An unidentified person is threatening to jump from the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. bridge in Charleston, S.C. – a developing situation which is snarling traffic for motorists on their Monday morning commute into the Holy City.
Police were called to the bridge at approximately 7:15 a.m., and according to WCSC TV 5 (CBS – Charleston, S.C.) remained there an hour later attempting to resolve the situation. As a result traffic approaching the bridge’s southbound lanes (heading into Charleston from Mount Pleasant, S.C.) was at a virtual standstill.
Here’s a view of the scene from a S.C. Department of Transportation (SCDOT) traffic camera.
At least ten people have plunged to their death from the Ravenel bridge since it opened in 2005. Jumpers who are able to scale the fence and cast off from the iconic structure fall 200 feet, hitting the water below them at an estimated 40 feet per second.
The Ravenel bridge has no emergency phones, nor is it manned by emergency response personnel. There are no safety nets beyond the six-foot fences, either, as these would cause a drag on the structure on windy days.
Developing …
UPDATE: As of 10:00 a.m., police are still attending to this situation.
UPDATE II: As of 11:45 a.m., police are still attending to this situation. In fact all four southbound lanes on the Ravenel Bridge are now shut down.
UPDATE III: As of 12:30 p.m., the would-be jumper has been taken into police custody and all four southbound lanes on the Ravenel Bridge are open.
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52 comments
Though it is likely one of the few conservatives remaining in that region, one can always pray!!
Though it is likely one of the few conservatives remaining in that region, one can always pray!!
Jumpers who are able to scale the fence
Maybe they need to put up an electric fence, then?
I say make it easier, put a door in for the and maybe a plank hanging off the edge.
That way traffic isn’t disturbed.
Even better, put a big net in under the water so we don’t have to expend any resources in finding their bodies.
With enough advance planning we can make it easier on everyone and prevent the traffic tie ups.
I always laugh when I hear gov’t in places makes suicide “illegal”.
“9.8”
lol…is that my comment rating or your hope that the potential users of the plank can do the “Triply Lindy” on their way to the next life?
Plan on grabbing a popcorn bag, lawn chair, and placards with numerals on them so they can see their score on the way down?
Absolutely. Could be the next big Olympic event. Right up there with bowling :)
Personally, I like watching Curling at the Winter Olympics with those sexy-hot girls!
What holds up traffic isn’t the actual jump though, it’s the 3-hour negotiation that does.
Jumpers who are able to scale the fence
Maybe they need to put up an electric fence, then?
I say make it easier, put a door in for the and maybe a plank hanging off the edge.
That way traffic isn’t disturbed.
Even better, put a big net in under the water so we don’t have to expend any resources in finding their bodies.
With enough advance planning we can make it easier on everyone and prevent the traffic tie ups.
I always laugh when I hear gov’t in places makes suicide “illegal”.
“9.8”
lol…is that my comment rating or your hope that the potential users of the plank can do the “Triply Lindy” on their way to the next life?
Plan on grabbing a popcorn bag, lawn chair, and placards with numerals on them so they can see their score on the way down?
Absolutely. Could be the next big Olympic event. Right up there with bowling :)
Personally, I like watching Curling at the Winter Olympics with those sexy-hot girls!
What holds up traffic isn’t the actual jump though, it’s the 3-hour negotiation that does.
John Graham Altman suggested a drawbridge, much lower and much less expensive than the growing past $625M with inflation Cousin Arthur…
You mean drawbridges that have machinery that breaks down and drawbridges that must be manned? Also they must open for every sailboat, etc. that shows up. Good thinking.
The best drawbridge is one you draw and never build
I really like the little bridge that crosses over to Sunset Beach, North Carolina.Low,rickety, and sensual, in a salt water kind of way.
Woodrow Wilson Bridge, a drawbridge, on I-95 works well enough for DC
hahahaha, that would of worked well
John Graham Altman suggested a drawbridge, much lower and much less expensive than the growing past $625M with inflation Cousin Arthur…
You mean drawbridges that have machinery that breaks down and drawbridges that must be manned? Also they must open for every sailboat, etc. that shows up. Good thinking.
