2:52 PM Tue, Aug 07, 2007 | Permalink
Frank Mungeam
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by Carol McClain
KGW-TV Producer
I live in Sellwood and I drive across the Sellwood bridge every day.
Twice.
I barely even think about how unsafe it is as I commute to work and back home.
I ignore that it rated a two on a scale of 100 for safety.
That the west side approach is built on a slide.
That some of the parts used to built it were recycled.
From the Burnside bridge.
Built in the late 1800's.
I put these facts out of my mind because I have an escape plan.
I dreamed it up one night when I should have been sleeping.
Of course I'm assuming I'll survive the collapse, and the impact when my old Toyota hits the Willamette.
Oh, and then there's the airbag. See, I'm short and I have to make sure I'm far enough away from the steering wheel that the airbag doesn't crush my chest.
So if I survive all that and I hit the water, I figure I'll be in good shape because I have manual windows.
I'll rapidly roll crank down my window and swim out.
Then I'll go get some antibiotics due to the nastiness of the river.
I mean, hey, if I go, I go.
But honestly.
How many people do you know that have died from a bridge collapse?
More:
Oregon begins re-inspecting state's bridges
Half of "truss" bridges in state flawed
That is an interesting attitude toward life, especially since the bridge collapse that occurred in Minneapolis a few days ago. But thanks for the blog, I won't be using the Sellwood Bridge anymore. I like living. I hope you do too.
So far, five people in Minneapolis and more missing.
Not in the best of taste
I thought D Nile was in Egypt...
Willamette is River under Sellwood Bridge I don't know any that are Dead By definition They don't talk much...
I biked over that bridge last week and I have to say that was a LONG, ANXIOUS 5 minutes.
Driving across it, at least you're sealed inside your car and some level of denial is possible. Walking/biking over it...the bridge seems so old and fragile.
Alternate route!