"Get over here!" - How does Retractable Binding even work?

"Get over here!" - How does Retractable Binding even work?

I've seen people ask "How do I make Spiderman's webs or Scorpion's harpoon in GURPS?" These people usually were referred to the Retractable enhancement for the Binding advantage. While it appeared initially on PK's website, it got printed later in Pyramid #3-115. I've looked at it many times and I didn't understand how it works. So, let's try rubbing a couple of brain cells together.

The problem is quite simple - "make a Ready maneuver to pull" doesn't say much. How many yards do you pull your victim? It obviously depends on ST, because the enhancement's description has an option to base it on your ST or the ST of your Binding, but there is no numerical value given. "Pull for the entire Binding length in a single second" doesn't really work, as even the default 100-yard Binding would result in such whiplash and slam damage against you, that it would be... unreasonable. If you start thinking about Basic Lift and grappling, then it still doesn't work, because you'd either be able to pull your victim only one yard towards you, or for a distance equal to your Move, which doesn't make sense.

But then I found a more simple and flexible way - Retractable Binding allows you to make ranged shoves! Check p. B372 for the rules - you have an option to pull your victim with one hand or with both hands, inflicting knockback, which is based on ST after all. There are only two nuances: you do not need to roll to hit with the shove itself and the knockback is directed towards you. I believe that this way is simple, and it makes perfect sense. The victim may even fall down if you yank him hard enough!