35W….Please, just a little humility and respect?

Since the bridge has fallen I have personally talked to, or heard of, someone who “just went over the bridge”, or “was just about to go over the bridge” when this terrible event happened. It is human nature to turn things around and say “Look at ME!”, we all do it, but in this case would it be too much to ask that we try to remember and honor those who were TRULY involved in the incident so as not to belittle their sacrifices or sorrows. There is simply NO WAY this many people could have possibly been in harms way! Let’s focus on those who were and shine the light on them. Afterall, they are the ones our hearts go out to and who deserve our attentions.

Seeing as in 2002 there was a traffic count of 140,000 per day so likely higher, figuring that it was evening rush hour which between it and morning likely accounted for a large chunk of that, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were 50,000 people who recently had or were going to cross it who could likely claim that.

Traffic count

And I’m sure no one is looking to compare themselves to those that ended up loosing so much as those few did. Some times the “That could have been me” is a shocking event in their life.

WarrenMN

This is the best thing I’ve read in a long time.

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This is the best thing I’ve read in a long time.

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come to think about it you really do hear a lot of people (not pointing fingers) bragging about them “almost” that almost was me that could have been me in the news on the street

my prayers are with all though, the ones that saw it, the ones that heard it, heard of it, and especially the ones on it

I do not see anything wrong with saying I just went over the bridge. I do not see any disrespect in that what so ever.

O.K., Warren, supposing you are right and 50,000 people were within minutes of going over the bridge, I guess the big difference would be that they LIVED to tell about it. They came thru un-scathed and no worse for wear. I don’t think their story is what news-crews from all over the world are here to talk about.

It just seems to me that the true victims’ stories always get clouded by the embellishments of those who “almost were involved”, or “could have been involved”, or “knew somebody who almost was involved”. Let’s face it, probably no more than 100 vehicles total were involved in this tragedy, so how could have so many “almost” been involved. Maybe what you consider “almost” and what I consider “almost” are two different things? Regardless, to me you either were a victim or you weren’t. My whole point is to focus on those who were and focus the attention towards them.

What I call disrespectful of the people that perished is that the DOT OK’d “superficial maintenance” on a bridge that was rated as not up to par.

They OK’d putting huge concrete shavers on that bridge shaking the living B-Jesus out of that structure all summer long. Any one stuck on that bridge saw that they were shaving 6-7 inches of concrete out of that bridge. How much vibration do you you think that bridge had to stand up to this summer. How many bolts do you think vibrated out of the beams from those concrete shavers. Not to mention concrete trucks I noticed laying in the rubble. What I find disrespectful is they are not mentioning that at all.

I also find it disrespectful that media tells our senators what a really great job they are doing for telling us how really great we Minnesotans are.

This whole thing smells like a winter kill lake come about mid April.

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What I call disrespectful of the people that

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You should call the NTSB and tell them your findings and maybe they will stop wasting there time with trying to find out how the bridge fell since you already know how and why the bridge fell……

Disrespect? I for one traveled the “Bridge” around 5:00. I was in St. Michael trying to get back to Hastings during rush hour traffic. I took 35W to crosstown to 55 to Hastings. I know a boat load of people that do what I do every day. I count my blessings every day that I was not on or near it when it happened. I imagine a lot of people feel the same way, whether they were near it or not.

As far as bridges go, I drive 40k miles per year on Metro Area roads seeing my accounts. The bridge that scares me the most is the HWY 52 bridge over the Sippi. That thing rocks and bounces so bad during rush hour that months ago I changed my driving habits to avoid it. I now take 61 to 94.

The fact that bridge came down scared the he!! out of me, and a lot of other people too! I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone involved. But like the old saying goes..”There but for the grace of God go I…”

And I would bet a lot of people feel that way.

140k to 200k per day use that bridge. if there are 2 million people in MPLS on a given day..th odds are pretty darned good that someone you or I know may have been near it. How many times have you come out of the Dome after a Twins or Vikings game, and jumped on 35W from Washington Ave?

