Warning after McLaren Falls jump

A video of a man performing a death-defying jump from the top of the support pylons for the McLaren Falls footbridge is incorporated into a road trip video showing Bay of Plenty attractions.


The video posted to YouTube three days ago has been viewed more than 4000 times.

The video shows the man climbing to the top of the pylon and standing poised for an instant before jumping for the water below.

The height from the pylon is about 23.5m to water level, which would take an average person about 2.2 seconds to fall, and they would be travelling at about 21.5 metres per second – which is about 77.6km. Terminal velocity is about 200km.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council regularly warns people not to jump off the 13-metre high footbridge at McLaren Falls, says the council's infrastructure services group manager Gary Allis.

There are multiple safety signs in place warning of the dangers of jumping off the bridge, however the warning signs are often ignored.

In the past, council also installed safety barriers at the site but it appears people determined to jump have used wire cutters to get around them.

There have been serious injuries to jumpers over the years and this problem rears its head each summer with an influx of holidaymakers.

In 1995 a 20-year-old man died after jumping from the nearby road bridge, and shortly afterwards a teenage girl suffered serious spinal injuries in a similar accident.

The video was posted to YouTube just days after a teenage boy died following an incident at Raglan's Te Kopua Bridge on February 8.

Senior Sergeant Andrew Townsend told SunLive on Monday that it appears the boy was jumping off the bridge with a group of teenagers when one landed on top of the 16-year-old boy.

He says the boy went missing underwater for about 10 minutes before friends and family found him. Efforts to revive the boy were unsuccessful and he died at the scene.

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28 comments

permanent action

Posted on 14-02-2016 09:13 | By hapukafin

I watch some guys jumping off lower levels a few weeks ago and splash down dangerously close to each other.If council is serious in stopping jumpers place a few rocks in the pool not put up boards or laser wire which can be pulled down.Do something permanent before the next accident hangs over your head.


jump

Posted on 14-02-2016 10:53 | By dumbkof2

what a stupid idiot. if he can be identified he should be prosicuted heavily also i object to my taxes being used for any hospital or health issues including acc for this type of idiotic thing


Come-On

Posted on 14-02-2016 11:49 | By FunandGames

Seriously, do people really need to be told this is not a good idea? Natural Selection me thinks.


Huge difference

Posted on 14-02-2016 14:08 | By penguin

A report in another publication shows support for this highly dangerous activity. Comparison is made with other high risk endeavours. However, the significant difference here is that the jumpers are inexperienced in this activity and have no safety protocols or equipment compared with the type of gear that professionals/serious sportspeople use in high risk activities. What concerns me is that when someone is injured in this sort of jumping, our health and ACC system has to fork out major payments for treatment and rehabilitation. Deliberate acts like this form of very high risk jumping, don


Why???

Posted on 14-02-2016 16:09 | By Calm Gully

Why would you do that AND why would those so called friends allow it. Thje concequences for possible recuers and friends and family would be unthinkable. :(


read the signs and take notice

Posted on 14-02-2016 20:26 | By whatsinaname

There have been lot's of serious injuries from jumping off this bridge. Warning signs are not out there for no reason.


No brains

Posted on 15-02-2016 07:22 | By bushman

If one of them gets killed make sure they got room on headstone to write IDIOT on it.


blind council?

Posted on 15-02-2016 08:57 | By Darren

I've never been to McLaren Falls and NOT seen people jumping off the bridge. Did the council really have no idea until they saw it on youtube?


Ohhhh Come On People

Posted on 15-02-2016 09:15 | By Gee9000

Ohhhh Please people, stop staying everything should be banned. I was jumping off the very top side rail of this bridge 30 years ago. Guess what ??? I'm still here as are hundreds of other people that have also jumped off it. Just because a few people get hurt doesn't mean it should be banned. I've read of people being hurt or dropping dead while out jogging and exercising. Is that next on your to be banned list ???


Good effort

Posted on 15-02-2016 10:56 | By maildrop

If someone is stupid enough to do it, let them. I can't imagine humankind is going to be losing an Einstein over it. More likely it will be net gain to the treasury. Go for it.


Gee9000 so advanced

Posted on 15-02-2016 11:14 | By penguin

You were certainly well ahead of your time. This bridge was not there 30 years ago. Watch the video again very carefully. Also read New $270k bridge opens Posted at 3:19pm Friday 01 Aug, 2014 | By Corrie Taylor corrie@thesun.co,nz


Well said Gee9000

Posted on 15-02-2016 12:04 | By TheCameltoeKid

Me too! And I'm still here as well. Probably wouldn't have done what this kid has but I got to admit wow this lad's got balls. There's always going to be naysayers and damp squib fingerwaggers yelling ban this and ban that. That just encourages thrillseekers to push the limits even more. Pretty impressive.


Bigger issue

Posted on 15-02-2016 13:05 | By Kaimai

How about banning people from walking on the road bridge, no way does it look like a pedestrian crossing to me. I'll be the one charged for hitting some fool looking over the edge and then turning to walk over to look at the other side of the road bridge, when there is a pedestrian bridge a couple of meters away with a viewing platform.


