Toll New Zealand is concerned about the safety of teenage daredevils jumping off the Ngaruawahia rail bridge into the Waikato River.
Ngaruawahia community constable Norman McIntosh said police did not want another Jayden Tepu tragedy.
In 2002, nine-year-old Jayden was hit and killed by a train on the rail bridge.
Jayden was walking across the bridge when he tripped and was hit by a south-bound train. He died at the scene.
A sign in both Maori and English states the dangers of being on the bridge, but Mama Moeke, 14, Lovely Moeke, 17, and Krome Pene, 14, said they jumped because of those dangers.
Mama said she got a “buzz” from jumping and got an even bigger buzz when trains were involved.
“It’s what we do. We get less than a metre apart, we’re not scared. The closer the train gets to you, the better. It means you’re not a drop nuts.”
My sister’s oldest boy took all his younger siblings to Keithsburg many times to jump off the RR bridge into the Mississippi. They all grew up just fine with families of their own. Sis never knew until recently. Because of their deadbeat dad, they did not go to theme parks or movies.
Out west some people jump off of very high arch birdges wearing skydiving gear with parachutes, though in this case I think it’s adults who are experienced bungi jumpers or skydivers and know what they are getting into.
And the Never River Gorge Birdge at Fayettville, WV where they have have BASE Jumping at least once a year during Bridge day http://www.wvbridgeday.com/. This highway bridge also crosses CSX
