[BC] Tower Climbing

[JYRussell@academicplanet.com]

Years ago, I climbed around on rediron for a national commercial 
construction crew.   About 10 stories up is all I ever got to.   I don't 
think you ever get totally used to the heights, although I do think you get 
comfortable enough to let yourself get careless, if you allow it.  Take your 
time, pay attention to what you are doing, etc. works for that type work 
for me, but, somehow my brain can't convert it to standing on 4x4 angle 1200 
feet in the air.

   As I've gotten older, I've gotten more sensitive to heights, and during 
fire training school, began finding myself a bit too nervous to be on a 
ladder going in a window 5 or 6 stories up.  Maybe a good thing. ?

   Most intelligent comment I'd ever been told by the experienced folks 
was - If you're afraid of doing it, you'll get yourself hurt.... or worse 
yet, you'll get somebody else hurt, or killed.  So if you're "afraid"... as 
opposed to " reasonably minful"...  it's time to quit climbing.

Jason

I used to, being the frugal Brit that I am, Climb towers all the time to 
save a few $$$ here and there for my company.  Changing lightbulbs, looking 
for leaks, all kinds of BS.    One day about 20 years ago after hanging in 
the hot midwest sun all afternoon unbolting and letting down bay by bay a 
huge 12 bay FM antenna 750' up in the air, I said to myself, "Self, WHAT IN 
THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"   To save a couple grand I put my life and limb in 
danger like that?  Certainly not worth it, and I climbed down that afternoon 
after finishing and NEVER AGAIN went back up in the air.    When it dawned 
on me I took heed and left it to professionals.  A couple of years a 23 yr 
old acquaintance of mine working for a tower firm fell to his death and that 
reaffirmed that I had made the right decision.

-Bob



*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 6/27/2006 at 11:38 PM Cowboy wrote:

>On Tuesday 27 June 2006 08:02 pm, John Buffaloe wrote:
>> I hate hearing about these accidents.  The people that climb do so at
>great
>> risk without much benefit.  My sympathies to the family.
>>
>> John A. Buffaloe
>
> As do I !
> There is no morbid curiosity here.
> As a ( sometimes ) climber, I'm much more interested in what was done to
>fix the problem !