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You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

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You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#1

Post by Tiredretiredlawyer »

https://www.theguardian.com/world/video ... ugal-video
.World’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge Arouca 516 opens in Portugal – video



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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#2

Post by neonzx »

Already commented in the Hijack thread. --> :nope:

I'm not a thrill-seeker. Just as I don't jump from perfectly good airplanes. :nope:

No, no.. that ain't happening unless it's a life or death thing.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#3

Post by Maybenaut »

Every bridge. I am so not a fan. And the only thing scarier to me than bridges are tunnels. When I was in law school I had to go from Oakland to San Francisco on the Bay Bridge. It was a double-decker. I remember thinking, as traffic was at a standstill on the lower deck heading back to Oakland, “This is bridge and a tunnel at the same time!” As I was trying to coax myself into relaxing, I thought, “Well, it isn’t like this bridge has ever collapsed before.” Then I remembered Loma Prieta, and I thought, “For the love of all that is holy, let the traffic start moving again!”

I occasionally have to go to Andrews AFB, which requires a trip across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. As I was about a mile out I began my little self-talk ritual that I use to calm myself before I have to cross a big bridge. It was about 9 am, and my phone rang. A woman who works for my husband called to ask if my husband was OK, because he hadn’t turned up for work and he hadn’t called. I freaked out. It was horrible. I started to cry, and she was all worried that she had upset me, and I was trying to tell her it was only the bridge and she didn’t know what I was going on about. We finally got it cleared up.

My husband was fine. He had a meeting in a SCIF at a different location so he had to turn in his phone. He had told someone about it, but they didn’t pass the word.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#4

Post by bill_g »

Note to self: do not invite Maybenaut along for tunnel inspections.

It's not the tunnel that bothers me. It's the trains. You can always tell when they enter - a sudden rush of air precedes them. Air compresses. So, as they get closer, the velocity and pressure increases. And it gets LOUD. Really loud. All you can do is stand to the side and wait for them to pass. During that time the air is actually kind of still, but the cars are only a couple feet away. If you stuck you arm out, you'd lose it. Once they get past, there is a negative pressure that tries to pull you in. That diminishes back to a slow gentle breeze and the silence creeps back in.

Great place to whistle. Good acoustics.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#5

Post by neonzx »

We have a really big bridge that leads into Tampa on I-275 -- it's was a replacement after the original bridge (1954) was hit by a ship and dozens lost their lives in 1980.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Summit_Venture
Summit Venture was involved in a fatal collision with the original Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay, Florida, on May 9, 1980. While negotiating a required turn in the narrow channel during a storm, the radar failed, and the freighter struck one of the piers on the southbound span of the bridge. 1,400 feet (430 m) of the steel cantilever highway bridge collapsed, causing a Greyhound bus, and six other vehicles, to fall 165 feet (50 m) into the bay. A total of 35 people died.

The pilot of the Summit Venture on that day was John E. Lerro. He was cleared of wrongdoing by both a state grand jury and a Coast Guard investigation. In 2016 the book titled Skyway: The True Story of Tampa Bay's Signature Bridge and the Man Who Brought It Down shed new light on what transpired on the day of the accident. Although Capt. Lerro resumed his shipping duties soon afterward, he was forced to retire months later by the onset of multiple sclerosis,[1] dying from complications caused by the disease on August 31, 2002, at the age of 59.

Wesley MacIntire was the only person who survived the fall. His truck fell off the bridge but bounced off the bow of the Summit Venture before falling into Tampa Bay. He was pulled from the water by the ship’s crew. Physically, MacIntire only suffered from a cut on the head and water in his lungs.[2] He sued the company that owned the ship, and settled for $175,000 in 1984.[3] He died in 1989 of bone cancer at the age of 65, always regretting being the sole survivor among those that fell.[4] Every year he drove to the bridge on the accident's anniversary and saluted those who did not survive.[2]

A new bridge was completed in 1987 to replace the old. Several safeguards were included in the design to prevent a repeat occurrence of the Summit Venture incident, such as the installation of massive concrete bumpers or "dolphins" around the main span's piers to mitigate collisions.


The first time I came to Florida with my father (he was driving the rental). He stopped talking, gripped the wheel at 10 and 2, eyes forward, tensed-up until we got over that bridge.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#6

Post by dan1100 »

The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in St. Louis (especially when you could drive over it) and the Mississippi Bridge in Chester IL are appropriately scary long narrow 2 lane bridges with no shoulders to speak of that make scary noises when you drive on them.

The Chain of Rocks bridge is where they filmed Escape from NY and was also the scene of a brutal murder.

Chester bridge was in The Heat of the Night.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chain_of_Rocks_Bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_Bridge
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#7

Post by Volkonski »

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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#8

Post by MN-Skeptic »

I was about 11 years old when my family took a trip which included crossing the almost 5 mile long Mackinac Bridge in Michigan. I thought that was so cool. Anyway, they close the bridge every Labor Day so that pedestrians can walk the length of it. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about the event:
The Mackinac Bridge Walk is an annual event held every Labor Day since 1958 in Michigan in which people may walk the length of the Mackinac Bridge. Walkers are traditionally led across by the governor of Michigan. In an average year, 40,000 to 65,000 people participate in the five-mile walk. This is nearly the combined population of the three counties connected by the bridge.

