Black Box Report

I am not a psychologist. I don't even try and play one on TV. All I know are the facts; facts that, no matter how you twist them, tell me lives can and have been saved with suicide prevention call boxes on bridges. This is not a news flash. As you've seen even the same authorities who fought our efforts tooth and nail acknowledge now, the lifelines work.

That, of course, brings us to the Tappan Zee Bridge. After seeing the northbound spans respond to our pressures, I gave the TZ credit. They anticipated the command and said they were following suit. I blame myself, however, for trusting and not verifying. In my defense, who comes up with, let alone implements, a plan that has help lines miles…miles!...from the center of the bridge?

As insane as that is, though, I swear the explanation is even worse. Here's the justification from Ramesh Mehta, the New York State Thruway Authority's director for the Hudson Valley: Putting call boxes where people jump will cause traffic tie-ups.

Is that really your tradeoff for a human life? I'm betting it's not.

One of two things has happened: we've appointed people entrusted with safety and security that are incapable or, worse, indifferent.

I don't know which one it is, and frankly I don't care. Some people will jump no matter what. But we don't have to make it so easy. If the thruway authority won't do the right thing, we'll shame them into it. We've done it before and we'll do it again.

So here's what were going to do. I'm going to give the powers that be a chance to defend themselves. On Thursday, Ramesh Mehta, the shot caller from the Thruway Authority - the ones who run the Tappan Zee Bridge - will join me on this set and explain why call boxes, literally 2 miles from the center of the bridge, is the best we can do. He'll explain why, if the past decade is any guide, another 60 to 90 people need to die before another bridge will address this problem. I'll give him a fair shot but frankly I don't know how he, or anyone can defend the indefensible.

It doesn't have to be this way. Lives have been saved and deaths, not all but many, can be prevented on the Tappan Zee. We can do better, and RFL will do our part to see that they do.