July 1, 2005
The Golden Gate Bridge is the no. 1 suicide landmark in the world. It opened proudly in 1937, but less than two years — and 11 jumpers later — a local newspaper reported that the California Highway Patrol had already begun looking for ways to prevent “further suicidal leaps from the bridge.” An officer was quoted as saying that though “hardly 2 years old, the span gives promise of becoming a mecca for despondent persons seeking self-destruction.”
Ain’t that the truth.
In the subsequent 68 years over 1,300 people have sought the final solution to their real or perceived problems by plunging from its burnt orange deck into the frigid waters below.
panoramic bridge photo by Aaron Logan
Sparkletack was the blog and podcast of a guy obsessed with diggin' up San Francisco history. The site is on permanent hiatus.
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July 4, 2005 at 6:04 pm
Hi Richard!
I have to say this is your best show so far, it is very touching and I had goosebumps listening to it. In case no one yet answered your trivia question, I’ll give it a try. The Golden Gate Bridge is what we Germans call “rostrot”, meaning somewhere between orange and red… ;-)
Keep up the great work, I love listening to your stories!
July 13, 2005 at 6:04 pm
hi annik! wow, goosebumps?! i’m getting goosebumps just reading about YOUR goosebumps. :) thanks so much for the thought… it’s a difficult theme, this bridge of ours, a strange mixture of beauty and tragedy…a little like the Lorelei on the Rhine, maybe. (bad news about the trivia question – i’ve got an answer already – jay, a listener from connecticut was the first to report correctly that the answer is “international orange”. i have to admit, though, that i like the sound of “rostrot” ganz viel besser.
July 13, 2005 at 6:04 pm
Quoting Wikipedia gives some more background information.
“The color of the bridge is orange vermilion, deemed International Orange. The color was selected by consulting architect Irving Morrow because it blends well with the natural surroundings yet enhances the bridge’s visibility in fog.”
But words cannot describe the color, you need to have seen it in real.
German greetings from Cupertino.
July 14, 2005 at 6:05 pm
Richard,
Just found your podcast, it’s fantastic, keep up the great work….. I’m going with the Intl Orange choice……
John
July 14, 2005 at 6:05 pm
international orange it is! thanks for the input, guys. and kai, you have it exactly right… the words cannot adequately describe the color.. you’ve got to see it, and it changes constantly, depending on the time of day, the angle of the sun, the season…anything from a soft luminescent orange to a deep bloody red is possible.
August 13, 2005 at 6:05 pm
In the early 1970’s I worked as a psychiatric counselor on the graveyard shift at Westside Lodge, which was a locked in-patient facility on Alamo Square, in S.F. (The eerie – haunted? – building later became the home of the Archbishop of S.F., and then an elegant boutique hotel.)
We had one patient who jumped fro the Golden gate Bridge and survived. He was treated like royalty by all the other inmates and staff alike.
I now live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and your Podcasts take me on wonderful trips down memory lane, to my former home by the Bay.
August 20, 2005 at 6:06 pm
In fact, it is the WATER which kills the people, to be technically correct. Therefore, if ever a solution were to be found, a barrier it is not. No, some kind of bouncing trampoline device just above the water would be the obvious solution.
Or, perhaps we could ask God to redesign humans?
June 9, 2007 at 5:50 pm
What..is..the..latest..on..putting…up..inspirational..sayings..on..the..bridge..to..dissuade..jumpers?…
Great…idea..There..is..a..debate..about..this…on..the..op-ed..pages..of..the..ContraCostaTimes..I..want..to..contribute..your..idea…Love..your..podcasts..Missed..you..when..we..were..on..your..break
(Space..key..not..working,.sorry)
JL
June 9, 2007 at 8:09 pm
I’m not sure what the current status of the project is, but I’d be delighted to have you suggest the idea to the CCT! It wasn’t originally my own idea, of course, but I’m certain that the woman who came up with it would approve as well.
Here’s the website link.
Thanks for the nice comment about the show — I’m very glad to be back!
February 23, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Hi, Richard,
My father was one of the painters who worked on the bridge. As you know, of course, it’s painted year-round, so if they were up to it, a painter could hold a job forever. I don’t know how long my father worked on the GG. He also was a painter on Sutro Tower, and another, lesser-know bridge up in Fort Bragg, Mendocino County.
Alas, you and I part ways when it comes to how to handle the bridge jumpers. I won’t go into any of that here, of course. I have too much respect for you to argue my side on your site. I truly enjoyed this podcast, as I have so many others.
Chloe
October 15, 2009 at 10:10 am
Hi richard,
The bridge has its big purpose why it was built. Not for those jumpers who want to end their life. Anyway, I like your post. I like really like orange..Great job.Keep it up!!
March 2, 2016 at 8:37 am
They just started construction on a Suicide Deterrent; Design; Project site