HOLDMYBEER Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 I did a search on this but didn't see where it has been discussed. Many people use the non-straddle, "tightrope" characteristic of a trackway to be an indicator of genuine sasquatch passage. What is the basis for this being a indicator of authenticity? If the no-straddle characteristic reflects some bio-mechanical difference in the sasquatch anatomy, what would that be? If it reflects an anatomical characteristic of the species, it must serve some evolutional advantage...but what would the advantage be? Why hasn't modern man developed the same characteristic? Is this characteristic associated with any other primate or early biped? Has the characteristic been observed in any well documented encounter or trackway find? 1
Guest Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 I am no expert by any means,but maybe it has something to do with the pelvic development, and the placement of the glutes relating to the center of gravity in a heavier animal? An inline step could be an advantage for walking in the thick forest as well,makes for a more narrow passage?
Guest MikeG Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 If it reflects an anatomical characteristic of the species, it must serve some evolutional advantage...but what would the advantage be? Be a bit careful about this. Not everything about all organisms is there because they convey an evolutionary advantage. We have endless vestigial body-constructs and traits which confer no advantage, but are simply left-overs, which evolution hasn't needed to deal with. Our appendix, for instance, or all those nerves draped all over the light receptor cells at the back of our eyes, or that ridiculous nerve in our neck which travels down to near our heart to then turn around and head back up to our larynx (a 30" journey in place of a 6 inch journey). Evolution uses what it has, rather than starting with a clean sheet, and so it is perfectly possible that if this "tightrope walker" effect is real, it is there because the hips are shaped to allow quadrapedalism, or to ease child-birth, or to aid tree climbing, but it is also perfectly possible that they are like that just because there was no evolutionary pressure to change. Mike
HOLDMYBEER Posted February 4, 2012 Author Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) Seems to me, with all the concepts of mid-tarsal break, intermembral index, extended calcaneous, compliant gait, etc., someone would have come up with an explanation for a very distinguishing characteristic. Would a creature with greater body mass/ high center of gravity find a straddled track more stable while walking through undeveloped territory, perhaps at night, perhaps hidden from view by brush or foliage or snow? Edited February 4, 2012 by HOLDMYBEER
slabdog Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 Are people still seeing such "tightrope" tracks ways? Or are the old John Green trackway images just burned into our minds? As a kid, the John Green track way photos freaked me out....as I got older...they just strike me as being pretty "wooden foot-ish"...
Guest Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 I couldn't find anything online about it but if I remember correctly from a book on dinosaur physiology a rapidly moving animal will place its feet closer together under the body than an animal moving slowly will. If a human were to run over a sandy path the footprints will be more inline under the body than if the human walked leisurely along.
Sasfooty Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 I found a line of tracks from one that ran across my back yard one night, a couple of years ago. There had been about 6 inches of snow during the night, & the tracks were made just before the snow stopped. They were about 6 feet apart, & were in a perfectly straight line. They also showed no sign of a mid-tarsal break. As a matter of fact, none of the tracks I've found showed signs of one.
Guest Thepattywagon Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 I would think that an inline/tightrope gait would allow for easier walking in narrow or difficult terrain. When attempting to walk in stealth mode through the woods, my feet tend to fall more in line with one another than they would in a normal walking situation.
Guest Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) Apparently they are Slabdog, its obvious there hundreds,if not thousands of those wooden feet out there, and huge cult following all over North America gleefully putting footprints out there for all to find, often in remote area's, or even private land that has limited access. Its a great conspiracy, thanks for the clarification. Some of them even lug water from nearby streams, and carefully wet the ground,so they can make the footprints seem to come from something heavier than they are, then they wait patiently for the ground to dry,,and present it as evidence,oooh they are crafty those wooden stomper guys. Edited February 4, 2012 by JohnC
Guest Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 While I think Bigfoot may well be out there I do think it is entirely possible for every footprint out there to be fake. Not likely mind you but it is possible. I keep thinking of the crop circle phenomenon. When I saw it demonstrated to me that a couple of half-drunk college boys could make a really good one in a couple of hours, I decided that all of these circles were most likely hoaxes. The same goes for footprints. http://www.bigfootencounters.com/biology/baird.htm This link describes a process whereby footprints can be made with dermal ridges. This technique has been around at least since the mid-sixties. I do think it is possible that a "community" of hoaxers does exist and they place prints all over theplace. I know that when I run cross-country I am placing thousands of steps in an hour or so. The fact that I'm runnning means that my footprints are going to be arther apart from each other than when I walk. They will also be in-line with each other. If I were wearing fake rubber feet like those described I would probably leave some evidence of the mid-tarsal break as the "feet" would bend where the ball of my foot lies or perhaps my heel depending on how I wear the feet. There is a huge diversity of footprint styles out there and we do know that hoaxing is common enough (just look at you-tube for that) so I have little difficulty believing that it's possible for them all to be hoaxed. This is why I don't take footprints for gospel about BF.
Guest Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 I'll go against the grain I guess and say I think in-line trackways are an indication of something else, especially in snow. I think it tends to be rapid movement by a smaller animal with multiple "paws" landing closer together making it look either like prints in snow or rugged/sloppy prints elsewhere. I think wider, broader hips make it less likely BF is going to have in-line prints. However, I'll add, I think a swinging gait tends to bring the feet "round" and in-line. I don't think however, if there is a bigfoot, that this is indicative of its gait.
Guest Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 Tom Brown used the term "fox walking" in his books referring to (what he claimed) was his Amerindian based technique for walking quietly in the woods. The technique consists of careful-but-quick foot placement resulting in an in line, straight footed (ie., not toed-out) path/trackway. So, if that is an effective technique for walking quietly and with little disturbance, what is to say that it is not a technique used by hairy bipeds? Not advocating the reality of that, but thought I would throw it out there...
Guest Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 I agree on the appropriateness of the style of walking for a specific purpose, and in fact have used it myself; however, I don't believe a large animal in the woods would do this. Again, against the grain maybe, but I don't believe bigfoot is stealthy 99.9% of the time and that to find prints to indicate it is probably would lead to a more likely explanation.
HOLDMYBEER Posted February 4, 2012 Author Posted February 4, 2012 Do any of this forum's PGF experts know if the tracks attributed to Patty were characterized as linear?
slabdog Posted February 4, 2012 Posted February 4, 2012 Apparently they are Slabdog, its obvious there hundreds,if not thousands of those wooden feet out there, and huge cult following all over North America gleefully putting footprints out there for all to find, often in remote area's, or even private land that has limited access. Its a great conspiracy, thanks for the clarification. Some of them even lug water from nearby streams, and carefully wet the ground,so they can make the footprints seem to come from something heavier than they are, then they wait patiently for the ground to dry,,and present it as evidence,oooh they are crafty those wooden stomper guys. Hey...uhh.. JohnC.... I was literally "just asking" if anyone finds them anymore. I think you read too much into it. I am assuming the answer is "Yes...in line track ways are still found with much regularity". Thanks!
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