--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can never drive my car over a bridge…" description: "\"I can never drive my car over a bridge without thinking of suicide. I can never look at a lake or an ocean without thinking of suicide.\" — Charles Buko..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/charles-bukowski-73_bridges_i-can-never-drive-my-car-over-a-bridge-w_1416907.jpg" --- # I can never drive my car over a bridge without thinking of… ![“I can never drive my car over a bridge without thinking of suicide. I can never look at a lake or an ocean without thinking of suicide.” quote by Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/charles-bukowski-73_bridges_i-can-never-drive-my-car-over-a-bridge-w_1416907.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/charles-bukowski-73_bridges_i-can-never-drive-my-car-over-a-bridge-w_1416907.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a21/charles-bukowski-73_bridges_i-can-never-drive-my-car-over-a-bridge-w_1416907.jpg) > “I can never drive my car over a bridge without thinking of suicide. I can never look at a lake or an ocean without thinking of suicide.” [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Expresses pervasive suicidal thoughts triggered by everyday scenes, highlighting mental anguish. **In simple terms:** Suicidal thoughts can arise unexpectedly. Key Takeaway Recognize and seek help for intrusive thoughts. Themes mental health despair vulnerability Mood somber raw Type personal cautionary When to use this quote - therapy - support groups - crisis hotlines - journaling Key Concepts psychology existential crisis Questions to Reflect On - What coping strategies help you? - How can you support someone in crisis? A Different Perspective May romanticize suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Lakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lakes/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I sit here by myself, thinking of suicide I look at a knife, wanting to commit suicide I look at a photo, hating my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-sit-here-by-myself-thinking-of-suicide-i-look-at-a-knife-wanting-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The problem with being me, thought Isabel, as she walked along George IV Bridge, is that I keep thinking about the problem of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/the-problem-with-being-me-thought-isabel-as-she-walked-along-george/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [Thinking about suicide is a potent consolation: it helps us to get through many a bad night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/thinking-about-suicide-is-a-potent-consolation-it-helps-us-to-get/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“You turn to me and ask, “Do you ever think about suicide?” I look away from you and close my eyes, eat the raspberries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fink/you-turn-to-me-and-ask-do-you-ever-think-about-suicide-i-look-away/) [Joseph Fink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fink/) > [“Murder can be made to look like suicide, and suicide can be made to look like murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/murder-can-be-made-to-look-like-suicide-and-suicide-can-be-made-to/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [No wonder people want to commit suicide. Look at the world we live in look how we treat each other. And to think we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-limn/no-wonder-people-want-to-commit-suicide-look-at-the-world-we-live-in/) [Jeremy Limn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-limn/) > [Last week I told my psychiatrist, 'I keep thinking about suicide', and he told me from now I have to pay in advance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-dangerfield/last-week-i-told-my-psychiatrist-i-keep-thinking-about-suicide-and-he/) [Rodney Dangerfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-dangerfield/) > [The first inkling my husband had that I was thinking about suicide was when he checked my blog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayelet-waldman/the-first-inkling-my-husband-had-that-i-was-thinking-about-suicide/) [Ayelet Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayelet-waldman/) > [Thinking about suicide? Go to a hospital, walk the halls. Look at the people who fight every day to live. Their families who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mayour/thinking-about-suicide-go-to-a-hospital-walk-the-halls-look-at-the/) Sarah Mayour > [My mom's calling, thank god she hit decline I'm numb faced while I'm thinking about suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-cudi/my-mom-s-calling-thank-god-she-hit-decline-i-m-numb-faced-while-i-m/) [Kid Cudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-cudi/) > [“When the door to suicide opens it becomes a viable option that you never considered before, but, once ajar, it initiates an invasion strategy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-g-bowers/when-the-door-to-suicide-opens-it-becomes-a-viable-option-that-you/) [B.G. Bowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-g-bowers/) > [“Madness and chaos are self-destructing but over thinking is the suicide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-drake/madness-and-chaos-are-self-destructing-but-over-thinking-is-the/) [robert m drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-drake/) > [Thinking of all the suicide's I would've done,but didn't. Of all the shit I would've done to people,But again didn't. Stuff I would've stopped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-laura/thinking-of-all-the-suicide-s-i-would-ve-done-but-didn-t-of-all-the/) [Jasmine Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-laura/) > [I tell people, if you're thinking about suicide, all that stuff I've attempted and thought about it. If you think about it, life gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/i-tell-people-if-you-re-thinking-about-suicide-all-that-stuff-i-ve/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [Winds