Sunday, December 12, 2010

Afraid of Heights?

Are you afraid of heights?  If so, do not watch this: LINK.

I am not "afraid of heights" per se, but I am very afraid of falling, and the sudden impact that results when after a long fall, and you hit a very hard surface, the instantaneous deceleration tends to fracture human bones and rupture internal organs.  Back when I used to be part of the Michelin Tire Spartanburg Plant's volunteer fire & first responder team, I climbed to the top of a 200 foot hook & ladder truck ladder, that was set up at a 60 degree incline, in the plant parking lot, on a windy day, with sparse, building, cumulus clouds moving rapidly from West to East at about a 2000 feet altitude.  The climb up was fine, and we each wore a safety line that you had to "unhook" and "re-hook" every 50 feet.  The first unhook, no problem.  The 2nd, I had some hesitation.  By the third unhook, I was almost paralyzed, as the ladder swayed in the breeze.   I got over it, got to the top, looked around while maintaining a tenuous grip on the ladder, and then began my descent.

As I watched the linked video here, I kept thinking of that tiny little 200 foot volunteer climb I did 20 years ago, and how insignificant is was compared to what this video demonstrates.

Not a job I'd enjoy doing.

2 comments:

  1. I should not have watched that. Can I unwatch it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. unwatch!
    LMAO! I did enjoy the thunderstorm, a few miles off as well.

    ReplyDelete

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