Suicide Net on the Golden Gate (live, cost of, safety)

[Joe Bama!]

Bridge directors vote for net to deter suicides
I believe its a good thing and would deter people from committing suicide off the Golden Gate Bridge, but would it really prevent suicide?

[artemis78]

They've been researching and debating this for literally years....I don't think it necessarily sets out to stop suicides per se, but rather---as you said---to deter people from using the bridge as a means of suicide. Which is, I guess, their job as the board. (When people jump or threaten to jump, they have to get emergency vehicles on, and sometimes have to close the bridge, which causes all sorts of safety and traffic problems for others, and affects how well the bridge functions.) Ideally you're preventing the death altogether, but I think bridge and transit authorities have a very reasonable secondary interest in minimizing the danger and disruption for their passengers/users, too.

[humboldtrat]

If someone were to jump from the bridge and land on the netting, what would stop them from jumping the rest of the way off the netting?

[Joe Bama!]

Originally Posted by humboldtrat

If someone were to jump from the bridge and land on the netting, what would stop them from jumping the rest of the way off the netting?

The Board of Directors voted 14-to-1 to install the stainless-steel net system, which would be placed 20 feet below the deck, and would collapse around anyone who jumped into it, making it difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to leap to their death.

[sonarrat]

I'm mainly blown away by the cost of it. Is it really not possible to do that on a smaller budget?

[happ]

Hope it doesn't ruin the esthetic's of the bridge!

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by Joe Bama!

Bridge directors vote for net to deter suicides
I believe its a good thing and would deter people from committing suicide off the Golden Gate Bridge, but would it really prevent suicide?

I think that in a lot of cases people who survive a suicide attempt are grateful it failed. They go on to get help and live.

But no -- if someone is determined to commit suicide they will do it. There are several other bridges in the area to leap from. Lets just hope those who are determined don't do it in ways that take out the innocent with them.

Where I grew up there was a popular suicide leap over a heavily traveled city road, and every once in a while, the leaper would manage to kill someone else by landing on their vehicle or causing a big crash.

[ecvMatt]

I think it's kind of silly. It is going to cost a ton of money, the GGBD can't afford. I understand the desire to rid the bridge of it's stigma, but not sure it will be effective. i'd just get a bike and jump off the other side were I determined to take that leap. I just took this picture yesterday and think a big net system would be a bit of an eyesore.

[tangodoodles]

Originally Posted by ecvMatt

I think it's kind of silly. It is going to cost a ton of money, the GGBD can't afford. I understand the desire to rid the bridge of it's stigma, but not sure it will be effective. i'd just get a bike and jump off the other side were I determined to take that leap. I just took this picture yesterday and think a big net system would be a bit of an eyesore.

I don't think they're trying to prevent people who are that determined. They're just trying to force them to choose a route that hurts less people. I have next to no sympathy (but still some) for people who jump in front of BART, Amtrak, out into traffic, or anything else that can cause harm or stop people from getting somewhere. For all we know, a man waiting for his insulin shot could be stuck in the traffic. I think it's also there for people who make a spur of the moment decision to jump, it can act as a deterrent and if they do jump, maybe on the short trip into the net they'd see it was a big mistake to jump in the first place.

[ecvMatt]

Originally Posted by tangodoodles

I don't think they're trying to prevent people who are that determined. They're just trying to force them to choose a route that hurts less people. I have next to no sympathy (but still some) for people who jump in front of BART, Amtrak, out into traffic, or anything else that can cause harm or stop people from getting somewhere. For all we know, a man waiting for his insulin shot could be stuck in the traffic. I think it's also there for people who make a spur of the moment decision to jump, it can act as a deterrent and if they do jump, maybe on the short trip into the net they'd see it was a big mistake to jump in the first place.

I didn't think they got a lot of spur of the moment jumpers, from what I have seen(by no means am I an expert) it seems to be a destination, people even travel to SF just to jump off the bridge. My impression is that they want to do away with that stigma. Determined people will find a way to off themselves should they so choose, no doubt, but for some it would seem there is a romanticism with the GG bridge, specifically, jumping from it. I would be willing to bet that there are a select few, who would kill themselves in no other way.