I work at a company in Fremont, west of Adobe and Getty, alongside the George Washington/Aurora Bridge. If you know anything about Seattle, you know the bridge's reputation as a suicide hotspot. Somewhere between 5 and 30 people kill themselves by jumping from the bridge each year-- the numbers vary on what source you reference and are vague as the police no longer release them. This morning, someone ended their life against the pavement of the Adobe parking lot or in the cold waters of the ship canal.
There were five police cars, maybe more, and two ambulances. Those whose apartments and offices overlook the canal underneath the bridge were out on the balcony, some visibly stricken. The paramedics were closing the doors to the ambulance and, as I biked by, they sped off. I couldn't see whether they were working to keep someone alive, but their urgency gave me some sense of hope that the 3-second fall from the bridge to earth were not the last seconds this person will live.
It's unlikely that they survived. Hitting the water from 175 feet is like slamming yourself into a ton of bricks:
A 160-pound person covers the 180 feet in 2.2 seconds. Depending upon the configuration of the body during the fall, final speed is about 55 m.p.h. Force at impact is about 28,000 foot-pounds, equivalent in energy to being blasted by 20 30-30 Winchester rifles from a distance of 180 feet.
About 1 in 10 people survive the fall-- that is, those who don't "dry jump" into the parking lot. About 20% of jumpers from the bridge hit cement. Or cars. Or (it hasn't happened yet) an unfortunate employee.
Seeing the aftermath up close made me feel rattled, hollow, and unsettled. I can't be angry at someone for wanting to take their own life; I've dealt with suicidal thoughts in the past. But it does bother me that someone would make a public spectacle of their death. Suicide is a traumatic event for everyone involved: family, friends, loved ones, etc. Why should a jumper involve strangers?
Anyway, I've been reading all morning about suicide statistics and stories about the Aurora bridge. Here are more sad stories about this cursed landmark:
- An overview of the "suicide bridge"
- The Stranger's article on Jumpers
- Wikipedia's look at the Aurora bridge
- Seattle Pi's article on the suicide prevention phones that were installed last December
- WSDOT's project for suicide prevention
Posted on March 09, 2007 @ 5:08 PM | 11 comments
Comments:
It actually takes 3.35 seconds to free fall 180 feet. But it was The Stranger that provided those figures...math might not be that writer's strongest suit.
By 
Justin, at
10:40 PM, March 09, 2007
I think it's normal to feel anger as well as sorrow for the suicidal person. When someone commits suicide in public, they involve bystanders by default, which is very traumatic.
Suicide is very sad, but it's also very selfish of people to not think about the impact that their decision will have on others. I understand that suicidal folks have more pressing issues to deal with inside which can prevent them from considering others, but it still doesn't change the fact that there decision has far-reaching impacts on many others.
By 
Rachel, at
11:06 AM, March 10, 2007
"What right does a jumper have to involve strangers?" Taking one's own life is the exercise of what, for some, has become their only remaining inalienable right. What right do you have to take offense to what for that person has become the climax of their personal hell? Not everyone is in possession of a firearm, sleeping pills, or a bath tub.
Close your eyes until you get to your computer to blog about it.
By , at
11:57 AM, March 10, 2007
i agree with sam. i have a cousin-in-law on the other side of the country who is severely bulemic, self-mutliates and has tried to commit suicide. she has a mix of supportive and not-so-supportive family members. she's been in and out of many treatments. after almost 2 decades of this behavior (in varying degress of severity), her mother-in-law (my mom's sister) is understandably worn out. (the cousin is estranged from her own family due to issues stemming from sexual / physical abuse as a child). the woman's husband and mother-in-law have taken to blaming her for "not being there for her children." she has 2, age 12 and 10, and other family member and friends have enveloped them with love and nurturing throughout their lives because their mother is so fragile and her state obviously is traumatizing to them. but as much as she loves them, she is often not even in a state to take care of either them or herself; this is not an opinin, just what the decades of agony have shown. she is just not able to do more for her kids; that is a burden for others, unfortuantely. as it is with the suicidal jumper: sure, on some level these people are making "choices," but sometimes, christ, people just aren't in a place where we should expect them to be altruistic and able to care about others' needs.
By , at
6:57 PM, March 10, 2007
*bulimic. color me illiterate.
By , at
6:59 PM, March 10, 2007
I think the main point here is that suicide is traumatic and that people are very divided on their opinions of the end result of someone taking their own life. Neither opinion is "correct" and harsh critical words of someone else's opinion on a blog comment (ironically, it was a critical comment about blogging in a blog post...) do nothing except blindly criticize. But hay, that's the internet.
Regardless, I don't think that people necessarily decide to feel one way or another about an issue such as suicide. How you truly feel about an issue usually comes up when you are confronted with that issue.
By Rachel, at
10:49 PM, March 10, 2007
Sam-- I never said I was offended by their choice to end their life in front of strangers. Ultimately, even someone who takes their life at home involves people they don't know-- paramedics, funeral home workers, whomever.
I was certainly affected... enough that I had to stop, think, and write about it. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.
I agree that people have a right to take their lives, but glorifying suicide as someone's "only remaining inalienable right" is, in my opinion, taking it a little too far-- there are always other options.
By Kat, at
4:33 PM, March 11, 2007
i just think it's amusing that rachel seems to often come to kat's "defense" when testy blog comments are posted ... i think the lady of the house has thicker skin than that, but, i guess it's cool yer buds gots her virtual back ... ?
By , at
1:10 PM, March 12, 2007
I appreciate it when Rachel clarifies the situation-- she might be able to respond more quickly than I can. That's what friends are for! :)
And yes, I do have pretty thick skin. This is the Internet after all; it's easy to misinterpret the written word. :)
By Kat, at
1:39 PM, March 12, 2007
Yeah I'm her friend, but she can definitely handle the heat herself. What interests me the most is discussing emotional responses in relation to traumatic situations. Also, how quick strangers are to judge other strangers on the internet regarding their personal reflections on life.
Buuuuut again, that's is teh internets. Equal parts interesting and irritating in being able to express yourself to perfect strangers who care enough to make drama out of thoughts.
By Rachel, at
2:44 PM, March 12, 2007
well, suicide tends to be a hot button issue. can't imagine why someone might feel, to steal a verb, "irked."
By , at
5:10 PM, March 12, 2007
