Mentioned the the Los Angeles Times earlier today, drivers in L.A. where milling around on the 105 freeway yesterday while the LAPD were dealing with a man threatening to jump off one of the overpasses on the busy freeway. After police shut down a section of the freeway, stranded drivers had nothing better to do than take selfies and group shots will all their new friends. Captured by KTLA producer Marcus Smith, you can see multiple motorists snapping photos of the freeway and all the stopped automobiles as well as all the people that were also stuck waiting on the freeway.
It’s possible that the motorists where sending visual proof to bosses and loved ones about their current predicament. It’s also quite an opportunity for a photo since the authorities that close down the freeways for maintenance don’t allow citizens to wander around on the empty streets. However, it could also be argued that the photos were in bad taste due to the suicidal situation going on, but it’s possible that the people on the freeway were unaware of the serious situation being handled by the LAPD.
Of course, not everyone involved in the traffic stop was in as good spirits as the group taking photos. Motorists took to Twitter to hurl insults at the suicidal man and even encouraging him to jump in order to get traffic moving again. According to the police, traffic was stopped around 6:30 p.m. and the freeway was reopened approximately three hours later. Police were able to successfully convince the suicidal man sitting on the overpass to come down and be taken into custody. Traffic was moving smoothly again on the 105 by 10 p.m.
