Afraid of Heights

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himiler

If I wake up . . . it's a good day.
Joined
May 19, 2010
Messages
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Location
Wylie, Tx
You guys are gonna laugh but I found out it's the truth! High up in a tree? No problem. High up on a ladder? Man I got a little scared!
I'm working on this two story building South of Houston and it has this access ladder to the roof that goes up from the bottom about 30 feet with no cage or anything, then you have to hold on with one hand while opening the hatch with the other. I'm up there the first time and all I can think of is how I'm not roped in, if I fall then I really do fall. Not a good feeling. Thank God for Atlas Fit gloves.
Steve
 
You guys are gonna laugh but I found out it's the truth! High up in a tree? No problem. High up on a ladder? Man I got a little scared!
I'm working on this two story building South of Houston and it has this access ladder to the roof that goes up from the bottom about 30 feet with no cage or anything, then you have to hold on with one hand while opening the hatch with the other. I'm up there the first time and all I can think of is how I'm not roped in, if I fall then I really do fall. Not a good feeling. Thank God for Atlas Fit gloves.
Steve

It understandable. What you just described doesn't sound bad but a regular old ladder is.
 
You guys are gonna laugh but I found out it's the truth! High up in a tree? No problem. High up on a ladder? Man I got a little scared!
I'm working on this two story building South of Houston and it has this access ladder to the roof that goes up from the bottom about 30 feet with no cage or anything, then you have to hold on with one hand while opening the hatch with the other. I'm up there the first time and all I can think of is how I'm not roped in, if I fall then I really do fall. Not a good feeling. Thank God for Atlas Fit gloves.
Steve

wont catch me laughing, i hate ladders
 
Never realized I was afraid of heights. Like you, I've climbed some tall trees. Never was fazed by height. Then one vacation, We stopped at Hoover Dam in Nevada. There was no traffic that day, so I walked out to a little tower on the west side above the spillway, stepped over the chain onto the edge of the walk and looked down. I nearly fainted. Scared the life outa me almost. Ever since then extreme heights give me nausea.
 
heights

You guys with ladder problem. I'll open a ladder AA work shop for ya. Simplest way from ground to tree. Yes, walking the first 32ft is quick and easy. Makes the next 32ft that much closer.
 
I very rarely get a case of vertigo, I am more fearful of tight places like a crawl space (my grandfather spent a lifetime working in the coal mines and my hat is off to him).

However, on occasion, I will be in the top of a tall tree and suddenly be gripped with panic. It doesn't happen much. I can count about 2 times it has happened in the past 5 years. I just take a deep breath, take a load off, get comfortable and enjoy the view for a moment. Then I tell myself this is nothing I have not done a thousand times before and that I am in familiar territory. That this is what I do for a living and I know what I am doing. I pep talk myself into having faith. I remember watching a video of some famous rock climber several years ago and he said the same happened to him on occasion; That he would be on a shear rock face and be gripped with panic. He said he does something along the same lines as I described above. Made me feel good to know I was not the only one.

Really, to tell the truth, I am thankful when I do have a moment like that. I work in the air so much it is like I forget where I'm at sometimes and just work on the task at hand, not bothered, as if I'm on the ground. Everyday complacency scares me a lot more than moments of vertigo.
 
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I got that wooh nellie feeling in Colorado on an "easy to moderate" jeep trail, we rented a jeep in Silverton and went to Clear lake and the next day went across Ophir pass and across to Telluride then Last Dollar road and Dallas Devide to RidgeWay and then the Million Dollar hwy to Ouyra and across Red Mnt pass back to Silverton in the Rain and Sleat up there in August last summer.View attachment 224377View attachment 224378View attachment 224380 They had told us not to get caught above tree line after 3Pm lucky we were on the paved pass then but no gard rails on a lot of the switch backs on 550
I was so white knucled I left the window down so the cold rain would keep me alert and had my girl friend light my cigeretts, so I didn't have to look away, the last shot is I made it but I was gost white, after driving the bucket trucks up in Aspen it probably wouldn't bother me as much but we dont have 2000 foot ditches in SA,
Paul
 
I always say.

Everyone is afraid of heights

Those who say the arent are either
Liars
Insane
or havent met the right type of heights yet.

I am not afraid of heights... its falling down them... and the sudden stop at the bottom that get me.

But vertigo happens looking down something when you are not used to it. Then you start thinking about falling and then you get scared.
 
Kinda makes me feel better reading this. Climbing the ladder 32 feet sucks lol easy but scary. Fine once I'm in the tree though. I hate that vertigo feeling, windy days will mess with your eyes and mind for sure. Happy I'm not the only one!
 
I think it was in Utah or maybe Arizona, we went down this road they call Hogs Back. It's sheer dropoff both sides and winding all the way down. My wife was so delighted and wanted me to look at the view, not a chance! I was too busy making sure I stayed right in the middle of my side of the road. When we got down to the bottom, I asked at the local store if anyone had run off that road before. The clerk told me that one guy had run off twice and survived both times. What!? Turns out he was drunk and ran his pickup truck dead center in to one of the few trees each accident.
Steve
 
that tower would suck to climb, the worst part would be having your 30lbs of tools swing around and getting cought on every step, i think id just leave my tool bag up there for next time. hard to believe osha allows them not to be tied in, but look at the bright side if you do slip and fall you have time to call your love ones and say good bye on the way down.
 
When i was a teen me and my buddies would get drunk and climb any water tower we could find and it was always at night! Makes me cringe when i think about it now.
 
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