Scariest Job?

14 years ago

Yikes!

Tower Climbers working - YouTube

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MissTerraK 14 years ago

OMGosh Dave!

I couldn't watch past two minutes, I thought I was going to hyperventilate!

Terra
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MoneyMagnetMagnate

14 years ago

That would be pretty hairy. I think working in any unpredictable condition is pretty scary, whether it's a storm, or windy - any job that you are not aware of the dangers and do not take precautions...

I have worked high up on towers and bridges, and I'd like to say I'm not afraid of heights, but that is not true...let's just say I have a real healthy respect. I did have to run cable on the side of a large bridge once, but it was only about 100ft above a river once, and I had never done it before. The hard part was getting the bosun's chair around the girders, because you had to unhook, strap to the (several) beams somehow, take the chair off the cable, get it around the beam and back on the cable and get back in...all while trying not to look down -

and thinking how cold that water was...:rolleyes: but, on the plus side - it was water.

I have a lot of respect for tower and wind techs who are way up...

These are the kind of guys in this pic that always got me...(RCA Bldg. 1932 - now 30 Rock)

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MissTerraK

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

That would be pretty hairy. I think working in any unpredictable condition is pretty scary, whether it's a storm, or windy - any job that you are not aware of the dangers and do not take precautions...

I have worked high up on towers and bridges, and I'd like to say I'm not afraid of heights, but that is no true...let's just say I have a real healthy respect. I did have to run cable on the side of a large bridge once, but it was only about 100ft above a river once, and had never done it before. The hard part was getting the bosun's chair around the girders, because you had to unhook, strap to the beam somehow, take the chair off the cable, get it around the beam and back on the cable and get back in...all while trying not to look down -

and how cold that water was...:rolleyes:

Wow 3M!

I couldn't do it!

My only question is why did you do it??? Good pay maybe?

OMGosh! Those dudes don't even have any safety hookups on!

Terra

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ThomM

14 years ago

I'll go in a different direction.
Being a first time parent.

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MissTerraK

14 years ago

Originally Posted by ThomM

I'll go in a different direction.
Being a first time parent.

I'm with you there Thom!

If there was such a thing, I'm sure I would have won the Most Nervous Mom Award.

You can read all the books, take all the classes and think you're ready, but when that baby comes home with you and their little life is in your hands, it's very scarey indeed that first time.

It gets a little easier with the next though.

Terra

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Dave Patterson

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

I'm with you there Thom!

If there was such a thing, I'm sure I would have won the Most Nervous Mom Award.

You can read all the books, take all the classes and think you're ready, but when that baby comes home with you and their little life is in your hands, it's very scarey indeed that first time.

It gets a little easier with the next though.

Terra

And then comes grandpa...like a walk in the park...

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MissTerraK 14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dave Patterson

And then comes grandpa...like a walk in the park...

I wouldn't trade being a Nana for the world!

Here's why!

Terra
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- jimbo13 14 years ago
  
  ^ Cute.
  
  Dan
  
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  MissTerraK 14 years ago
  
  Thanks Dan!
  
  It's hard getting a group picture of them because one of my daughters lives out of state, so I treasure when I get them all!
  
  Terra
  
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jimbo13 14 years ago

MissTerraK

I'm with you. Anything with heights.

There was one picture missing from your clip though that is at the top of this article from yesterday. Well I didn't see it anyway.

It is the man sweeping the bridge of dust.

Anzhaite Long-span Suspension Bridge: World's highest bridge gets finishing touches | Mail Online

Dan

PS: Just looked at article again, he is painting not dusting. My mistake.
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MoneyMagnetMagnate

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

Wow 3M!

I couldn't do it!

My only question is why did you do it??? Good pay maybe?

OMGosh! Those dudes don't even have any safety hookups on!

Terra

Well, the pay wasn't bad for the time, and as for the bosun's chair - I think I got volunteered, because frankly, everybody else was too chicken...and it wasn't because I just jumped up and said: "Oh yeah! That looks like fun! I'll have a go!" :rolleyes:

Those old time girder walkers - those boys are CrAzY...way too much testosterone on that beam!

But again...on the plus side, the view is real nice from up there!

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jimbo13

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

Those old time girder walkers - those boys are CrAzY...way too much testosterone on that beam!

Is there any truth that many were from a native Indian tribe who had no concept of height and therefore didn't fear it? I mean the workers in general, not those diners lol

Or is that some myth that I have just made up? I don't think I did though.

Dan

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MoneyMagnetMagnate

14 years ago

Originally Posted by jimbo13

Is there any truth that many were from a native Indian tribe who had no concept of height and therefore didn't fear it? I mean the workers in general, not those diners lol

Or is that some myth that I have just made up? I don't think I did though.

