A venerable symbol of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge opened to vehicle traffic 70 years ago today. Among its many claims to fame, the bridge has gained a reputation as a magnet for folks who think they want to end it all. (The Eiffel Tower and Empire State Building shared that distinction until suicide barriers were erected atop both structures.) The Golden Gate has no such protection, and that ease of access – plus the misguided notion that the end will be peaceful and pain-free – attracts around 20 people to take that awful plunge each year.

Only a very few folks have survived the jump, and they’ve reported that the experience was anything but peaceful. All of them admitted that the time it took to hit the water (about four seconds) made them re-think and regret their decision. Jumpers hit the water at 75 miles per hour, and the impact usually breaks most of their ribs, which are forced inward and then shred the spleen, lungs, liver and heart. Medical examiners describe the end effect as looking “like someone took an egg beater and scrambled your insides.” Those who aren’t killed by the initial impact usually plunge so deeply into the water that they drown before they can surface.

Bridge officials have long debated about building a protective barrier on the bridge. Opponents believe that such a structure will detract from the beauty of the bridge. In the meantime, most Bay Area media outlets have stopped tallying the number of jumpers to avoid encouraging others to make the attempt.