Most people have a fear of something. Whether it’s a fear of spiders, snakes, small spaces, flying, or whatever, there’s something out there that raises the hairs on the back of your neck. For folks with gephyrophobia, which is a fear of bridges, crossing what’s just a routine structure for most people can feel like a dizzying nightmare for those with this condition. And anyone with a severe fear will tell you that it’s no joke, while some may laugh at another person’s anxiety, the depth of their pain and terror is very real and can have a dramatic impact on their lives. But, there’s at least one bridge in America that gives even drivers without gephyrophobia cold sweats.
It’s called the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Chesapeake, Maryland. The bridge connects Maryland to Virginia and spans 4.3 miles and sits 186 feet above the water. There are a few things that make this bridge so terrifying for so many drivers who must commute to and from work every day. For some, the bridge’s height is the issue, and others find that its lack of railing separating drivers from the edge of the bridge is the deal-breaker. That’s right, this bridge doesn’t have a shoulder, so there is no pulling off to the side if you have a problem.
Now, believe it or not, there is actually a growing transportation service industry in the area that allows people to hire professional drivers to take them across the bridge. Could you imagine crossing such a bridge every day?
Images Via YouTube
You can view the Inside Edition story about the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in the video below.