🇮🇪🇪🇺 (@MajorMcBloodnok) November 29, 2016
no this is the Fifth Firth o Forth crossing pic.twitter.com/YavpZR3ruV
— Thig ar latha. Tak tent, caw canny. 🌻 (@ron_mould) November 29, 2016
As the mockery really got going, it seemed a competition had started between users who attempted to outdo one another with ‘pictures’ of the new Crossing.
Here's the one WM proposed: pic.twitter.com/6f2UB3YJvA
— Cyberbint (@SandPatterson) November 29, 2016
In the end, the FCO staff responded to the classic internet banter in the best way possible, by joining in:
Lots of views of our beautiful picture labelled 'Forth Bridges'. Any misunderstanding is water under the bridge(s)
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) November 30, 2016