When driving from San Fran, is it easier to jump from the pacific side or the san fran side? Do you have to cross the road in order to jump on the san fran side?
What were the places of residence for those who did jump on the san fran side?
Driving to Marin County from SF, the city is on the right side.
Driving out of the city outbound lanes are on the east, or SF Bay side, of the bridge (i.e., facing San Francisco); inbound from Marin County, the lanes are on the west side, facing the Pacific Ocean.
Pedestrians have free access to the bridge from parking lots at either end of the bridge which are located on the east, or outbound, side of the bridge - one near and above Ft Point on the SF end, the other on the Marin Headlands near Sausalito.
Near the entrance to the bridge walkways at either end are pedestrian 'underpasses' (steel with chain-link barriers) suspended under the bridge deck to allow access to the the west, or ocean-facing, side walkway for those that want a 'different view'. Pretty trippy, as you get a good view of the steelwork under the deck - the top, or road surface, is paved.
The last time I took the walk - a few years ago - there were no barriers, other than the original chest-high railings, between the walkway and the water. Interestingly, there are no barriers between the roadway and the walkway either! The walkway is elevated 12" or 18" above the road surface but anyone out with small kids better keep them in hand, what with heavy traffic going 45 or 50 mph right next to you.
Jumpers are from all over, though my gut feel is that the biggest percentage are denizens of San Francisco. Most drive out, park in one of the lots, walk out, and do their thing. A few, wanting maximum impact, just stop their cars in the middle of the bridge, get out and go for eternity from there.
A very few jumpers have survived the attempt when there happened to be a boat nearby to get them out of the water before they drowned; of these, a number were 'successful' at second attempts.
A number of attempts to get the bridge board to install barriers have been tried, but the bridge authority is not beholden to any local political entity - it's a fiefdom unto itself. The stock response is either "it'll cost too much, and any barrier can be circumvented by someone who REALLY wants to jump" or "it would ruin the aesthetics of one of the most marvelous designs in human history".
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