This is kind of an odd question. Is it illegal to jump off a bridge? I don’t mean some tiny stone one across Tinker Creek, but something across a major river? Specifically, I’m talking about something like the Chuck Yeager bridge in Charleston, West Virginia, which not only is above a pretty big river (the Kanawha), but also houses I-77. Can a native, or anyone near a big bridge, tell me about this?
“I need the biggest seed bell you have. . . no, that’s too big.”–Hans Moleman
I am the proud recipiant of no less than four citations for jumping off public bridges. All were issued by the Newport Beach, CA Police Department in the glorious Summer of 1976. It was great sport, but also very dangerous, and therefore illegal. I finally had to advance to pier diving, since that was the domain of the more lenient Lifeguard Dept. The Lifeguards usually let you off with a warning, and their tickets were only a $15 fine as opposed to the $40 fine levied by the police.
You can expect almost any physically dangerous activity to be prohibited on public or government property. Luckily most judges understand what motivates thrillseekers and don’t rule to harshly. Remember the guy who scaled the World Trade Center? He was fined $110. One dollar for each floor.
Well I believe BASE Jumping (parachutes) and Bunjee Jumping off of most public bridges is illegal unless special permits are acquired. Since the bridge you are referring to is an interstate I would presume it is the same. Incidently aren’t pedestrians barred from the interstates (another illegality) ?
Really, Ursa? Which bridge?
My first ticket was for the Balboa Island bridge.
#2- The Treasure Island bridge.
#3- The Lido Isle bridge.
#4- The Newport Blvd. bridge south of PCH.
In addition I recieved two written warnings and one ticket for diving off the Balboa Pier. The fine for the ticket was waived by a judge in return for my promise to move my act to Huntington Beach. I dove off of the Newport Pier dozens of times, but was never caught.
Ahh, to be 13 again…
Even after all the references to diving I thought this said **driving[/]! Diving off a pier seems like a harmless, if foolhardy, stunt. Driving off a pier crosses a line, IMHO.
We used to jump off a bridge over the Spokane River when I was in high school. It was out of town aways and I’m sure nobody really cared, but the sheriff did shoo us all away one time.
“I’ll tell him but I don’t think he’ll be very keen. He’s already got one, you see!”
Wow, you’re a daredevil! I’ll have to take another look at those bridges this week-end if I go down to the beach. Better you than me!
Wow–you guys are daredevils! I wasn’t actually planning to jump off a bridge, I just wanted to know for an essay I’m writing.
“I need the biggest seed bell you have. . . no, that’s too big.”–Hans Moleman
Stop it with the “daredevil” stuff, already.
The bridges I jumped from were no more than 25-30 feet high, tops. And I wasn’t the only 13 year old doing it. The dangerous part was if a boat emerged from under the bridge right as you jumped. 30 feet into a nice deep channel of water is no big deal. 30 feet into the deck of some guy’s Chris Kraft will really ruin your day.
The really exciting jumps were from the ocean piers (that are a bit higher and the water sometimes much shallower) especially if there was high surf slamming into the pilings. 13 year old girls eat that stuff up. I once scraped my leg on some barnacles on my swim back to the beach. The blood running down my legs impressed the hell out of the girls.
Sigh. Those were the days.
Jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge is illegal, but over a thousand people have done it and I don’t believe any have been arrested.
I have thought about it, but climbing over the railing worrys me. I’m afraid that I’ll fall and hurt myself.
I believe you are wrong about this. Most of those people were promptly taken into custody by the SFPD scuba unit and turned over to the county coroner for judgement.