# Has anyone survived jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 9, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032 "2007-10-09T03:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fireclown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f19dbf/32.png) [@Fireclown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fireclown)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/1 "2007-10-09T03:32:27Z")
Has anyone survived the jump? How high up can you jump into water and still survive? ---
**Author:** ![Randy\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee7513/32.png) [@Randy\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randy_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/2 "2007-10-09T03:46:11Z")
[QUOTE=Fireclown] Has anyone survived the jump? How high up can you jump into water and still survive? [/QUOTE] There’s this great [column](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/050311.html) published in the Chicago Reader. Check it out. ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/3 "2007-10-09T03:54:28Z")
I read a quote from someone who jumped off the bridge–they said “after I jumped off, I realized that I really only had one problem in life–I had just jumped off the golden gate bridge.” ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/4 "2007-10-09T04:11:00Z")
This article from the New Yorker has brief quotes from three survivors of Golden Gate jumps (and is pretty interesting about the bridge’s allure for suicides in general) > **[Jumpers](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/10/13/jumpers)** > > Every two weeks, on average, someone jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge. What makes it such a magnet for the suicidal? ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/5 "2007-10-09T14:30:06Z")
[Here’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OmY0vxawF4) a few who didn’t make it- check out the guy who goes for the backwards dive. The documentary this is culled from is pretty morbidly fascinating- IFC or Sundance recently showed it. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/6 "2007-10-09T17:24:32Z")
With respect, no one ever dies from jumping off the bridge!!! It’s the part about landing in the Pacific Ocean that is the killer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/7 "2007-10-09T17:36:39Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] With respect, no one ever dies from jumping off the bridge!!! It’s the part about landing in the Pacific Ocean that is the killer. 😉 [/QUOTE] Guns don’t kill people, bleeding to death kills people. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/8 "2007-10-09T18:15:08Z")
[QUOTE=ForumBot] Guns don’t kill people, bleeding to death kills people. [/QUOTE] Um, close, but no cigar. You can jump off the bridge and NOT hit the ocean, you know. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/9 "2007-10-09T20:12:12Z")
[QUOTE=Fireclown] How high up can you jump into water and still survive? [/QUOTE] Well, Cecil’s column quotes an authority as saying that the maximum survivable velocity when impacting water is 80 m.p.h. 80 m.p.h. = 117.33 f.p.s. Speed = acceleration X time, so an object reaches this speed after falling for 3.64 seconds. Distance = ½at^2, so 16.1 X 13.25 = 213.31 feet. So it looks like the Golden Gate Bridge is right about at the margin of survivability. Good information to know in case you ever want to do a “fun jump” into water. As a kid I’ve made fun jumps of 30 - 40 feet off of bridges, piers, etc. I’ve always wondered what the limit would be. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/10 "2007-10-09T20:18:07Z")
Though not exactly the same technique as a suicidal jumper, [cliff divers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Quebrada_Cliff_Divers) can get near 150 feet ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/11 "2007-10-09T22:12:43Z")
[A friend of a friend of mine, no less](http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1900628&page=1). If you’re interested, check out [The Bridge](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0799954/). ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/12 "2007-10-09T22:28:25Z")
Blockbuster has it. I just added it to my queue. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/13 "2007-10-10T03:54:29Z")
Bi-polar disorder causes auditory hallucinations? ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/14 "2007-10-10T04:33:29Z")
[QUOTE=Washoe] Blockbuster has it. I just added it to my queue. [/QUOTE] Just so you know what you’re getting into, it’s a very depressing film to watch. You will see people die. There’s something ghoulish about it. I was at somebody’s house when they were watching it, I didn’t find it enjoyable and left to go read a book. I do, however, think it should be required viewing for the people who oppose an anti-suicide barrier on the GG Bridge. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/15 "2007-10-10T07:49:05Z")
[QUOTE=Valgard] I do, however, think it should be required viewing for the people who oppose an anti-suicide barrier on the GG Bridge. [/QUOTE] Uh, yeah—I was going to bring that up, but I didn’t want to be accused of hijacking a thread. But since this thread is about to fall off page three anyway, I’ll ask: why don’t they just put up a barrier? Is it cost? Who in their right mind would be opposed to such a simple and effective deterrent? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/16 "2007-10-10T11:03:36Z")
Well, perhaps the fact that people like to see off the bridge as they drive across it? And the fact that society as a whole thinks that, if you want to jump off and die, why should we stop you? ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/17 "2007-10-10T11:43:09Z")
[QUOTE=Washoe] Uh, yeah—I was going to bring that up, but I didn’t want to be accused of hijacking a thread. But since this thread is about to fall off page three anyway, I’ll ask: why don’t they just put up a barrier? Is it cost? Who in their right mind would be opposed to such a simple and effective deterrent? [/QUOTE] Mainly, from what I’ve heard, it’s aestetics. And yes, The Bridge is a very disturbing documentary (and one that shouldn’t be entered into lightly, even within the first few seconds), but thought-provoking and powerful none-the-less. As someone who has been suicidal too many times to count, I learned a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/18 "2007-10-10T13:58:57Z")
[QUOTE=Washoe] Uh, yeah—I was going to bring that up, but I didn’t want to be accused of hijacking a thread. But since this thread is about to fall off page three anyway, I’ll ask: why don’t they just put up a barrier? Is it cost? Who in their right mind would be opposed to such a simple and effective deterrent? [/QUOTE] Is somebody who wants to kill themselves going to be stopped by a fence? I mean, it’s not like the Golden Gate Bridge is the only place you can off yourself - in fact, most ways to die are much less of a hassle. ---
**Author:** ![flight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbce88/32.png) [@flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flight)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/19 "2007-10-10T14:16:39Z")
[QUOTE=Washoe] Well, Cecil’s column quotes an authority as saying that the maximum survivable velocity when impacting water is 80 m.p.h. 80 m.p.h. = 117.33 f.p.s. Speed = acceleration X time, so an object reaches this speed after falling for 3.64 seconds. Distance = ½at^2, so 16.1 X 13.25 = 213.31 feet. So it looks like the Golden Gate Bridge is right about at the margin of survivability. Good information to know in case you ever want to do a “fun jump” into water. As a kid I’ve made fun jumps of 30 - 40 feet off of bridges, piers, etc. I’ve always wondered what the limit would be. [/QUOTE] Note that this distance will be increases when drag is taken into account. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032/20 "2007-10-10T14:46:46Z")
[Here’s an article from the San Francisco Chronicle about someone who did survive jumping off the bridge.](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/11/01/MNGFTFG3PA1.DTL) It’s part of a [series about the debate over putting up a suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge](http://www.sfgate.com/lethalbeauty/). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-survived-jumping-off-the-golden-gate-bridge/422032.md?page=2)