CAPE MAY COUNTY, N.J. – A man says he and his family are lucky to be alive after he had to slam on the accelerator, sending their car flying off the edge of a rising New Jersey drawbridge, over the gap and to the other side.

Terrence Naphys said it happened Aug. 1 as they drove to Wildwood and Cape May, two popular resort destinations, to go shopping and eat. When they got to the Middle Thorofare Bridge they paid the toll and began driving when "my wife said, 'I think the bridge is opening,'" Naphys recalled while speaking with KYW-TV.

"He accelerated, and of course then we landed with a big impact on the concrete on the side," his wife, Jackie Naphys, said.

No one was hurt, and the family car still outwardly appears undamaged. A trip to the mechanic, however, revealed an estimated minimum $10,000 in damage to the vehicle, according to Terrance Naphys.

New Jersey State Police said the drawbridge was opening for a large vessel that had a broken radio, killing communication with the bridge operator. A police report obtained by KYW also states that the employee in charge of raising the bridge "wasn't sure" all vehicles were clear "due to a strong sun glare."

The Cape May County Bridge Commission, who authorities say failed to properly clear the bridge before raising it, released a statement saying they continue to investigate the incident and that they "take the safety of the traveling public very seriously."

While the Naphys are thankful they weren't hurt, they said no one from the bridge commission has reached out to them. Terrance Naphys said he will "never ever drive that bridge or probably any drawbridge again."

LINK
http://wgntv.com/2017/08/18/da...r-gap-in-family-suv/

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

Terrance Naphys said he will "never ever drive that bridge or probably any drawbridge again."

Oh really.

quote:

A police report obtained by KYW also states that the employee in charge of raising the bridge "wasn't sure" all vehicles were clear "due to a strong sun glare."

Think we found the problem.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

...A trip to the mechanic, however, revealed an estimated minimum $10,000 in damage to the vehicle, according to Terrance Naphys.

Nonsense. They do this all the time in movies and the cars are fine.



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Meh - Sandra Bullock did it with a city bus.

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:

quote:

A police report obtained by KYW also states that the employee in charge of raising the bridge "wasn't sure" all vehicles were clear "due to a strong sun glare."

Think we found the problem.

Seriously, there are NO video cameras surveilling the bridge deck???

ETA - Just watched the video....And Holy Crap! That's just outright negligence by the Bridge Operator, whom is apparently located no more that 40 feet from the toll, and no more than 40 feet from the bridge deck as well, if not closer!

quote:

Seriously, there are NO video cameras surveilling the bridge deck???

Lets get Gov. Christie on this!

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:

quote:

A police report obtained by KYW also states that the employee in charge of raising the bridge "wasn't sure" all vehicles were clear "due to a strong sun glare."

Think we found the problem.

Seriously, there are NO video cameras surveilling the bridge deck???

Somehow this will be Chris Christie's fault soon. The DNC is just trying to figure how to make it so.



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This is two minutes down the road from my shore house. Been on this bridge a million times. My wife teaches with the female that was in the vehicle.

I actually went over it yesterday and was tempted to mess with the toll taker and ask him to hold until I passed....but I figured he'd probably heard that joke a few hundred times already.

They tend to have mostly people of advanced age running that bridge...

I stil can't believe he decided to go for it!

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:

quote:

A police report obtained by KYW also states that the employee in charge of raising the bridge "wasn't sure" all vehicles were clear "due to a strong sun glare."

Think we found the problem.

Seriously, there are NO video cameras surveilling the bridge deck???

ETA - Just watched the video....And Holy Crap! That's just outright negligence by the Bridge Operator, whom is apparently located no more that 40 feet from the toll, and no more than 40 feet from the bridge deck as well, if not closer!

Where did you find the video?

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:

quote:

A police report obtained by KYW also states that the employee in charge of raising the bridge "wasn't sure" all vehicles were clear "due to a strong sun glare."

Think we found the problem.

Seriously, there are NO video cameras surveilling the bridge deck???

ETA - Just watched the video....And Holy Crap! That's just outright negligence by the Bridge Operator, whom is apparently located no more that 40 feet from the toll, and no more than 40 feet from the bridge deck as well, if not closer!

Where did you find the video?

Link?

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:

quote:

Originally posted by nhracecraft:

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:

quote:

A police report obtained by KYW also states that the employee in charge of raising the bridge "wasn't sure" all vehicles were clear "due to a strong sun glare."

Think we found the problem.

Seriously, there are NO video cameras surveilling the bridge deck???

ETA - Just watched the video....And Holy Crap! That's just outright negligence by the Bridge Operator, whom is apparently located no more that 40 feet from the toll, and no more than 40 feet from the bridge deck as well, if not closer!

Where did you find the video?

Click on the link in the OP's post. If you don't see a video first thing then your ad blocker is set wrong (used to happen to me).

quote:

Originally posted by ulsterman:

quote:

A police report obtained by KYW also states that the employee in charge of raising the bridge "wasn't sure" all vehicles were clear "due to a strong sun glare."

Think we found the problem.

I'm doubtful their "investigation" will figure this out as it's so half-assed they haven't spoke with the driver.

I think there's been some confusion/miscommunication. The video at the link in the OP is just the news report and interview with the family. It doesn't show the actual incident.

Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTOg4aYGtdY

So is this the new bluesmobile or what ?

Btw, worst excuse ever for a lazy bridge toll taker...."sun glare".

On that bridge, all the toll taker has do is look behind to see if there's a car on the deck.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
I think there's been some confusion/miscommunication. The video at the link in the OP is just the news report and interview with the family. It doesn't show the actual incident.

Right, but one can certainly figure it out. The video in the link to the news report shows where the toll is collected and where the movable bridge deck is located....And where the bridge operator would be located. I've never driven over this bridge, but based on my 'expert analysis' of the video, you pay the toll and drive no more than three car lengths and you're on the movable bridge deck....The operator is right there!