You've seen it in movies. You've seen it on television. Did you ever think you'd see it in real life? By that, we don't mean a real-life drawbridge jump set up as a stunt. We mean a full-on, go-for-broke drawbridge jump done not for the cameras or the crowds, but the sheer outrageousness of it.
Well folks, it's 2021 and cameras are everywhere. That holds especially true when it comes to high-traffic areas or sensitive infrastructure such as drawbridges. In other words, this daredevil driver is getting all kinds of attention, whether it was intended or not.
The jump occurred the morning of April 12 in Daytona Beach, Florida, specifically on the Main Street bridge spanning the Halifax River. Traffic cameras show a second-generation Hyundai Santa Fe smashing through the lowered crossing gate, then catching a bit of air as the bridge just begins to rise. It's not nearly as dramatic as the infamous drawbridge scene from the classic film The Blues Brothers, but then again, this Hyundai is no diety-blessed Dodge sedan fitted with a cop motor, cop tires, or cop suspension.
Don't Try This At Home:
As such, the Santa Fe didn't clear the jump unscathed. The crossing barrier smashed the windshield, and WESH 2 reports that a crossing barrier on the other side of the bridge was also taken out. It's not as if the SUV was in great shape to begin with – pause the video and you'll see damage on the hood not related to the crossing barrier. It also looks unlatched, and the driver side is rife with rippled body panels. Honestly, it looks like the kind of beater one might use to do something crazy, like say, jump a drawbridge.
Unfortunately, little else is known about the driver other than police apparently know who it is. Amazingly, the person appears to be using a cell phone during the jump, so yeah, we're left with more questions than answers on this video. Adventure seeker? Lawbreaker? Whatever the case, just stay safe out there people. And for crying out loud – don't try jumping drawbridges. It's amazing we even have to say that.
Source: WESH 2 via Jalopnik