Cyclist saves a suicide jumper on the GWB (NYC folks)

[54ny77]

Amazing story.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/05/nyregion/on-bridge-a-quick-thinking-cyclist-saves-a-life-on-the-ledge.html

Bravo sir!

[Louis]

Congratulations to De Leon for doing something.

The kid must have been in pretty bad shape to be willing to just leave his dog behind like that. The number one concern that I have regarding moto and pedal bike safety and accidents is not whether or not I'm injured, but that I'm able to make it home to take care of my cats...

[estilley]

Cheers Julio.

Ridden across this bridge many times, and heard of some who have gone over the edge.

Keep riding and stay positive all!

[d_douglas]

Good news.

I once was pedalling home from studio/arch school in downtown Vancouver over the Burrard St bridge at about midnight one time. As I approached it was eerily quiet and I saw police cars blocking entry onto bridge.

The officer signalled for me to quietly pedal across on the opposite side of the bridge and I did. At the middle, I saw a cop talking to a jumper. It was eerie - just those two plus maybe three other cyclists on the entire bridge.

Tough times when you consider killing yourself- I heard the following day that he decided it wasn't his time to go :)

[Louis]

Suicide's a tough, tough, issue. And so much depression goes untreated.

I work for a large company and have been here for a while. Every few years or so you hear about an employee who's either killed himself (usually it's guys) or even worse, has murdered someone. The most recent one was just a few days ago - the ex-boss of a cycling buddy's wife. He (the ex-boss) was retired, but apparently had problems. Killed his wife, two adult children who lived with them, then killed himself. Back when my buddy's wife knew him (at least 15 years ago) he was a really nice guy. Not sure what went wrong, but his wife did have cancer. I suppose that might have had an effect.

[Saint Vitus]

Chapeau good sir, chapeau.

[soulspinner]

Having lost my brother this way I always wondered if he told someone how bad he felt or someone intervened, he might still be here,. Depression kills.............

[AngryScientist]

it's probably insensitive to say, but i think that anyone who is on the GWB trying to jump at rush hour during a weekday is after some attention ahead of wanting to kill themselves. there are certainly other ways to take care of that kind of thing without being in the middle of NYC rush hour traffic with your pooch tied to a pole.

hopefully he gets whatever help he needs, but bravo to the cyclist for stopping to help. doorman at the same building for 30+ years, i bet he's seen some stuff.

[bryanbanducci]

amazing, cant believe i havent heard about this yet.

[Shortsocks]

Thanks for the Article.
Just forwarded it to my wife.
Its nice to hear, Poor kid. Hope he gets the help he needs.

[warren128]

Here's an non-publicized story from the opposite (west) coast: my friend was riding across the Golden Gate Bridge last month when she saw a man try to climb the bridge railing, mid-span. She immediately stopped, ran to the man and pulled him back off the railing. She was assisted by an English tourist who also happened to be a mental health nurse. Together, they stayed with the guy until help came. It turned out that the guy was not crazy, but simply lonely, out of work, and had no family. My friend was deeply affected by this incident.

[gemship]

it's probably insensitive to say, but i think that anyone who is on the GWB trying to jump at rush hour during a weekday is after some attention ahead of wanting to kill themselves. there are certainly other ways to take care of that kind of thing without being in the middle of NYC rush hour traffic with your pooch tied to a pole.

hopefully he gets whatever help he needs, but bravo to the cyclist for stopping to help. doorman at the same building for 30+ years, i bet he's seen some stuff.

Can't disagree. It seems like all there is these days with the attacks/killings all over in this country and abroad are attention grabbing. I hate the news but I still watch it for the local weather report.

OTOH, maybe he did it front of people because he was scared to death of his pity/hate for himself. He probably needed that intervention and what a way to ask for it. Now that is living on the edge.

[gemship]

Congratulations to De Leon for doing something.

The kid must have been in pretty bad shape to be willing to just leave his dog behind like that. The number one concern that I have regarding moto and pedal bike safety and accidents is not whether or not I'm injured, but that I'm able to make it home to take care of my cats...

I absolutely love,love,love my three year old shelter kitty. He's like my best family. I think the same thing when I am riding my mildly insane built k6 1k. Sometimes I want to really drop the hammer so bad on that bike in 2nd gear or heck even 3rd whilst coming out of a mild lean or curve of road. I dunno maybe if I was on a racetrack environment but on the street that bike scares me. Cheap thrills are not worth big mistakes or if things were to go wrong but yeah I sometimes think about just getting home safe to take care of the little one. And that simple pleasure of having him really is one of the best things in my life right now. At 42 I am somewhat past the need for speed. Somewhat... Old interests die hard, love the bike but I know it's dangerous.

[gasman]

Good story.

Depression is such bad news and affects so many people. It's really too bad not everyone can get the help they need.

[Louis]

Cheap thrills are not worth big mistakes or if things were to go wrong but yeah I sometimes think about just getting home safe to take care of the little one.

:)

[gemship]

:)

You know just after posting I clicked on the local news site and the breaking news was a 30 year old man who lives in my little city gets killed riding his 06' Yamaha sporbike. Looked like an R1 and his girlfriend was seriously injured. It was about ten miles south of our city on a two lane highway with a posted speed limit of 55mph. Honestly riding a bike fast in a straight line is kinda easy and made easier with hp. People drive crazy on this stretch mostly in a rush to get home I imagine. a lot of times traffic will be cruising at 70/80mph in the passing lane. I have kept up on the bike and found stretches where I would accelerate to 140mph:eek: Haven't done that in a while and it's a cheap thrill. Cars cruising at 80 when you pass them are basically standing still and the bike really is only at 2/3 to 3/4 capacity and the scary thing is I could get used to it. It's addictive but breathing is also addictive. I need my license for work too so I don't pull those shenangins much at all but I do where riding gear when I do but really I don't think it would even help. Scary reminder to read of these young people's accident and close to home. You know it's funny I should probably just get rid of the bike. Even though I have a lot of self control I just can't believe how fragile we really are and taking the risk for excitement. I guess this part of getting old and wise.

[beeatnik]

A heavy documentary

People suffer largely unnoticed while the rest of the world goes about its business. This is a documentary exploration of the mythic beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge, the most popular suicide destination in the world, and those drawn by its call. Steel and his crew filmed the bridge during daylight hours from two separate locations for all of 2004, recording most of the two dozen deaths in that year (and preventing several others). They also taped interviews with friends, families and witnesses, who recount in sorrowful detail stories of struggles with depression, substance abuse and mental illness. Raises questions about suicide, mental illness and civic responsibility as well as the filmmaker's relationship to his fraught and complicated material.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0799954/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4