My uncle is a lineman in Oklahoma and he swears by the double wrap method with rope. He said zip ties can snap under real pressure from wind or ice. Saw a video from that Tulsa storm where a whole section came down because the ties just gave out. It made me switch to using a proper knot with heavy cord for my own stuff. The extra two minutes it takes feels worth it now.
A whole section came down from zip ties? That's wild. I've seen them break but never take out a whole line. Your uncle's probably right about the rope then.
Gotta wonder if the UV damage played a bigger role than people think. I've seen old zip ties get brittle and start cracking just from sitting in the sun for a few seasons. @theaward is probably right that the rope handles that kind of wear way better long term.