You Mean It’s Illegal To Climb The Mackinac Bridge? Who Knew?

I realize the question is facetious. But when something like this happens, the question should be "You mean it's illegal to climb the Mackinac Bridge on your own? Well, sure, but that didn't stop someone last week from doing it.

"This is not a harmless stunt; it's inexcusably reckless. This individual risked not only his own life but also the lives of those crossing the bridge beneath him, and would have threatened the safety of emergency personnel and Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) staff had a rescue been needed." - Mackinac Bridge Authority Executive Secretary Kim Nowack

The Michigan Department of Transportation says it's actually criminal "felony trespassing" so the Michigan State Police are investigating. Here's the dumb part of the story. If you do something like this in 2020, you more than likely can't help yourself and post it on social media. Otherwise what's the point of doing it, but aye, there's the rub. If it's on social media, everyone and his or her brother can see the post, too. Good thinking, Einstein.

So somebody is getting in big trouble. But I love this sentence from this account of what happened, from UpNorthLive. "Staff was made aware of the incident after a second alarm was activated and someone was seen leaving the bridge." Does that not sound like a scene from a caper and hijinx movie?

But the reality is, officials don't want you doing it on your own. It's dangerous. Really. But even the MBA gives occasional opportunities to get up there. As it says here, getting up there isn't impossible. There are elevators most of the way to the top and it's enclosed. It's getting access that's the hard part. Unless you work for the MBA, you pretty much have to be a contest winner or a media member, and reading these accounts, while it is cool, it's still pretty difficult. So, kids, don't try at home (or in Michigan).