Trifter

     The Sunshine Skyway Bridge connects St. Petersburg in Pinellas County, Florida to Terra Ceia in Manatee County while the 200 foot peak of the span is situated in Hillsborough County.  None of this has any bearing on why so many people choose it as a place to end their lives.

     More than 51,000 vehicles cross the bay on this bridge every day but once in a while one pulls over, the occupant exits, scales the restraining fence and plunges to the water below.

     Twice as many people kill themselves than are murdered by others, according to the Tampa Tribune, and more choose the Sunshine Skyway to end it all than any other place in the sunshine state.  Most are male ages 30 to early 40s, however the most recent was a 91 year old man suffering from failing health.  In 1993 a 15 year old boy and his 16 year old girlfriend took a tandem plunge.

     Since the new bridge opened in 1987 some 135 people are known to have jumped–most died.   Before than, 55 died jumping off the old bridge which was knocked down by a wayward barge sending cars and a bus into the bay killing 35.  Only two have jumped so far this year and one of them survived.

Round-the-clock patrols are in effect and six crisis phones have been installed.  A crisis center has received 23 calls from those phones resulting in every caller being persuaded not to jump.

     Jumpers reach speeds of up to 75 miles per hour before hitting the water, or in some instances, the rocks below.  Medical examiner reports say victims skulls are smashed, teeth shattered and organs are ripped loose.  Most drown.  Witnesses, mostly fishermen, who try to rescusitate, describe applying pressure to the chest akin to pressing on a wet pillow.

     The bridge has become so infamous a satirical website has emerged claiming satirically to have acquired the “politically incorrect” seal of approval and allowing visitors to predict when the next jump will occur.

      Only three  bridges in the United states have had more suicide jumpers than the Sunshine Skyway, those being in San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle.