Kawasaki Concours Forum

Mish mash => Open Forum => Topic started by: roadkoan on April 27, 2012, 05:36:24 AM

Title: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: roadkoan on April 27, 2012, 05:36:24 AM
Hey all! I saw these pics (click for more) (http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,829698,00.html) go by on Der Spiegel and thought I'd share. I work in the air and don't generally feel much fear around heights, however a couple of these made even me a little excited.
(http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-312995-galleryV9-oydu.jpg)
Wow.
(http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-312972-galleryV9-zqnn.jpg)
Looks like fun! I wonder what the potential legal implications are here in the states?
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: tweeter55 on April 27, 2012, 05:59:37 AM
Not for the weak-kneed, indeed.

http://youtu.be/2A_h2AjJaMw (http://youtu.be/2A_h2AjJaMw)
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Elfmaze on April 27, 2012, 09:32:50 AM
I've always wondered how they put those towers up that are taller than the cranes.   I can imagine the view from up there is amazing, And of course this isn't in the USA,  our kids are too lazy to climb a 1600' tower  ;D
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: mcclaskeyj on April 27, 2012, 11:28:54 AM
Not for the weak-kneed, indeed.

http://youtu.be/2A_h2AjJaMw (http://youtu.be/2A_h2AjJaMw)
That's INSANE!!! I sure hope they pay those guys a WHOLE LOT of money.  :yikes:

My now deceased grandfather used to climb towers like that but I don't think they were quite THAT high.

Wow.
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: MAN OF BLUES on April 27, 2012, 11:43:16 AM
I've always wondered how they put those towers up that are taller than the cranes.   I can imagine the view from up there is amazing, And of course this isn't in the USA,  our kids are too lazy to climb a 1600' tower  ;D


HELICOPTERS.....
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Awaz on April 27, 2012, 01:29:18 PM
I am not very comfortable with heights. But I did work on some 20 to 30' foot tall roofs. I just get used to it after climbing up and down a few times.
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Mettler1 on April 27, 2012, 02:42:11 PM
   YES!!!!
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Rhino on April 27, 2012, 03:15:17 PM
I've always wondered how they put those towers up that are taller than the cranes.   I can imagine the view from up there is amazing, And of course this isn't in the USA,  our kids are too lazy to climb a 1600' tower  ;D

There are many in the US taller then 1600': http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_structures_in_the_world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_structures_in_the_world)
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Rhino on April 27, 2012, 03:15:55 PM
That's INSANE!!! I sure hope they pay those guys a WHOLE LOT of money.  :yikes:

Got that right!
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Nosmo on April 27, 2012, 07:00:44 PM
I'm not afraid of heights.  I'm afraid of the DEPTHS under the heights, through which I will fall if I go over.  1600 feet doesn't bother me as much as 50 feet (although you won't find me up there).  From 1600, death is certain, in a few seconds.  From 50, quadraplegia or other crippling and disabling injuries are equally likely followed by a lifetime of suffering.  No thanks.
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Walker18 on April 27, 2012, 11:14:16 PM
I worked on towers, normally 100' to 200', for years. in 2001, I 'froze' half way up a 200' one. It took alot of instant self therapy to get ahold
of my fears and continue up. That newly aquired fear has not left me yet, and it's been a decade, so I doubt it's going to leave anytime soon.
So, to answer the question "am I afraid of heights?" Anything over 50', Hell yes..
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: roadkoan on April 28, 2012, 05:50:12 AM
I work on/install signs and it's not unusual to be 100'+ on a JGL or crane, I even serviced the 1st National sign in St Paul once at my last job.
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Downtown_St._Paul.jpg/220px-Downtown_St._Paul.jpg)
It's a mere 500' or so to the top. But at least you are on top of something solid feeling. It looks more scarey from the ground than it is. On top its like this:
(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQYC0irdoasySSTXJAofW_BqnlDwEXeYWHEBfHtKC7W5aL3lsOhSQ)
So you are really only gonna fall about 50' but try and tell that to your stomach!