Penguin

Posted on 15-02-2016 14:31 | By Gee9000

Best you check your facts. There has been a bridge across there for well over 30 years. We use to go up there to jump off and swim when I was a teenager.I'm now in my 50's. I think what your muddled up with is that they have recently upgraded it.


Penguin 2

Posted on 15-02-2016 14:44 | By Gee9000

Just to prove a point here's a link to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OXvG1-S2tE This was taken in 2013 showing the original bridge that we use to jump off 30 plus years ago. We use to pull up a van in the middle of the bridge with white water rafts on the roof. Lift them over and throw them down to the river. Then climb onto the top rail and jump down after them. Never had an injury anytime.


Fact Gee9000

Posted on 15-02-2016 15:58 | By penguin

Confusion reigns. I refer to the new footbridge not the vehicle bridge which has been there a long time. Look carefully at the photos in the report I referred to, covering the official opening. Look carefully at the latest video camera shots (and shot from the river upwards) and you will see that the top of the new span end supports are well above the "top of the side rail


From the beginning of time

Posted on 15-02-2016 17:36 | By astex

young people have always wanted, even needed, to take risks to learn life's lessons. Whether climbing trees or jumping from heights or swinging on ropes, we (most of us anyway) have done this to test ourselves. Rather than banning things, which never works, perhaps we should simply try to make it safer by providing a take off board and working to make the landing area safe, or as safe as possible. Minimizing the risk would probably be cheaper than trying to stop it. Could even become a "local attraction".


If THEY are IDIOTS

Posted on 15-02-2016 18:00 | By astex

for doing this then, if we are honest, most of us have been idiots by taking the same risks when we were young. Jumping from heights, swinging on ropes, climbing trees, been there done that. It is the learning of risk that makes humans strive to climb mountains, or carry out many other achievements in adulthood. How far would we have progressed if all risky activity was banned? the best approach is NOT to ban these activities (bans don't work) but to minimize the risk. Give the kids a take off platform and make the landing area as safe as possible. Work out the stats. How many jumps have been made off this bridge compared to the number of injuries.Probably riskier to cross the road so should we ban that too?


Penguin 3

Posted on 16-02-2016 10:12 | By Gee9000

Still the same bridge, just upgraded with a bit of extra height, still people jumping off, having fun, getting a thrill, not getting hurt. Just as I and many others were doing 30 years ago. Still wowsers wanting it banned. Again more people get hurt or die jogging. Is that next on their to be banned list. I stand by my original comment !!!


Gee9000!

Posted on 16-02-2016 12:59 | By penguin

I have not disputed the fact that you jumped off the vehicle bridge railing. However, I have pointed out that the 'platform' that this guy used is the top of the steel suspension pylon which is significantly higher and more dangerous than jumping off the old bridge. The video and pics don't lie. Incidentally, while you can't save some people from themselves, people need to spare a thought for the services that get called in to deal with a serious injury or fatality. Spare a thought for the families involved. And my original statement still stands. Touch


Pengiun

Posted on 16-02-2016 15:00 | By Gee9000

Considering you made the statement that I hadn't jumped off this bridge, when in fact I have , and have proved you wrong means your statement is wrong. My original comment wasn't on the height, just that we were doing this 30 years ago with no problem, just as they are doing now. And it was about how the wowsers want it banned. Also how jogging is more dangerous so are the wowsers putting it on their to be banned list. I suggest you re-read my original comment I stand by it still !!!


Gee9000 still confused?

Posted on 16-02-2016 15:57 | By penguin

My reference was in relation to you not jumping off the new bridge simply because it is new! I did not say that you had not jumped off the old bridge. Also, you seem unable to tell the difference between an old and new bridge and the structures. The new footbridge is a wire cable suspension bridge with steel pylon supports. Look carefully at the video and you will see that the guy climbs up one of the cables and stands on a small


Penguin 4

Posted on 17-02-2016 10:30 | By Gee9000

Still the same bridge, Just upgraded, not new. Seems you don't understand that. I stand by my original comment !!!


Gee9000 Indisputable facts

Posted on 18-02-2016 08:24 | By penguin

Opening paragraph of reporter Corrie Taylor


Penguin

Posted on 22-02-2016 19:40 | By Kenworthlogger

You just cant tell some poeple ah!!!


Dry hole

Posted on 25-02-2016 09:20 | By The umpire

Divert the water or fill the pool with rocks, that should fix any future problems, done !


Penguin is right

Posted on 01-03-2016 16:06 | By Darren

I've never been to the falls when somebody hasn't jumped from the old road bridge. So long as they take basic precautions like having a spotter/rescuer in the water I don't see the harm. But Penguin is correct; this video was of a jump from the support poles of the new footbridge. I was out there recently and had a look. The jumper must have been mad to even consider it.


Dumb as.

Posted on 08-03-2016 16:22 | By SonnyJim

The jumper clearly has no paraplegic friends, just yob mates.


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