Bridge jumpers beware, you can be fined as well as injured

Law enforcement cracking down on jumping; maximum fine is $100

Bridge jumping is illegal. If you get caught by law enforcement you will receive a court summons and could face a $100 fine. Police are concerned about public safety. First Bridge, on River Road in North Conway, has four signs posted alerting people that bridge jumping is prohibited."People say they don't see the signs, well they're there and can be seen as clear as day," Lt. Sean Billert, of Conway Police Department, said.Officers have issued courts summonses to jumpers this summer as well as in recent years. "It's not what we want to do," Billert said, "but when we catch someone we will enforce it. I really don't think people realize how dangerous it is. This is is a 30 mph zone and people shouldn't be hanging out in the road or on the bridge."Billert said policing First Bridge is a near impossible task. "It's a frustrating battle because we stop and tell people not to jump and the minute we're out of sight they're right back up on the bridge again... I've stopped and told kids they can't be up (on the bridge); made them aware of the signs and they say they never saw them. You have to walk by the signs to get on the bridge. We hear all sorts of reasons why it should be allowed: 'Well what's the big deal; I do it all of the time; My dad did it.' Well, the drinking age used to be 16 too, but times change and so does this river. Bridge jumping is a state law."Carroll County Sheriff Scott Carr said his department has a cooperative law enforcement contract with U.S. Forest Service to patrol Kancamagus Highway and enforce the no jumping rule at Rocky Gorge. "It's against the law and we enforce the law, it's that simple," Carr said. "It's a law because it's not safe. People can jump, dive or whatever into the water at Lower Falls because that's where it's safe. Rocky Gorge is not a safe place. If we find people in the water there we will fine them (the charge is trespassing). It's posted for everyone to see. The current of the water there is too fast... I don't think a lot of thought goes into bridge jumping. Nobody intends to go out and hurt themselves, but the reason the rules are there are so no one does get hurt."If someone were to get hurt jumping off First Bridge the town would not be liable, in the viewpoint of Town Manager Earl Sires. "Liability is ultimately what an attorney and a judge can agree on," he said. "We enforce (the no jumping law), and we don't allow it. In my mind we wouldn't be liable because we're taking all of the necessary steps. We've put people on notice and we will enforce the law. The town doesn't believe it's safe and cautions against jumping."Over the years there has been discussion about putting additional fencing atop First Bridge but state and town officials do not want to do that at this time. "Depending upon how creative someone wants to be we could run into problems with (people getting caught on the fence and injured)," Sires said.Stephen Liakos, of N.H. Department of Transportation's Bridge Design Division, said the state will put additional screening on bridges with designated sidewalks, but First Bridge is not such an area. "We can't put fencing up on every bridge, it's just not practical," he said. "Nobody wants to see an ugly fence go up," Billert said. "It's a beautiful spot. I think it's great that people like to swim there. Enjoy the area for what it is. It's not a place to jump from."