Film captures suicides on Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 01/19/2005 | Philip Matier and Andrew Ross

[TenaciousZ]

Golden Gate Bridge officials are seething that a moviemaker who told them he was working on a "day in the life" project about the landmark was, in fact, capturing people on film as they jumped to their deaths.

Eric Steel initially told officials he planned to spend a year filming the "powerful and spectacular interaction between the monument and nature" and that his work was to be the first in a series of documentaries about national monuments such as the St. Louis Arch and the Statue of Liberty. That's how he got the Golden Gate National Recreation Area's permission to set up cameras on parkland overlooking Fort Point.

Now, however, Steel has revealed in an e-mail to bridge officials that the cameras -- which were operating almost continuously during daylight hours for all of 2004 -- filmed most of the 19 jumpers who went off the bridge last year plus a number of attempted suicides.

Apparently, that was the point all along. Steel says his goal is to "allow us to see into the most impenetrable corners of the human mind and challenge us to think and talk about suicide in profoundly different ways."

"Are we angry? Absolutely," said bridge district spokeswoman Mary Currie.

[rellimpank]

--The New Yorker article linked above makes the important point that it's all the fault of white Republicans--(sarcasm)

[smith288]

Driving to Marin County from SF, the city is on the right side.

Sounds like simple logistics puts the jumpers on the San Fran side.

Im sure they are either looking down, closing their eyes or they pass out on their way down. I dont seem to think that these people want to have a poetic view of the skyline as a last sight before entering eternity... Just my opinion though.

[smith288]

Thanks for your lengthy response. :)

[rocksblues]

KERRY (pushed): "Did I mention I served in Vietnammmmmmm!!!...(croshfzzzt!!!!

Now that I would pay to see.

[Radix]

That might make a good Tag Line for someone!

[PeterFinn]

$800,000 a year in San Francisco is poverty level. You can't buy a place in Sea Cliff or Pacific Heights on that and lunch at the Top of the Mark ain't cheap, either.

[Carry_Okie]

One for you.

[Carry_Okie]

Outlaw that bridge and don't let anyone use it except police officers and elected officials

We need a Constitutional Amendment to protect the right to keep and bear bridges.

[byteback]

This year's must see....two toes up!

[NorCalRepub]

easier to jump from SF side if driving from SF since all foot traffic goes both ways........you could dash across the lanes but it is always busy except for night and you most likely wouldn't make it

[RightWingConspirator]

Wonder if he took his keys with him. His last opportunity in life to cause a traffic jam.

[ArmstedFragg]

It seemed like jumpers mostly jumped facing SF

There's actually a rather famous story about that, used to illustrate the difference between psychologists and sociologists.

The psychologists' reasoning for the majority of jumpers going off the east side was similar to what you described: that suicide was a return to the womb and jumpers, therefore, went off the land side because they were attempting to reunite with 'mother earth'.

Sociologists examining the situation determined that most jumpers entered the bridge from the south end, and the easy way to do that is on the east sidewalk. In short, none of those bent on suicide wanted to risk getting killed by dashing across the traffic lanes to the west side.

[L,TOWM]

Oh, he caused a traffic jam, alright. Not that it takes much to do that on any bridge in the vicinity of Sodom By The Sea.

[chukcha]

According to the article from amNY, "Suicide is the third-leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 10 and 24". I think it should be viewed as a national crisis. The same article claims that because it is not discussed widely, efforts are not made to fully help people at risk.

Unfortunately, some morons do visit this site and see it only as Bush/Kerry, Republican/Democrat, conservative/liberal type of issue. Same morons who would cry on a picture of unborn fetus, but gloat viewing videos of death from ogrish.com.

Thanks for posting the article.

P.S. Here is the link to the amNY issue http://www.nynewsday.com/other/special/amny/. Click on the issue's graphics, the article is on page 4.

[TenaciousZ]

Agreed, and thanks for this link. I'm disappointed that this thread took on the tone that it did, but such is the law of unintended consequences.

[My Favorite Headache]

LMFAO!

[jonascord]

If they wanted to discourage jumpers, they should put a diving board up at mid-span with signs pointing to it, perhaps on the Bay side, with a basket next to the ladder for wallet or purse, and any notes...

[537cant be wrong]

in this thread, the exit stratagy requires gravity.

[Godebert]

"I saw a guy jump off the Bay Bridge at the top of the incline section. Two cars ahead me. Guy put his hazards on, stopped his car, got out, and hopped over the railing."

The Maryland Bay Bridge?

[L,TOWM]

San Francisco - Oakland Bay Bridge.