The scariest thing ever!

[seasoned]

I just checked and it is still there.

Thanks, Bruno, because of you I went back into the video and there it was. The feeling of being there with him sent goose bumps up my spine. I sure hope he is making serious money for doing this. My thoughts of grip strength, being sure footed, and any number of things that could go wrong were on my mind, as I watched the video.

 

[Sukerkin]

Holy frak!

Not for all the gold pigs in the world would you get me doing that!

I am surprised that the H & S regs allow for it, I must say. Are those regs universal as I don't see that the system here in the UK would permit it.

Also, why don't they suspend the engineer from a helicopter rather than making him freeclimb at that height? That is how we deal with maintenance of power lines in this country, for example.

 

[Carol]

Holy frak!

Not for all the gold pigs in the world would you get me doing that!

I am surprised that the H & S regs allow for it, I must say. Are those regs universal as I don't see that the system here in the UK would permit it.

Also, why don't they suspend the engineer from a helicopter rather than making him freeclimb at that height? That is how we deal with maintenance of power lines in this country, for example.

Because a single electrician, or an electrician and a helper, are far cheaper than a helicopter+skilled pilot...even on a tethered climb which takes longer.

On some of the really big combiner rigs...it isn't unheard of to put an engineer in a helicopter....but its far more common to have someone scale the tower.

As far as regulations....nothing is universal, to be honest. The video says OSHA permits a freeclimb at that height...but just because OSHA permits something doesn't mean that the tower owners nor the station operators nor the underwriters will permit it. None of the guyed towers that I worked with could have been freeclimbed under the insurance policies in place when I was working.

 

[MA-Caver]

I hate glass elevators. If I can't see the ascent and descent I'm fine..

Then don't come to where I work (www.rubyfalls.com ... Bob has been there) because you descend 260 feet down an elevator shaft with a glass door so you can see the rock as it goes by... going down and back up.
Usually however; I tend to keep an eye on folks on the elevator and if I see someone even remotely with widening pupils and eyes darting here and there I tell them to close their eyes or otherwise turn around and face the wall panel on either 3 sides. Don't need anyone freaking out on that thing... it's touchy enough as it is.
I go up and down that thing at least 10 times in a given day... more if I'm designated operator for the day. For me... it's no biggie.
Probably the same thing for those guys who climb the towers and cranes.

 

[Carol]

The guy wires that hold those towers up also have to be lubricated every so often to prevent corrosion. This is a manual process that is done by a specialist...not an engineer or electrician.. The technician scales the tower to the point where the guys attach to the tower with a special harness that some folks call a "basket"

The technician then harnesses himself to the guy wire and slowly works his way down the actual guy, greasing the wire as he goes.

That IMO is far scarier than scaling a tower. At least on a tower you are standing on something solid!

 

[crushing]

You weren't a fan of Zork then, were you?

Wow, you're going WAYYYY back with that reference.

 

[Ken Morgan]

I was never afraid of heights until I visited the CN Tower in Toronto. I went out on the observation deck and some of my friends were holding on to the railing, blown sideways by the wind. They loved it, but something wrinkled in my psyche that never quite let go.

Did they have the glass floor when you were there Flea? I walked on it just to say i did. My son, when he was very young, and most of the other kids visiting rolled on the bloody thing!! My son couldn't understand why I told him in no uncertain terms to get off of the thing...It still makes me very uncomfortable.

 

[crushing]

Did they have the glass floor when you were there Flea? I walked on it just to say i did. My son, when he was very young, and most of the other kids visiting rolled on the bloody thing!! My son couldn't understand why I told him in no uncertain terms to get off of the thing...It still makes me very uncomfortable.

I skipped across the glass floor when I was there, but my lovely wife wanted nothing to do with it. It was pretty cool to look straight down. According to Wikipedia (where I got the picture below) they now have an elevator with a glass floor.

Click here to see the image

2009-08-03 16:47 Franklin.vp 3888×2592× (3926577 bytes) Author:Franklin Vera Pacheco

 

[Ken Morgan]

The big circle looks like one of those targets the Coyote draws for his weapons against the road runner.
pppspsssssss.......SPLAT!!!!!