Golden Gate Bridge Suicide-Prevention Barrier - Essay Example

 The credentials of the Golden Gate Bridge which cuts across San Francisco Bay have not been so golden; it has been extending invitations for those attempting suicides. Since its opening in May 1937, 1588 pairs of shoes bear the mute testimony for the number of people who chose the final option of suicide to end their lives here. This is the record for such sites across the world. There could be many more unconfirmed deaths. 37 people died jumping off the bridge in the year 2011. About 100 people are stopped from jumping. People who throw their lives here drown in the deep waters like the flies burn themselves throwing in the glow of light. Technically, this Gate has been hailed as an engineering marvel, and an international landmark that attracts the tourists, but its reputation is otherwise alarming. Aaron Sankin writes, “The Chronicle estimates that a minimum of 1,218 suicides have taken place on the bridge, a minimum of 19 per year--making it the single most suicide-prone location in the whole United States. Leaping from the bridge to the icy water below is usually fatal; people taking the plunge are killed 98% of the time.” (sfappeal.com …)For the sake of maintaining the beauty of the Bridge sacrifice of the precious lives is not the answer. Those who appreciate the engineering skills of the bridge, must exhibit some sensitivity about the number of suicides at the altar of the Bridge. That the final solution to this problem should remain in limbo looks like a fictional account, but the 2011 suicide figures are the stark reminder to this bone-chilling issue. This is a problem for which the legal luminaries of the country should file a suit in the appropriate legal forums for the gross negligence of the concerned authorities to prevent the loss of human lives. Statement of the Solution The Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District finalized a plan in 2008 to hang steel net 20 feet below to prevent people from the fall. This net, it is hoped, will be a strong deterrent to the suicide attempts. But the concerned authorities are unenthusiastic about the project and the $50 million project remains short by $45 million. In the absence of a system in place, deaths continue to occur. So, the Federal funding is the next option before the district authorities. At the district level the authorities make concerted efforts and seek private donations from individuals interested in the installation of the barrier. In the absence of adequate safety barriers, The Golden Gate Bridge has turned out to be a public health hazard. Elaborating this aspect John Bateson writes, “Do you have a plan for how you’d do it? Do you have a time frame? Have you put any part of your plan into action? Suicide rarely comes in normal conversation…” (132) Most of the international tourist spots have suicide barriers. Why deny such a facility to this unique spot? I think that the district authorities must be allocated Federal Funds to the tune of $50 million. This is not a spot of local tourist delight. Tourists from all over America/world visit the bridge and thus it is a revenue generating source as well. Further, a two pronged strategy to prevent suicides needs to be formulated to make the entire project more human. Apart from the grant from the Federal level, the local authorities, must take certain ancillary measures, for augmenting the resources on a permanent basis, for proper governance and maintenance of the Bridge. 1st Objection to the solution Physical barriers are not the final choice to eliminate all suicides. But they significantly decrease the attempts, as suicide is mostly an impulsive act, and those few minutes which give pause to the mental makeup of the individual attempting suicide, will do good to save the precious life. LA Times reports, “In 2008, bridge district officials finally voted to add a suicide deterrent to the bridge: a marine-grade stainless steel net that will stretch 20 feet below the walkways. It won't be much different than the net that the bridge's chief engineer, Joseph Strauss, installed to protect workers during construction — a net that saved 19 men.”(articles…) LA Times further reports, “In one study published in 1978, researchers at UC Berkeley led by Richard Seiden tracked what happened to 515 people who were stopped from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Twenty-five years later, 94% were still alive or had died by means other than suicide. For those 485 people, it was the Golden Gate Bridge or nothing.”(articles…)The objection as stated above shows lack of sensitivity to address the issue. The plan of physical barriers has been successful in a number of international tourist spots, some of them in America. 2nd Objection to the solution The objections to the barrier that it will mar the aesthetics of the bridge merits consideration. It is possible to erect the barriers with due regard for this aspect, going by the experience gained in other similar spots. The objections also stem from the fact that people given to suicidal tendencies, will do so by availing other options. The root of such a psychological problem needs to be addressed to. Bateson throws light on this aspect and writes, “The proposal went nowhere after an editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle noted that a person seriously bent on suicide is not going to be deterred by a law…” (34) Of the thousands of suicides committed, Bateson narrates one such poignant tragedy. He writes, “…[C]asey Brooks is clearly visible on film. She’s dressed like a jogger, walking alone on the pedestrian path, smoking a cigarette. After surmounting the railing on the last side, the side facing San Francisco, she stands motionless on the chord for ten seconds. Then she jumps. The world of John and Erika Brooks will never be the same.”(6) With one suicide, one individual dies, but the entire family/generation relating to that individual suffers unbearable mental agony. Stating why The Golden Gate Bridge, attracts those intending to commit suicide, Scott James writes, “Few survive the drop, a deadly success rate that, when coupled with its landmark status, has made the bridge a top destination for those contemplating suicide. Few realize that jumping from the bridge causes an exceptionally gruesome death, listed on medical examiners’ reports as “multiple blunt force injuries” — broken ribs rip through organs, many times missing the heart, leaving victims to drown.”(nytimes.com…) But the psychologist is not the final authority on the subject. It is the duty of the government authorities, to prevent suicides. Conclusion: My first and final solution is that the lives must be saved and the individuals must not meet the gory death. To me humanitarian consideration is above technical and all of other technicalities. One finds it difficult to believe that a country like America, where the essential dignity of the citizen is viewed with utmost respect, a tourist spot that attracts suicides is viewed with such disdain. It does not go well to the credit of the intellectuals, psychologists, social activists, and the politicians that instead of engaging in theoretical discussions regarding the merits for affecting the protection system on the bridge, tangible steps needs to be taken to save the precious lives. One cannot create a life by paying $ 50 million. Even if one life is saved, credit goes to the Golden Gate Bridge, and those who fought to get the net protection system installed. Studies conducted on the subject indicate that suicidal people choose one means of death. If that option is denied to them the chances of their survival are real. Only when the Golden Gate Bridge has a net, of the appropriate design, it will be a monument, a tourist paradise in the real sense of the term. The addition of compassion to its beauty will be a sterling achievement for the engineers, administrators and the people. After the long wait of 75 years, the dawn of such a golden day seems certain. Phone facilities located on the sidewalks, posting of trained suicide counselors, posting notices at conspicuous places to make the traveling public aware of the issue, and to seek their active co-operation, bicycle patrols, motor patrols, security personnel in plain clothes to detect individuals exhibiting suicidal tendencies, play soft, invigorating music to cheer the visitors are some of them. The sight of one floating body in the icy waters below will be the tragic lifetime reminder to the visitors to the Bridge. Thus awareness about the issue needs to be created at all levels. State, federal grants and public donations are for creating a sense of participation and involvement at all levels. One final observation is, 75 years of neglect on a sensitive issue of this magnitude, seems incredible. The curse of the mourning of the family members of about 1600 people, who chose to end their lives by jumping from the bridge, falls flat to the account of the politicians and administrators of the project. Works Cited Bateson, John. The Final Leap: Suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge. University of California Press; First Edition, April 18, 2012. James, Scott. On the Golden Gate Bridge, a Year of Rising Suicides. Aug 26, 2011 www.nytimes.com/2011/08/26/us/26bcjames.html?pagewanted=all Retrieved on October 13, 2012 Los Angeles Times. Suicide-proofing the Golden Gate Bridge. May 25, 2012 Retrieved on October 13, 2012 Sankin, Aaron. Golden Gate Bridge One Step Closer To Installing Suicide Prevention Barriers. June, 24, 2011 Retrieved on October 13, 2012 Read More