Kid takes dare to jump off Golden Gate and survives

[powski3]

You double dare me?

SAN FRANCISCO -- A California high school student visiting the Golden Gate Bridge on a field trip today climbed over a railing, jumped -- possibly on a dare by fellow classmates -- and somehow survived the 220-foot plunge into San Francisco Bay that kills dozens of people each year.

Most jumpers die a grisly death, with massive internal injuries, broken bones and skull fractures. Some die from internal bleeding, while others drown.

But the 17-year-old lived, suffering just a broken tailbone and torn lung. He was rescued by a surfer who paddled over and took him ashore, California Highway Patrol Officer Chris Rardin said.

"It's a miracle in itself," Rardin said. "The majority of folks do not survive this type of fall."

Windsor Unified School District Superintendent Bill McDermott said he didn't think the teen was trying to commit suicide, but instead jumped after other students from Windsor High School in Sonoma County urged him on. Students saw the teen go over the railing.

An ambulance rushed the teen to a San Francisco hospital. Officials couldn't provide further details tonight on his condition.

Someone leaps off the iconic bridge an average of once every two weeks -- last year, 32 jumpers died. About 98 percent of those plunges end up being fatal and authorities rule most of those deaths suicides.

The Marin County Coroner's Office and the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District have said that up to 1,500 people have died after jumping off the bridge since it opened in 1937.

Last fall, transportation officials approved $5 million in federal funding to design a suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge. Plans include a stainless steel net that would hang below the span.

The final design isn't complete and installation is at least several years away, bridge district spokeswoman Mary Currie told the San Francisco Chronicle.

-- The Associated Press

[Tuckerman]

Cliff huckers

[Crock]

Lucky SOB. Broken tailbone huh? I hope he didn't hit the water asshole first.

[Tunco]

You double dare me?

To use search? Go ahead, I fuck'n dare ya.

[DJSapp]

That kid was insanely lucky, and now that he's getting media coverage there will be more trying this within the week.

Someone leaps off the iconic bridge an average of once every two weeks -- last year, 32 jumpers died

As a contractor who has personally worked on this bridge and been around this, this number is an outright lie. It is much much higher. Talking with the bridge district employees who have the grim job of throwing the flares off the bridge to aid body recovery, it's more like every 3 days.

Unfun fact: they ALL jump on the east side, facing SF, not the open ocean.

[assman]

I have seen the area. Not a great place to huck do to a flat landing zone and run out.

I'd like to see some helmetcam footie of someone trying to hit it switch.

[powski3]

To use search? Go ahead, I fuck'n dare ya.

Yeah yeah, just noticed the repost. My deepest apologies.

[BurnHard]

The thing that pisses me off about this story? The $5 million being wasted on a suicide barrier... I FUCKING HATE THIS NANNY GOVERNMENT! Let those fuckers commit suicide, parents/teachers pay attention to your children, and stop trying to protect us from everything.

[Art Shirk]

The thing that pisses me off about this story? The $5 million being wasted on a suicide barrier... I FUCKING HATE THIS NANNY GOVERNMENT! Let those fuckers commit suicide, parents/teachers pay attention to your children, and stop trying to protect us from everything.

I'm not sure what costs more, putting up the barrier or fishing their carcasses outta the water. Also, the city doesn't want to lose any tourist dollars due to the stigma of a known suicide hotbed, i.e. the barrier may be a PR move. Seattle recently did the same on the Aurora bridge because they didn't want the world to be constantly reminded that Seattle has a suicide magnet. Long story short, these cities likely don't give a shit if people want to off themselves, unless that results in PR or revenue issues.

I do find it somewhat funny that the barrier on the Aurora bridge is basically a tall fence with spikes on the top. We are stopping people who want to kill themselves by the threat of bodily harm if they attempt to climb the fence. I say, the fence just weeds out the pikers.

[Trainwreck]

Well, I bet he won't do that again.

[timnormandin]

Wait, there's surfing in the San Francisco bay?

[BurnHard]

I'm not sure what costs more, putting up the barrier or fishing their carcasses outta the water. Also, the city doesn't want to lose any tourist dollars due to the stigma of a known suicide hotbed, i.e. the barrier may be a PR move. Seattle recently did the same on the Aurora bridge because they didn't want the world to be constantly reminded that Seattle has a suicide magnet. Long story short, these cities likely don't give a shit if people want to off themselves, unless that results in PR or revenue issues.

I do find it somewhat funny that the barrier on the Aurora bridge is basically a tall fence with spikes on the top. We are stopping people who want to kill themselves by the threat of bodily harm if they attempt to climb the fence. I say, the fence just weeds out the pikers.

I concede you make several good points in defense of building that fence...

[BS720]

Wait, there's surfing in the San Francisco bay?

I wouldn't call Ft Point surfing.

[legallyillegal]

Wait, there's surfing in the San Francisco bay?

butt surfing

[Brocktoon]

Well, at least he's not a pussy.

[milton]

Was this that Ager Stefan dude again? Where's the POV vid?

[Telenater]

Wait, there's surfing in the San Francisco bay?

There's a standing wave that sets up under the south end of the bridge during points in the tidal change that can be fun.

[Hugh Conway]

The thing that pisses me off about this story? The $5 million being wasted on a suicide barrier... I FUCKING HATE THIS NANNY GOVERNMENT! Let those fuckers commit suicide, parents/teachers pay attention to your children, and stop trying to protect us from everything.

Way to bring the stoke DownboundTrain

[Pow4Brains]

Well, I bet he won't do that again.

I'm going with the over on that one. Fuck, he did it on a dare. You up the ante with cash and the sky is the limit.



POV or it didn’t happen.

[nickwm21]

I bet you can get him to do it again real easy....

A 1/5 of jose and the simple words "I bet you can't jump off the bridge again"

[wolfelot]

That kid is a total moron! DUH they dared him to jump off so he did it? This is insanity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvHZvUQox2o

This kid also seems to have fallen for a dare. I remember snapping that type of bottle rocket off in a can and then lighting them. They burned so hot they would just burn right through the can.