GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE

David Ball - Original work

If you are having thoughts about suicide or self-harm please call a mental health care professional or your local Suicide Hot Line right now.

History

After the Suicide Forest of Japan - the second most popular place to commit suicide in the world - it was inevitable that we would do this location - the most popular place in the world to commit suicide.

The bridge was constructed between 1933 and 1937. Safety nets were used during the construction (which was very rare at the time) and 19 lives were saved by these nets. 10 men were killed when the piece of scaffolding they were standing on detached and fell slicing through the safety nets.

The bridge is 6 lanes wide and can be crossed by vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians (no pedestrians at night).

In 1853 a two masted schooner, the Tennessee, ran into the rocks in Golden Gate Strait (the Strait gives the bridge its name) and sank.

There have been over 1400 suicides on the bridge and it now averages about 1 every 2 weeks. The first suicide was only 10 weeks after the bridge opened. Many people are talked down and do not jump.

The bridge is so high that jumpers reach an estimated 75 - 80 miles per hour before striking the water. As of 2006 there have been 26 survivors although one returned to the bridge and did not survive her second jump.

All survivors hit the water feet first.

Paranormal Activity

Apparitions of people falling from the bridge to the water below. Apparitions have also been seen of people standing on the edge ready to jump. These ghosts have caused a number of false emergencies and calls to 911.

Phantom screams and cries are heard on the bridge and from the water.

The apparition of the Tennessee herself is seen sailing underneath the bridge. On very rare occasions other ships have even passed the schooner while traveling under the bridge. The ship appears most often on foggy nights (like the one she sank in) and usually disappears quite quickly