The best drawbridge is one you draw and never build
I really like the little bridge that crosses over to Sunset Beach, North Carolina.Low,rickety, and sensual, in a salt water kind of way.
Woodrow Wilson Bridge, a drawbridge, on I-95 works well enough for DC
hahahaha, that would of worked well
I hope it is that asshole loser lawyer try-to-be B-I-L of mine that can’t get off the snow and keeps harassing my sister. God knows he has worked for every firm from there to Savannah. Karhma motherfucker, it’s coming at you like the train wreck you deserve. Jump! Before your liver explodes.
Name. please.
It is a fill in the blank statement.
do people ever fall for that? It is a common description though isn’t it.
I hope it is that asshole loser lawyer try-to-be B-I-L of mine that can’t get off the snow and keeps harassing my sister. God knows he has worked for every firm from there to Savannah. Karhma motherfucker, it’s coming at you like the train wreck you deserve. Jump! Before your liver explodes.
Name. please.
It is a fill in the blank statement.
do people ever fall for that? It is a common description though isn’t it.
Leave the person alone, he’s not going to jump. If he was serious he wouldn’t be standing there feeling sorry for himself. He’s there for the attention. If he wants to jump, let the SOB jump and quit screwing up other people day.
Leave the person alone, he’s not going to jump. If he was serious he wouldn’t be standing there feeling sorry for himself. He’s there for the attention. If he wants to jump, let the SOB jump and quit screwing up other people day.
Remember emo kids it’s down street, not across the street.
Remember emo kids it’s down street, not across the street.
Don’t need to jump. With the corrosion problems on that bridge, it will just fall down with them.
Don’t need to jump. With the corrosion problems on that bridge, it will just fall down with them.
Nice choice of tuneage. Although I might have gone with a certain Van Halen song from the 80’s.
Nice choice of tuneage. Although I might have gone with a certain Van Halen song from the 80’s.
If you are going to jump, for everyone’s sake, please be considerate. Park at base in Mt. Pleasant and walk up the pedistrian walk. That way, you will not alienate the entire city before you end it all and can, perhaps, elicit the compassion and sympathy you so stronly desire.
If you are going to jump, for everyone’s sake, please be considerate. Park at the base in Mt. Pleasant and walk up the pedistrian walk. That way, you will not alienate the entire city before you end it all and can, perhaps, elicit the compassion and sympathy you so stronly desire.
It ended up that pizza brought him back from the brink:
https://www.fitsnews.com/2013/06/24/ravenel-bridge-jumper-snarls-traffic/#disqus_thread
Seriously, if that’s all it took he wasn’t serious to begin with.
It ended up that pizza brought him back from the brink:
https://www.fitsnews.com/2013/06/24/ravenel-bridge-jumper-snarls-traffic/#disqus_thread
Seriously, if that’s all it took he wasn’t serious to begin with.
Keep traffic moving. Boston does not “shut down the bridge/road” when there is a problem. NYC does not. Charleston PD is making this town angry and this reader, for one, would love to see our fine departments move to the level of prioritizing the many people missing appointments, missing family events, unable to get themselves to doctors, and generally being locked in a non-mobile car on a bridge in 90 degree sun for hours, than the one situation which could easily be contained in one lane. Please, stop closing our bridges. Respect the situation within reason, but by all means respect the city’s need for normal operation.
Keep traffic moving. Boston does not “shut down the bridge/road” when there is a problem. NYC does not. Charleston PD is making this town angry and this reader, for one, would love to see our fine departments move to the level of prioritizing the many people missing appointments, missing family events, unable to get themselves to doctors, and generally being locked in a non-mobile car on a bridge in 90 degree sun for hours, than the one situation which could easily be contained in one lane. Please, stop closing our bridges. Respect the situation within reason, but by all means respect the city’s need for normal operation.
If this person was going to jump he would have…..got the attention he was after!!!!!
If this person was going to jump he would have…..got the attention he was after!!!!!