I agree America is in this B.S. poor me attitude after 9/11, that was a tragedy that will live in our minds forever. As bad as this was ( 35W bridge) it could have been much much worse.

I heard one radio station compare it to 9/11 and at that point I turned off the radio I wont watch the news on this either. I will talk to coworkers / peers that are working the scene to see if any new important news has come up. I have had it with everyone making the story to be worse then it is. If you want to tell a story about it tell about the kids with out parents, couples that life’s were destroyed. Tell the story about how a body was pulled from the river last night in St. Paul and nobody could tell who it was because it was in such bad shape. ( as far as I know nothing was said about it)

The liberal media thinks its better to talk to people that were almost in the incident. If you were not in the incident then don’t waste our time, sympathy, prayers because you were near it. Grow up move on you will be fine. If you want everyone to listen to you then donate to the Red Cross help them out so they can help others out. I would love to hear you talk about that.

American Red Cross

I try not to say anything on post like this but you suckered me into it. This is my opinion and nobody can change my mind. I know that others don’t care what I have to say and that is fine with me as well.

Shew, I agree with that 100%!
You could not have said it better.

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I agree America is in this B.S. poor me attitude after 9/11, that was a tragedy that will live in our minds forever. As bad as this was ( 35W bridge) it could have been much much worse.
I heard one radio station compare it to 9/11 and at that point I turned off the radio I wont watch the news on this either. I will talk to coworkers / peers that are working the scene to see if any new important news has come up. I have had it with everyone making the story to be worse then it is. If you want to tell a story about it tell about the kids with out parents, couples that life’s were destroyed. Tell the story about how a body was pulled from the river last night in St. Paul and nobody could tell who it was because it was in such bad shape. ( as far as I know nothing was said about it)
The liberal media thinks its better to talk to people that were almost in the incident. If you were not in the incident then don’t waste our time, sympathy, prayers because you were near it. Grow up move on you will be fine. If you want everyone to listen to you then donate to the Red Cross help them out so they can help others out. I would love to hear you talk about that.

American Red Cross

I try not to say anything on post like this but you suckered me into it. This is my opinion and nobody can change my mind. I know that others don’t care what I have to say and that is fine with me as well.

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DITTO!

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If you were not in the incident then don’t waste our time, sympathy, prayers because you were near it. Grow up move on you will be fine. If you want everyone to listen to you then donate to the Red Cross help them out so they can help others out. I would love to hear you talk about that.

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That’s what I’m trying to say…only in a million more words.

Chris, I never used the word “disrespect”.

Not sure if this is the right place or time for this but here goes.
I am a fireman full time and used to be one on a paid on call dept.
I could never fathom a fire in my home or a storm so bad that I lose it all. I have seen these things time and time again. When people have no home at all to go to at the end of the day the the Red Cross is there. In the middle of the night in the middle of the storm they are there to help out. The people there to help are no different then you and I they just volunteer. They come in the middle of the night to a fire scene before it is over they help with rehab. of the fire crew ( bring water food depending on how big of a scene) and begin helping the family in get them clothing and housing until they can get back into their homes.
I have seen them help people with problems as small as minor smoke damage to losing everything. The only thing the the Red Cross ever asks from its community in return is a donation of time, money, blood cloths and food.
They will send you through E.M.T. training for no cost they only ask that you volunteer for them so that they can get a return on their training, this could be at a concert a rodeo a boat show sports men’s show things like that.( great way to get your cpr and medical training if you want to guide or keep them up to date.)
It is really to bad that it take a tragedy like this to get people to remember the Red Cross. I know there are other organizations out there as well and I don’t not mean to leave them out I just don’t know them as well as the Red Cross. If you have any questions please feel free to P.M I will help all I can. I can put you in contact with the right people if you can not find the info on their web site.
They do so much more then I have listed here but these are things I see.

Sorry guys I will get off my soap box and crawl back into my hole.