I'm crazy, I know.
But as Nosmo said It's not the height or the fall that is scarey its the sudden stop at the end. which brings me to the next point: why no plan B? I.E. people base jump of of stuff like that all the time! Wouldn't you think having a chute with would be worth the extra weight?
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Snibbor on April 28, 2012, 06:22:53 AM
Not for the weak-kneed, indeed.

http://youtu.be/2A_h2AjJaMw (http://youtu.be/2A_h2AjJaMw)

Oh hell no.  There's not enough money.....
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Scaffolder on April 28, 2012, 09:55:08 AM
I tend to get pretty high. My current project is the Knights Of Columbus Building in New Haven, CT. About 330 feet high. It is Fraco Scaffolding (tower style). It has self erecting components, so no crane is required. The four sides of this building took me and four others ten weeks to build. This has been the largest Fraco job I have run. I will be glad to see this job come to an end. We are usually on smaller projects. Ten weeks feels like years. especially when you have to stay in a hotel away from my family.
The highest building I have been on is the Prudential Building in Boston. We were in Swing Scaffolding. Wasn't too much fun. A little wind goes a long way.
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: mjrfd99 on April 28, 2012, 10:14:50 AM
Get high on ladders not drugs.   Well at least not both at the same time ;D
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: booger on April 29, 2012, 06:36:11 AM
Heights don't bother me in the least...........until I get above 3'.

I've even done hypnotism, to no avail.
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Rhino on April 29, 2012, 01:57:38 PM
why no plan B? I.E. people base jump of of stuff like that all the time! Wouldn't you think having a chute with would be worth the extra weight?

I was wondering about that too. A few years back some guy climbed one of the guide wires on one of those 2000' monsters then based jumped off. But if your on the tower itself you would need to push off hard to clear the tower to be able to open the chute. That's not going to happen if you fall accidentally. I guess if you have the nerve and skill to do that job you would rarely make a mistake. I bet having one of those guys fall is extremely rare.
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: BlkBird on April 29, 2012, 08:41:09 PM
with the curvature of the horizon these were shot with a pretty wide lens.  I believe the distance though still significant isn't nearly as bad as it seems in the photo's.  For example if you look at the clamp on the near side of the second picture it is maybe triple the size of the clamp on the opposite side. 
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: rush2112 on May 01, 2012, 11:20:59 AM
Heights are one of the triggers for my cataplexy. It's directly tied to my narcolepsy that I've suffered with for the last 15 or so years.
Cataplexy is the sudden episode of loss of muscle tone/control associated with usually some type of emotion. Happens to some people when they sneeze or even laugh. Freaking sucks!!!!

The worst trigger is tall bridges, only if I'm the one driving over it. I'm fine as a passenger for some strange reason. I have to really concentrate to keep control if one comes on. Had it happen once riding the bike on the Houston ship channel bridge. Now I have to really plan out my trips carefully.

Definitly can't take I-10 from Texas to Destin, Florida to see family. That makes me cross the bridge at Lake Charles and then again in Baton Rouge.
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: mcclaskeyj on May 01, 2012, 11:48:45 AM
Snip..
I'm crazy, I know.
But as Nosmo said It's not the height or the fall that is scarey its the sudden stop at the end. which brings me to the next point: why no plan B? I.E. people base jump of of stuff like that all the time! Wouldn't you think having a chute with would be worth the extra weight?

Hell yeah!  ;D I wouldn't want to climb THAT far down!  ::)
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Pfloydgad on May 01, 2012, 08:29:52 PM
I LOVE heights.
Give me a tower, a crane or a turbine and I will climb it. I grew up near a 150 ft. ranger tower that had a vertical ladder that was used to get to the top. The view was awesome, before all the houses were built. I was in Texas and got rigged up and went up in a 300 ft. Wind Turbine 4 yrs ago. What a view, the Turbine guy said that from the top you could see 100 miles in any direction. What a rush.
Hell Yes, give something to climb, and I am there.
Oh yea, and ride safe also.
Greg
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: Necron99 on May 01, 2012, 08:57:30 PM
I'm not afraid of heights.  I'm afraid of the DEPTHS under the heights, through which I will fall if I go over.  1600 feet doesn't bother me as much as 50 feet (although you won't find me up there).  From 1600, death is certain, in a few seconds.  From 50, quadraplegia or other crippling and disabling injuries are equally likely followed by a lifetime of suffering.  No thanks.

Me - exactly this.  I'm not afraid of death, but living life as a quad.... shudder.  No thanks.
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: tweeter55 on April 04, 2020, 11:11:22 AM
Easy climb in the description.
https://youtu.be/xusNiC0v874
Title: Re: Are you afraid of heights?
Post by: VirginiaJim on April 08, 2020, 11:17:38 AM
I can climb up easy enough, it's getting down that gives me problems as I usually freeze to the surface and it takes awhile for me to unfreeze enough to come down.