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Who is from Tampa/St.Pete and remembers the collapse of the Sunshine Skyway in 1980?
4-13-2012 | POWERSBOOTHEFAN

Posted on 04/12/2012 9:20:12 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN

I was going on four in 1980 and I don't remember hearing about this on the news. I was curious if anyone here remembers it or was actually stuck in traffic after the collapse.

I watched a video about it on YouTube.


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History
KEYWORDS: floridabridge

1 posted on 04/12/2012 9:20:18 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

I’m not from Tampa/St. Pete and I only vaguely remember the collapse, but I am wondering where Moochelle was in 1980.


2 posted on 04/12/2012 9:43:01 PM PDT by tumblindice (Our new, happy lives.)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN
Sure I remember. I was the one driving the Buick Skylark pictured here.

That happened to me at three other bridges while I owned that car. I think it was because I kept 50 lbs of cat litter in the trunk for extra weight in the snow. I think it was too much for the bridges.

3 posted on 04/12/2012 10:00:31 PM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Lazlo in PA

I thought that car was driven by a man named Richard Hornbeck. (I think that’s his last name).


4 posted on 04/12/2012 10:07:46 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (I love you,Pumpkin. You are the best cat in the world. You're my Sweet Pea.)
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To: Lazlo in PA

That’s one big-ass bag of kitty litter!


5 posted on 04/12/2012 10:08:31 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (I love you,Pumpkin. You are the best cat in the world. You're my Sweet Pea.)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN

Richard Hornbuckle. That’s me. I am 128 now, but I am still around.


6 posted on 04/12/2012 10:44:47 PM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Lazlo in PA

He was 61 at the time. I think you’re a little off,LOL.


7 posted on 04/12/2012 10:49:11 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (I love you,Pumpkin. You are the best cat in the world. You're my Sweet Pea.)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN; Lazlo in PA

He’s in his 90s now and can’t remember his age anymore. Sometimes he thinks he didn’t stop his car there and “made the jump” like starsky and hutch.


8 posted on 04/12/2012 11:40:30 PM PDT by mamelukesabre
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To: Lazlo in PA

That appears to be a pucker moment for that fellar.


9 posted on 04/13/2012 8:57:09 AM PDT by goseminoles
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To: goseminoles; POWERSBOOTHEFAN

The front leading tire on the Buick ended up just 14 inches from the edge of the bridge. The 4 dudes that were in the car were REALLY lucky.


10 posted on 04/13/2012 10:01:33 AM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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To: Lazlo in PA

I’ll say! That’s scary.


11 posted on 04/13/2012 3:35:06 PM PDT by POWERSBOOTHEFAN (I love you,Pumpkin. You are the best cat in the world. You're my Sweet Pea.)
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To: POWERSBOOTHEFAN
Just for fun, I pulled up the stats on the 1976 Buick Skylark. That year was the first year for radial tires on that car. If he would have bought his car a year before, it would have had bias ply tires which would have defiantly added to their stopping distance. As it was, driving 20 miles an hour, like a passenger and the driver testified to, they still had the ass end of the car kick out trying to stop. Tire technology saved these peoples life.

GM was big on putting radial tires on their vehicles in 1976. I have a 1976 Pontiac wagon that actually has a badge on the dashboard that say: "Radial Tuned Suspension" just to let people know how exciting these tires were.


12 posted on 04/13/2012 8:16:42 PM PDT by Lazlo in PA (Now living in a newly minted Red State.)
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