Story number one:
My eldest sister was secretary to one of the Higher Ups for the bridge, and started working for him before the bridge was completed. The bridge authority had an office in downtown San Francisco, and then when the bridge opened, the office moved out to where the toll gates are. My dad used to drive my sister to work, and he got a big kick out of making a u-turn (legally, we were told) in front of the toll booths, to drop her off.
Story number two:
Not too long after the bridge opened, some relatives from Ohio came to visit. Apparently they came by train, which terminated in Oakland. Then they grabbed a ferry to get across the bay to San Francisco. My dad picked them up and brought them home.
At dinner our visitors commented on the beautiful new bridge that they saw as they crossed the bay. So after dinner my dad suggested driving them across that bridge. And off they went. The next day I heard that our relatives refused to believe that the six lane highway they were riding on was the bridge they saw from the ferry boat. Far too big! That, despite the fact that there was water on both sides of that “highway”. I don’t know if they ever realized that they had ridden on that beautiful bridge!
Just for fun – –
Can you picture someone pulling a U in front of the toll booths now? (And I think your relatives were pulling your collective leg. Someone else in your family enjoyed a good joke, too!)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your wonderful memories! I always enjoy any story told by you! Hope your doing well! Cheers! Holly
ReplyDeleteBet it looked to commuters behind that your Dad didn't have enough to pay the toll! Wonder what it was in those days and what it would be in today's equivalent? One recent report here says if food prices in the 70s rose at the same rate as house prices, a chicken would cost over £50!
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