Dan

It is true that many men who worked on those jobs were Native American, but I don't think they didn't have any concept...they just apparently didn't have any fear - and their cojones were the size of pumpkins

(plus they had that Eagle Spirit thing working for them)

Plus remember, this was the depression. The men working on Dam projects and skyscrapers were doing it for pennies...any job, it was a job!

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MissTerraK

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MoneyMagnetMagnate

It is true that many men who worked on those jobs were Native American, but I don't think they didn't have any concept...they just didn't have any fear - and their cojones were the size of pumpkins

(plus they had that Eagle Spirit thing working for them)

Hmmm,

I'm a quarter Native American and it doesn't do much for me.

Oh, I know...I'm missing the cojones as big as pumpkins part!

Terra

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Dave Patterson

14 years ago

Originally Posted by jimbo13

Is there any truth that many were from a native Indian tribe who had no concept of height and therefore didn't fear it? I mean the workers in general, not those diners lol

Or is that some myth that I have just made up? I don't think I did though.

Dan

No myth...here's some enlightenment for you.

The Straight Dope: Why do so many Native Americans work on skyscrapers?

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BestwaY

14 years ago

Look at this Video

Scariest Job in Madison Florida - YouTube

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MoneyMagnetMagnate

14 years ago

Hey -Sometimes, you just have to take Danger in Stride...

This Guy is Smooooth!

That is How You Make a Bust!
(oh and, by the way...you're under arrest :rolleyes

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Dennis Gaskill

14 years ago

I used to build these things (in the video below) when I was young. The highest I worked was 165 feet (without a net - lol). If you've never done anything like that, let me tell you, the adrenaline you have pumping is incredible. I wouldn't do that today, and even in my younger, daring days I doubt if I'd have climbed the tower in the video Dave posted.

My dad built grain elevators too. He was 107 feet up when the cable broke. He fell. The only thing that saved him was he broke through the wood floor all the way through to the basement. He broke his back in three places, along with a lot of other damage. He always walked with a limp after that, but he went back to the job as soon as he was able.

Climbing up an (Grain) Elevator - YouTube

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HeySal

14 years ago

No way. Nadda. I think if someone threatened me at gunpoint - I might prefer chancing the bullet. If I was put out on a ledge like that - I'd die anyway. No way my body would take that kind of shock and let me come back from it.

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When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
Beyond the Path

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Dave Patterson

14 years ago

I worked in ski lift construction for Doppelmayer Ski Lifts throughout the 80's in New England and a little in Canada.

I worked on the ground crew when setting towers. (And trust me, setting these tower heads could get hairy at times...

) LOVED the job though....always beautiful scenery and the crews were always some great folks to hang with...!

Chondola Towers Flying In - YouTube

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MissTerraK

14 years ago

Okay Dennis and Dave,

After watching your videos portraying what you did, I only have one thing to say...

NOOOOO, I don't wanna! You can't make me, LOL!

Terra

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Dennis Gaskill

14 years ago

Originally Posted by MissTerraK

Okay Dennis and Dave,

After watching your videos portraying what you did, I only have one thing to say...

NOOOOO, I don't wanna! You can't make me, LOL!

Terra

I wish I could have found a video that shows what it's really like up there. Neither my video or Dave's gave you a feel for the sway. Those towers aren't motionless when you're up there, they sway back and forth several feet. I was afraid it would fall over the first time I experienced that.

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MissTerraK

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

I wish I could have found a video that shows what it's really like up there. Neither my video or Dave's gave you a feel for the sway. Those towers aren't motionless when you're up there, they sway back and forth several feet. I was afraid it would fall over the first time I experienced that.

I shudder at the thought!

Nope! Never gonna do it!

I can't handle great heights!

Haha, that reminds me of when hubby and I went to Niagara Falls for our 25th anniversary. We had dinner reservations in one of the hotels. I don't remember how many stories up the restaurant was, but it was on the top floor.

When they seated us, it was a little table for two right up against the glass where you could see all of the activities below.

Anyway, I swear that building swayed! I sat leaned over to the left away from that glass panel the whole dinner and ended up being sore the next day, lol!

Terra

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Dave Patterson

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

I wish I could have found a video that shows what it's really like up there. Neither my video or Dave's gave you a feel for the sway. Those towers aren't motionless when you're up there, they sway back and forth several feet. I was afraid it would fall over the first time I experienced that.

Dennis,

When I was working on the ski lifts we subbed the sheet metal work (for the top and bottom lift stations) to a guy that owned a grain elevator/silo
sales/service/installation company in Kansas.

He would show up with just ONE of his crew supervisors and together they used to absolutely blow my mind at how fast they could slap down 16' sheets of metal and screw that stuff down. Those guys were like machines...

They NEVER had to re-do anything I watched them do due to leaks either.

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MoneyMagnetMagnate

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dave Patterson

I worked in ski lift construction for Doppelmayer Ski Lifts throughout the 80's in New England and a little in Canada.

I worked on the ground crew when setting towers. (And trust me, setting these tower heads could get hairy at times...

