Footbridge Phobia Not (Very) Funny
Fear of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge grips one couple

The $22 million dollar Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge officially opened to the public on September 28, 2008, and since then, thousands of people have walked on the 3,000-foot path that stretches over the Missouri river from downtown Omaha, Nebraska, to Council Bluffs, Iowa. But there are still two people who haven’t crossed the bridge and probably never will without the assistance of a hypnotherapist, prescription medication, and blindfolds.
Ever since the two cities celebrated the bridge’s opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and local music, my husband and I have been trying to conquer his terror of heights and my fear of crossing bridges (either by car or on foot) so we too can experience the joy of walking on a stretch of concrete that precariously sways over a furious river 25-feet deep when the wind gusts up to three miles-per-hour.
“Oh, it’s just so fun!” a friend exclaimed to us after walking across the bridge. She continued excitedly, “And have you seen it at night? It’s just spectacular when the lights come on!”

And then there’s me. I hate bridges. I loath fat bridges, skinny bridges, the Bridges of Madison County (with or without Clint Eastwood), and bridges in my mouth. Whether I’m the driver or a passenger in a car that is maneuvering over a bridge, I’ll close my eyes, beg for mercy, and repeatedly chant positive affirmations until I reach the other side. It’s just that while I’m crossing the bridge, I can’t help but think, “Who built this contraption and did they check their screws twice to make sure they were tight enough before they punched the time clock for the day?” There are many ways I can imagine I don’t want to die, but I know for certain I don’t want to be flying in my car in mid-air—with a scream frozen on my face—while knowing there is no net, trampoline, or group of hunky firefighters to catch me before I land either on a river, gorge, or four-lane freeway.

Anyone who knows me knows I like to think positive. As Madam Marie Curie once said, “Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.” I’m coming to accept that my fear of crossing that bridge might just be completely irrational and without basis. So, as a result, I’ve made a promise to myself that the next time my husband asks if I want to cross that bridge, I’m going to close my eyes, take his hand, and then get the heck out of there. I’m not that optimistic.
Do you have an irrational fear?
A place in Omaha that just plain gives you the creeps?
Comment below!
Comments
Val (not verified) says:
August 31, 2010 : 14 years 24 weeks ago
Funny stuff! I feel the same way about tunnels!
mamashepp says:
September 10, 2010 : 14 years 22 weeks ago
I’m not a fan of crossing briges,either. In fact, I hate driving over the I-680 bridge into Iowa. I don’t like heights, either, so getting out on the Bob Kerrey Bridge was quite a feat for me. Totally worth it!