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As a child, I was always terrified to cross the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (Galloping Gerty). Numerous childhood nightmares related to being stuck on it, falling off of it, etc.
To this day I still don't like it, but I can deal with it. Though I do tense up while going over it.
There is, of course, some very famous history here:
They added the additional bridge, parallel to the replacement bridge (the one that replaced Gerty) in the 2000s. Proudly I faced a fear and took on the new bridge, running on foot, for a local "I ran the span!" 5k to inaugurate the new one just before it opened to traffic. (I got a 5k PR!) I never intend to cross it on foot again. 60+ mph is the only way to cross that thing...
Well thanks for that bit of history, just so happens we're headed to Seattle and Vancouver on Thu. Not really sure if we will need to take the bridge as never been out that way before.
(actually very sure I've seen that on PBS or YouTube)
p.s. that's awesome you ran over it, no better way to face that fear.
edit pps I looked at a map and now see there isn't any reason for us to cross that bridge. No lie and kind of shameful, in 1996, my buddy and I decided to take a road trip to Philly. I had no idea where Philly was, only that it was south of New York, and north of DC. I had been there in 1989 on another road trip but didn't drive. Now, I've lived in the area for 19 years and quite familiar!
Good timing to discuss bridges. The world's longest sea-crossing bridge is actually opening this week (connects Hong Kong and Macua to Zhuhai). Took 9 years to build and it's 34 miles long..! https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/21/world...ntl/index.html
I've crossed the bay bridge tons of times. I've only seen it shut down once for trucks due to wind conditions. Was in a CRV and definitely felt the difference with the wind that time.
Wonder if the Skyway Bridge on the west side of FL scares people as well. It's 430 feet high - about 2x as high as the Chesapeake Bay Bridge I believe. It's a spectacular view from the peak, especially when you're heading north into St Pete area.
I crossed the Bay Bridge a few times, remember seeing dolphin jumping one time, we went to the pier and watched people fishing, I always wanted to fish off that pier, my uncle did it a few times. I was never that nervous on that bridge as a passenger, don't think I ever drove it though.
We went through the mountains and possibly Blue Ridge parkway on the way to Missouri from Delaware once in a snowstorm when I was young and it was scary, we made it though in a FWD Accord just fine.
Scariest bridge I ever went across was I believe the Old Clark Bridge going into Alton Illinois, the bridge was not that high or long but it was very narrow and for parts it had no real protection to stop you from going over, just some thin flimsy poles. My dad and I used to cross it to do some hunting on a guys land in Alton he worked with. Made me really nervous going over it, I read where cars have gone off that bridge, they demolished not too long after we moved from MO. Never been on a bridge that narrow where you were so close to going off/ of it in a vehicle and there was so little stopping that from happening.
Funny thing is I have had some dreams, sort of nightmares going over really steep bridges, like ridiculously steep, not sure why, I am not that scared of them.
Good timing to discuss bridges. The world's longest sea-crossing bridge is actually opening this week (connects Hong Kong and Macua to Zhuhai). Took 9 years to build and it's 34 miles long..! https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/21/world...ntl/index.html
I wonder if this would involve a crossover of lanes (from driving on the left in Hong Kong and Macau to driving on the right in China) in the middle of the bridge?
The speed limit has been set at 62 miles (100 kilometers) an hour, and it has been decided that cars will drive on the right along the Chinese sections of the bridge, and switch to the left in Hong Kong and Macau, to match the driving styles in each city.
I’m terrified of bridges like that. I had to cross one like that in Texas with my family. We were in my mom’s Escalade and I felt like we could fall into the water if the wind blew hard enough. I had my eyes closed most of the trip.
I think it it scares me because I can’t swim and I’m terrified of large bodies of water.
Thought my dash cam was gonna record some real action this AM going over the bridge.
We're all going about 5 mph over the speed limit (traffic flow), and a Honda Civic is doing likely 25 mph over, passing everyone in the lane with a red X.
Oh yeah babe, Port Authority at his rate of speed right behind him now, he pulls to the right, PA cop pulls in behind him. Rides him for about 45 sec, then moves out and passes?
Really makes me wonder, what does a person have to do to get pulled over? I'm not for speed cams so much, but let's face it, they seem to work in NYC and MD/DC. They don't judge, just use logic. Don't get tired nor hungry.
Then, here we go again. Toyota 4Runner afraid of the median and a dump truck trying to brush this person over so he can pass on the 4Runners right. Not sure what's so terrifying about bridges, but I get we're all human. I don't like playing with knives and guns, some of my friends get a kick out of them. In the back of my mind I always think accidents can happen, why increase the chances. Especially doing that and drinking, it's my cue to leave.
Well thanks for that bit of history, just so happens we're headed to Seattle and Vancouver on Thu. Not really sure if we will need to take the bridge as never been out that way before.
(actually very sure I've seen that on PBS or YouTube)
p.s. that's awesome you ran over it, no better way to face that fear.
edit pps I looked at a map and now see there isn't any reason for us to cross that bridge. No lie and kind of shameful, in 1996, my buddy and I decided to take a road trip to Philly. I had no idea where Philly was, only that it was south of New York, and north of DC. I had been there in 1989 on another road trip but didn't drive. Now, I've lived in the area for 19 years and quite familiar!
You just missed the good weather. It's about to get very wet here... Safe travels.
I think it it scares me because I can’t swim and I’m terrified of large bodies of water.
That's probably easy enough to fix. Just join a local pool (or recreation center pool, if your community operates them), start out in the shallow end where it's safe, get used to the water a little, and basic paddle-swimming will probably come naturally to you. If not, formal instructions are usually available, but for a price. I regularly see even people with mild disabilities in the water at the indoor pool I swim in.
well, i happen to think i'm not nervous behind the wheel lol, but this is all pretty interesting to read. classic that the first lady was in a lexus suv, unfortunately not an RX though..
well, i happen to think i'm not nervous behind the wheel lol, but this is all pretty interesting to read. classic that the first lady was in a lexus suv, unfortunately not an RX though..
Yes, most of us are probably not scared on most bridges....but, for the few that are, the ride-services are one way to deal with it.
10-22-18, 11:03 AM