) LOVED the job though....always beautiful scenery and the crews were always some great folks to hang with...!

Chondola Towers Flying In - YouTube

That would get hairy, especially if you were using a chopper for a crane, then you have that to contend with too. That nice extra element of oops.

I hear what you're saying about the scenery when it's nice. But you reminded me of a day I was up building a communications tower, and it was a beautiful spring shirt sleeve day...there were mountain goats across the ridge watching us...nice and serene. Then the clouds rolled in, and in a matter of minutes it started to rain and thunder like crazy. I figure it will blow over soon. No rain gear anyway. Then it starts to pour. Buckets. Then suddenly it got really cold, and started to snow. All this in a matter of minutes. I'm 'flash frozen'. I'm strapped to a tower, and I'm so freaking cold and shivering so bad I seriously thought somebody might have to come up and get me off because I had no grip...I was frozen to the bone. When I got down I had to sit in the truck with heater full blast, and that still didn't work. I was beyond cold by then, I could not stop shivering. The weather got so bad we had to pack it...but I was done for the day anyway. But it's funny to look back on stuff like that and laugh.

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dallas playboy

14 years ago

Bomb tech on a SWAT team, or military Bomb defuser.

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MoneyMagnetMagnate 14 years ago

Originally Posted by dallas playboy

Bomb tech on a SWAT team, or military Bomb defuser.

That kind of guts and nerve could invent a new word: "Techtosterone"
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KimW

14 years ago

Terra,
You would never get me on that bridge.
Dennis,
For the tower work(ers),that takes guts. My older brother used to do it too.He loved it, I could get sick watching him climb.
Terra,Dave and anyone else that qualifies(except I know Terra isn't a gramps),
Now for the gramps,grandpas,and grandfathers(that's me),
That job is sooo much easier than being a first time parent! lol

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Dennis Gaskill

14 years ago

Originally Posted by KimW

For the tower work(ers),that takes guts. -snip-
Now for the gramps,grandpas,and grandfathers(that's me),
That job is sooo much easier than being a first time parent! lol

It does take guts, and while most guys pretend they aren't scared, I think most are to some degree, at least the first few times. You just have to push through the fear.

As for the grandpa thing, yep, I agree.

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ThomM

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

It does take guts, and while most guys pretend they aren't scared, I think most are to some degree, at least the first few times. You just have to push through the fear.

As for the grandpa thing, yep, I agree.

Dennis I've known many that worked heights and they all told me the same thing.
They said you have to be scared a little or else you'll get reckless and die.
Myself I get scared a little thinking about working up high

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Getting old ain't for sissy's
As you are I was, as I am you will be
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Dennis Gaskill

14 years ago

@ Dave - I believe it. You get pretty good at something when you do it year after year.

Originally Posted by ThomM

Dennis I've known many that worked heights and they all told me the same thing.
They said you have to be scared a little or else you'll get reckless and die.
Myself I get scared a little thinking about working up high

That's exactly it, Thom. The fear is there for a reason. It heightens your senses which helps keep you from making mistakes. If you do it long enough though, the fear isn't acute, so I'd lean more toward calling it heightened awareness. Of course, that awareness is born of fear - you still fear falling - but you don't think about it anymore. You're looking through the eyes of awareness rather than fear. The fear is more of an undercurrent than a conscious thing. It's hard to explain. That's the way it was for me anyway, maybe it's different for other folks.

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ThomM

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Dennis Gaskill

@ Dave - I believe it. You get pretty good at something when you do it year after year.

That's exactly it, Thom. The fear is there for a reason. It heightens your senses which helps keep you from making mistakes. If you do it long enough though, the fear isn't acute, so I'd lean more toward calling it heightened awareness. Of course, that awareness is born of fear - you still fear falling - but you don't think about it anymore. You're looking through the eyes of awareness rather than fear. The fear is more of an undercurrent than a conscious thing. It's hard to explain. That's the way it was for me anyway, maybe it's different for other folks.

I thought you explained it every well

You're right, too. I don't do heights, but I've had plenty of jobs on land that if you weren't aware you where dead.
That awareness was born in fear, fear of dying from not being aware

Heck just today one of the guys was splitting wood in my yard and almost busted his hand, or worse.
A long on the splitter flipped back and the guy on the other side couldn't shut down the splitter fast enough. The first guy had his hand on the control lever which is where the log ended up. He got his hand out, but left his glove. The lever unit was busted off the splitter.

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Life: Nature's way of keeping meat fresh
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As you are I was, as I am you will be
You can't fix stupid, but you can always out smart it.

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billpullman

14 years ago

watching the gardner climb a 170 foot palm tree all the way to the top on a windy day to do maintenance
believe me

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MoneyMagnetMagnate

14 years ago

In some jobs or circumstances, there is fear, and there is scared. Fear is healthy. Scared is not.

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Scariest Job?

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