It was an act of daredevilry as two teens climbed to the top of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco to do somersaults. They not only climbed to the top braving severe conditions like strong winds, mist, fog and slippery conditions, but also filmed themselves performing the acts. It was more than a month ago that they performed their death-defying stunts, and they are now under investigation by the authorities who plan to strengthen Security on the bridge in view of this incident.
How it all began
Los Angeles Times reports that the teens, Peter Teatime and Tommy Rector hail from Wisconsin and had come to visit friends in San Francisco early April when they suddenly decided to climb the bridge.
They went ahead and carried out the ascent at around 3:00 a.m and remained on the top for about one hour. Peter Teatime is a climber and had experience climbing taller structures.
Once on top, they carried out somersaults and aerial exercises, taking care to ensure that there was no traffic below. However, officials of the Golden Gate Bridge were not amused, because if one of them missed his step and fallen, it would have posed a danger to motorists on the road below.
This incident came as a shock for officials because the nocturnal climb of the teens failed to trigger any of the alarms that are installed on the bridge, and they only knew about it after the video appeared online. It appears to be a failure of the security system.
The repercussions
In the opinion of Denis Mulligan, general manager of the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, the bridge is not a ride in an amusement park but is a public infrastructure of San Francisco. There was no damage to the bridge, and the authorities are examining different methods to not only safeguard the iconic structure but also to strengthen security to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
There is no telling what might have happened because the alarm systems did not operate. This could have had serious consequences if undesirable elements were involved. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the case, and the climbers could face charges like misdemeanor, trespassing, and fines. Denis Mulligan quoted an example of an individual who tried to climb the bridge four years ago.
He was a flier, and as punishment, he was placed on a no-fly list and also lost his job. In this case, those who committed the act are teens who love adventure and might have gone in for this daredevil act to get recognition in their social circles.