flap the sail, tortoise and snake are silent, a great plan looms. A bridge will fly over this moat dug by heaven and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/winds-flap-the-sail-tortoise-and-snake-are-silent-a-great-plan-looms/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) ## More by Charles Bukowski > [“sometimes when everything seems at its worst when all conspires and gnaws and the hours, days, weeks years seem wasted – stretched there upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/sometimes-when-everything-seems-at-its-worst-when-all-conspires-and/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [well, death says, as he walks by, I'm going to get you anyhow no matter what you've been: writer, cab-driver, pimp, butcher, sky-diver, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/well-death-says-as-he-walks-by-i-m-going-to-get-you-anyhow-no-matter/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“There is only one place to write and that is alone at a typewriter. A writer who has to go into the streets is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/there-is-only-one-place-to-write-and-that-is-alone-at-a-typewriter-a/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Even the stove and the refrigerator looked human, I mean good human - they seemed to have arms and voices and they said, hang…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/even-the-stove-and-the-refrigerator-looked-human-i-mean-good-human/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“nerves twitching in the sheets -- to face the sunlight again, that's clearly trouble. I like the city better when the neon lights are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/nerves-twitching-in-the-sheets-to-face-the-sunlight-again-that-s/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Their Love Is Average, Seeks Average But There Is Genius In Their Hatred”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/their-love-is-average-seeks-average-but-there-is-genius-in-their/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I climbed the stairway (there was no elevator) and put the key in. The door swung open. Somebody had changed all the furniture around,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-climbed-the-stairway-there-was-no-elevator-and-put-the-key-in-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“Strangers when you meet, strangers when you part -a gymnasium of bodies namelessly masturbating each other. People with no morals often considered themselves more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/strangers-when-you-meet-strangers-when-you-part-a-gymnasium-of-bodies/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I like to change liquor stores frequently because the clerks got to know your habits if you went in night and day and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-like-to-change-liquor-stores-frequently-because-the-clerks-got-to/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I was like a turd that drew flies instead of like a flower that butterflies and bees desired. I wanted to live alone,I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-was-like-a-turd-that-drew-flies-instead-of-like-a-flower-that/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [It's 4:30 in the morning, it's always 4:30 in the morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/it-s-4-30-in-the-morning-it-s-always-4-30-in-the-morning/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I had no feeling for the things so many others needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-had-no-feeling-for-the-things-so-many-others-needed/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I am sick with caring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-am-sick-with-caring/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [I went home each night dizzy and sick. He was murdering me with the sound of his voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-went-home-each-night-dizzy-and-sick-he-was-murdering-me-with-the/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“the nights you fight best are when all the weapons are pointed at you, when all the voices hurl their insults while the dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/the-nights-you-fight-best-are-when-all-the-weapons-are-pointed-at-you/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) [Explore all 1,492 Charles Bukowski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More Bridges quotes > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. 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You can then obtain the silence of a streetlight or a bridge; stop thinking; after that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-walk-try-to-think-nothing-you-can-then-obtain-the-silence-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Al Pacino and Jeff Bridges do it for me in a big way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-scanlon/al-pacino-and-jeff-bridges-do-it-for-me-in-a-big-way/) [Angela Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-scanlon/) > [Instead of building castles against your enemies, build bridges for them to come to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/instead-of-building-castles-against-your-enemies-build-bridges-for/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Each person is an island unto himself, in a very real sense; and he can only build bridges to other islands if he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/each-person-is-an-island-unto-himself-in-a-very-real-sense-and-he-can/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/) [Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/) > [The law ... allows rich as well as poor to sleep under bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-law-allows-rich-as-well-as-poor-to-sleep-under-bridges/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. 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