The Labor Day bridge walk is the sole exception to the rule prohibiting pedestrians on the bridge.
The walk was started and took place in late June 1958 during the Bridge's dedication ceremony, led by Governor G. Mennen Williams. That first year only 68 people walked across the bridge. The walk was changed to Labor Day in 1959, and until 1964, participants in the walk alternated north and south in consecutive years.

During the 2007 bridge walk, celebrating the bridge's 50th anniversary, participation was estimated at 60,000 walkers. The record number of walkers is estimated at 85,000 in 1992 when President George H. W. Bush crossed the Mighty Mac.

Starting in 2017, all vehicular traffic on the bridge as well as shipping and boating below, is stopped during the duration of the event. The 2020 edition of the walk was cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; the bridge authority cited logistical hurdles and falling toll revenue as reasons for the cancellation.
So... not an event Maybenaut will be participating in. :lol:
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#9

Post by Azastan »

Galloping Gertie. Amazing that more people didn't die.

It's always odd going over the Tacoma Narrows bridge(s), because there's that history in the back of one's mind. The replacement bridge for Galloping Gertie eventually became too crowded, and so another Tacoma Narrows bridge was built which almost mirrors the other, older bridge. The two bridges are side by side. The older bridge is now the westbound bridge, and the newer bridge is the eastbound bridge.

This view is from the Tacoma side, heading to the Key Peninsula. The older bridge is on the right, new bridge on the left.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#10

Post by AndyinPA »

https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/nrgbridge.htm
When the New River Gorge Bridge was completed on October 22, 1977, a travel challenge was solved. The bridge reduced a 40-minute drive down narrow mountain roads and across one of North America's oldest rivers to less than a minute. When it comes to road construction, mountains do pose a challenge. In the case of the New River Gorge Bridge, challenge was transformed into a work of structural art - the longest steel span in the western hemisphere and the third highest in the United States.

The New River Gorge Bridge is one of the most photographed places in West Virginia. The bridge was chosen to represent the state on the commemorative quarter released by the U.S. Mint in 2006. In 2013, the National Park Service listed the New River Gorge Bridge in the National Register of Historic Places as a significant historic resource.
Image

They also close this bridge for a bridge walk every October. I love this bridge and have been over and under it many times.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#11

Post by northland10 »

MN-Skeptic wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 2:34 pm I was about 11 years old when my family took a trip which included crossing the almost 5 mile long Mackinac Bridge in Michigan. I thought that was so cool. Anyway, they close the bridge every Labor Day so that pedestrians can walk the length of it. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about the
I love the Mighty Mac. I never did the bridge walk even when I only lived a few hours away not because of the height but I really dislike being in crowds, especially for a prolonged period. I suspect Maybenaut would probably dislike the Zilwaukee Bridge north of Saginaw (also Michigan). It is not all that high in comparison to other bridges but you go from flat ground to high enough to clear shipping boats so you tend to notice the height quicker. There was the matter of that collapse when they were building it.

I have spent timing leaning over the catwalks of auditoriums while working with the lights and doing the same in a hydraulic lift above the stage. Obviously, I do not have issues with heights. Climbing up a latter that starts bouncing a slight bit because of the length can be a little disconcerting.
101010 :towel:
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#12

Post by AndyinPA »

Maybenaut wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 1:29 pm Every bridge. I am so not a fan. And the only thing scarier to me than bridges are tunnels. When I was in law school I had to go from Oakland to San Francisco on the Bay Bridge. It was a double-decker. I remember thinking, as traffic was at a standstill on the lower deck heading back to Oakland, “This is bridge and a tunnel at the same time!” As I was trying to coax myself into relaxing, I thought, “Well, it isn’t like this bridge has ever collapsed before.” Then I remembered Loma Prieta, and I thought, “For the love of all that is holy, let the traffic start moving again!”

I occasionally have to go to Andrews AFB, which requires a trip across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. As I was about a mile out I began my little self-talk ritual that I use to calm myself before I have to cross a big bridge. It was about 9 am, and my phone rang. A woman who works for my husband called to ask if my husband was OK, because he hadn’t turned up for work and he hadn’t called. I freaked out. It was horrible. I started to cry, and she was all worried that she had upset me, and I was trying to tell her it was only the bridge and she didn’t know what I was going on about. We finally got it cleared up.

My husband was fine. He had a meeting in a SCIF at a different location so he had to turn in his phone. He had told someone about it, but they didn’t pass the word.
You would not like living in Pittsburgh. It has the most bridges of any city in the world. But most of them can be crossed very quickly. One, though, comes off of a tunnel that leads to a great view of the city, especially at night. The trick here is not the length of the bridge, but getting into the right lane to get off it or on to the next bridge.