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Sorry guys I will get off my soap box and crawl back into my hole.

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Nope I agree with you 100%

Shew, good point on the Red Cross. Another is the Salvation Army. When I was an MP, they were the first to a tornado site, and last to leave.

We were just talking about this at work today so I find this interesting. Because it seems over 1/2 the state seems to have passed ovr the bridge within 5-10 min. However I would be supprised if 50,000 were within that time frame. I mean that comes out to 10,000 people were going over that bridge a minute. Now I’m no Einstien however that’s 35% of the Est daily traffic in a span of 10 min? seems a little high. Esp. since it was durring rush hour when traffic is usually slower. So how that many people could be going over the bridge that fast I’m just not sure about. I’m not arguing that there are people had just made it past the bridge or were about to reach the bridge but, I HIGHly doubt it’s as many people as were claiming.

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Seeing as in 2002 there was a traffic count of 140,000 per day so likely higher, figuring that it was evening rush hour which between it and morning likely accounted for a large chunk of that, I wouldn’t be surprised if there were 50,000 people who recently had or were going to cross it who could likely claim that.

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Not trying to start anything just MOP

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Another is the Salvation Army. When I was an MP, they were the first to a tornado site, and last to leave.

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Yes the Salvation Army is a great organization as well.

I don’t know of anyone that would lie and say they crossed the bridge when they actually did not. If it were ME that crossed the bridge 5 minutes before,,,Sure as heck I would tell people. I don’t think it’s the “poor me” I could have been killed mentality. I think it’s a “my goodness” I could have been killed today. I would think that the majority of these people that crossed that bridge on that day or days previous would be counting their blessings and looking at life a little differently.

I see NO disrespect in talking about it.

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I don’t know of anyone that would lie and say they crossed the bridge when they actually did not.

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That’s exactly what I was thinking.

Personally if I just got off it, I would be freaking out too. I don’t think it’s disrespectful at all, human nature, yes.

To all that find being shocked that you just crossed the bridge or were about to cross it when it fell being disrespectful, let me ask you this. Were you in the same situation? Because if not, I think it’s kinda disrespectful to pretend as if we understand what those people are/were going through as well when we weren’t there..

Here is a guy that lived through this, Jeremy Hernadez just one of the many real hero’s of that day. I saw this on Rosen’s Sport Sunday last night.

Gym Coordinator Helped Kids off School Buss

What drives me crazy are the local TV channels and newspapers that feel compelled to tie in an irrelevant local connection to a tragedy like this. To me it’s not relevant to talk about a guy who lived here 23 years ago who went over the bridge 90 minutes before it went down. The bridge collapse is a big enough story to not need a half-baked connection like that.

If you can’t be respectful and relevant about your coverage, just go back to Brittney, Lindsay, and Paris going to jail or rehab.

CR

This guy was not on the bridge, but does have a story to tell.

He claims he is not a hero, but in my eyes he is a hero and an American role model.

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This was sent to me by my friend. His daughter Heather and Son-in-law Matt and their friend Andy were to last people known to have gone under the 35W bridge before it went down. They wrote this not to gain notoriety but as a way of coping and healing after what they saw and did. In my mind they are HERO’S…….

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Meet Andy Blair.

Or how about the local news channel reporting a story about a n apartment building that has a view of the former bridge. They were talking about some of the residents of the building that were/are so traumitized from seeing the bridge collapse and having to see it every day that they are now asking the red cross for grief counselors to help them get over it.. maybe its just me but this seems a bit over the top

A friend of mine sent me these links to photos of the bridge that I had not seen before so I thought I would post them here. Here is a note from one of the photographers to keep in mind while viewing the pics.

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The following pictures are as difficult to look at as they were to take. Please keep the victims in your thoughts and join with me in doing anything and everything you can to make sure that preventable tragedies like this never happen again.

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http://www.conphoto.net/collapse.html

This is a Russian site, so you can’t read it… but the pictures show the story.

http://drugoi.livejournal.com/2280005.html