July 13, 2017

Speaking of virtual travel, I was scared just watching the video of these scariest bridges in the world.



(There was only one that I thought I would enjoy experiencing in person: The Vine Bridges of Iya Valley.)

18 comments:

Yancey Ward said...

The Royal Gorge Bridge is the one I have crossed. The Japanese bridge at the end shouldn't have been the scariest- the grade is only about 6-7% which is no worse than a hill you can find on any interstate highway that goes over a pass in the US. I suspect those pictures are illusions.

For me the scariest on that list would have been the bridge in Pakistan- those planks look termite ridden to me. The one I would love to do, however, would be the one in Crimea- that would be a blast.

Oso Negro said...

I have done the Royal Gorge and the Irish rope bridge. The old McKinley Bridge crossing the Mississippi in St Louis was a terrifying feature of my childhood with its thin outer rails, open steel grate decking, curve at one end and railroad track down the center. The railroad track went straight off the bridge where the roadway curved, and drunks were always driving off down the trestled tracks to their doom.

Ann Althouse said...

I think #11 bothered me the most.

Quaestor said...

The scariest bridge in the world for me has been replaced by the excellent Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge in Charleston. The old bridge was only one lane in each direction and quite terrifying when crossing to Mount Pleasant with a panicky Irish Wolfhound.

Robert G. said...

I'm reminded of the harrowing bridge crossing scenes from William Friedkin's 1977 movie Sorcerer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgRneVBkC_0

tcrosse said...

The Mike O Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is worth a walk-across. It looms over Hoover/Boulder Dam, and is not for those who don't have a head for heights. Not scary, but damned impressive.

tcrosse said...

The Mike O Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is worth a walk-across. It looms over Hoover/Boulder Dam, and is not for those who don't have a head for heights. Not scary, but damned impressive.

Unknown said...

The Capillano Bridge in Vancouver is excellent and well worth the price of admission. It's a bit scary, but not too bad. The rest of the park there is really neat. I think you'd enjoy it, Ann.

Todd Roberson said...

If you'd like to be scared shitless try the road to the top of the Capulin Volcano National Monument in eastern New Mexico. At the top, I got out of the car and laid on the ground for a few minutes just to verify that the danger of instant death was momentarily passed.

Then I walked the 2 mile trail around the rim ... Complete with a rattlesnake sunning itself ....

Big Mike said...

There was only one that I thought I would enjoy experiencing in person: The Vine Bridges of Iya Valley.

That's one more than I'd want to deal with.

rcocean said...

#3 looks the scariest to me. First, this thing will swing like crazy in the slightest wind. Second, it looks incredibly dangerous with all those gaps between the planks. Miss a step and you topple to your doom.

As for driving some of the bridges shown. I've driven bridges "Like" that, and wasn't scared because of the bridge. No, what scared me of being surrounded by assholes in other cars, who went incredibly fast, and didn't seem to understand that if anyone made a mistake, you'd have a massive accident.

But people drive in foggy conditions like that too. Hey, there's fog on the road, but I'll drive 70 MPH, because what could go wrong. Being around idiots is the most scary thing in the world.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Alex said...

#11 is the biggest bullshit of a bridge I've ever seen. I mean damn, you are really taking your chances on that one.

tomfromchicago said...

I've walked the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Had I known it was the 10th scariest in the world, I probably wouldn't have. At least now, I don't feel so bad about being terrified.

MadisonMan said...

If that was a computer-generated voice-over, it was a pretty good one.

The scariest bridge I've crossed was the old Jamestown Bridge in Rhode Island, crossing to Conanicut Is, the island between the mainland and the bridge to Newport. Super narrow, very steep, steel grating.

Anthony said...

There was only one that I thought I would enjoy experiencing in person: The Vine Bridges of Iya Valley.

Not bad, unless, you know. . . .

johns said...

The scariest bridge in the world is the one my boy scout troop build across a river on our camping trip. It had a 100% failure rate for those who attempted to cross it.

JAORE said...

Been on Royal Gorge a few times. Not scary at all.

Worst for me are long steel grate decks when I'm on my motorcycle in gusty wind conditions.

I'll be taking the climb up to the top of the bridge in Sydney in November.... does that count?