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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#13

Post by northland10 »

AndyinPA wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:01 pm You would not like living in Pittsburgh. It has the most bridges of any city in the world. But most of them can be crossed very quickly. One, though, comes off of a tunnel that leads to a great view of the city, especially at night. The trick here is not the length of the bridge, but getting into the right lane to get off it or on to the next bridge.
The first time I was in Pittsburgh, we entered the proper way, through the Fort Pitt tunnel. It is a lovely view that just opens up in front of you.
101010 :towel:
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#14

Post by neonzx »

northland10 wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:07 pm
AndyinPA wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:01 pm One, though, comes off of a tunnel that leads to a great view of the city, especially at night. The trick here is not the length of the bridge, but getting into the right lane to get off it or on to the next bridge.
The first time I was in Pittsburgh, we entered the proper way, through the Fort Pitt tunnel. It is a lovely view that just opens up in front of you.
Indeed. I've been there -- you pop out of the tunnel through the mountain and then suddenly on a bridge... and it's beautiful seeing the skyline.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#15

Post by dan1100 »

AndyinPA wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 2:46 pm https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/nrgbridge.htm
When the New River Gorge Bridge :snippity: .
[img]https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/700x/ ... .png[/img]

They also close this bridge for a bridge walk every October. I love this bridge and have been over and under it many times.
Bridge Day is also (at least used to be) the only [legal] base jump east of the Rockies.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#16

Post by Uninformed »

One of the first times I drove abroad was crossing the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge across the Tagus to Lisbon, only to find it was being resurfaced and had been stripped back to the metal base. Took some time to free my hands from the steering wheel. I’ve tried several ways of “desensitising” myself to heights but to no avail.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#17

Post by Estiveo »

My least favorite is the top deck of the 280/680/101 interchange in San Jose. It's way high up, uncomfortably narrow, and just looks spindly & unstable.
Estiveoshot_20210430_123533.jpg
Some of you may have seen it when it was unfinished for several years, and some protesting council members borrowed a crane & set a car on it.
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Honorable mention goes to the lower deck of the Richmond-San Rafael bridge. Lots of up close open guard rail lets you see aaaalllllll the wwaaaaaaayyyy down to the water, which is unnerving.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#18

Post by Chilidog »

Image

This is the Blatnik Bridge in Duluth.

To me, it's not particularly scary.

We had to cross it on our way up to the North Shore for a vacation. I was fine, but when I looked over, my wife was curled up in a fetal position on the floor the car. :shock:
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#19

Post by Chilidog »

This is a super cool double decker swing bridge in Davenport.

Image
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#20

Post by AndyinPA »

dan1100 wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:13 pm
AndyinPA wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 2:46 pm https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/nrgbridge.htm
When the New River Gorge Bridge :snippity: .
[img]https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/700x/ ... .png[/img]

They also close this bridge for a bridge walk every October. I love this bridge and have been over and under it many times.
Bridge Day is also (at least used to be) the only [legal] base jump east of the Rockies.
I think that's still true, but it became an issue when it became a national park last year. I think they made an exception because of the long tradition of the base jumping.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#21

Post by Azastan »

Estiveo wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:56 pm My least favorite is the top deck of the 280/680/101 interchange in San Jose. It's way high up, uncomfortably narrow, and just looks spindly & unstable.

I remember that sight quite well. The Monument to Nowhere, now named after Joe Colla, the counsel member who had the Impala hoisted up there and had a helicopter drop him off on the overpass to get a photo.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#22

Post by dan1100 »

AndyinPA wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 4:19 pm
dan1100 wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 3:13 pm
AndyinPA wrote: Fri Apr 30, 2021 2:46 pm https://www.nps.gov/neri/planyourvisit/nrgbridge.htm


[img]https://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/700x/ ... .png[/img]

They also close this bridge for a bridge walk every October. I love this bridge and have been over and under it many times.
Bridge Day is also (at least used to be) the only [legal] base jump east of the Rockies.
I think that's still true, but it became an issue when it became a national park last year. I think they made an exception because of the long tradition of the base jumping.
I didn't know Bridge Day was in danger. What I meant there might be some other place to make legal base jumps.
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#23

Post by PaulG »

Most scary for me is the Millau Viaduct in France. This guys photo makes it look like a photoshop job.

I don't want to cross it. I don't want to be underneath it.

(I don't know how to properly post photos so I just embed some random person's tweet instead.)
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#24

Post by RVInit »

The Cooper River Bridge in Charleston SC. I had to cross that thing one time in my little MG Midget. I should mention that car did not have an automatic transmission. The following story describes it as a roller coaster. I would agree. Once was enough for me.

https://mountpleasanthistorical.org/items/show/14
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Re: You first! Scary Bridges!!!!!!!!

#25

Post by Lani »

I don't like big bridges. :cantlook: The only exception is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. I'm fine with it! 17.6 miles long, two tunnels under the bay. I don't know if the pullover areas and fishing pier are still there. Stop, pick up a snack, look for whales, feed seagulls.
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