Fear of heights and balance...

[Wetstuff]

As a little kid, I found a tall swing thrilling because it scared me.. pretty much the same thrill came from boosting with kites, but ladders killed me .. no way can I stand on a balcony looking down a few stories without internally crapping myself.  I am better now with ladders (to about 10') but my balance is not what it should be.  These images got me thinking; these are clearly different humans.




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82SDk1kInvI


Both these guys should be off balance waving cameras around on lever arms .. the young Russian has a pack on his back ..and who knows when a puff comes along?!   Oly Chit.  In the middle of the night, just remembering the video of the young guy in HK makes me queasy.  I cannot even finishing watching this next one...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwQOukqwzoE

In further reading, maybe the reason I do a lot of 'man overboard' drills in confused water has a some basis in my genes.  I'm not about to take meds nor quit, but I do stay clear of a crowded lineup ..and give myself some slack. 

Jim

There's more pics from the Russian guy, some simply stunning..  http://www.core77.com/blog/photography/friday_eye_candy_best_of_the_risk-taking_rooftop_russians_27490.asp#more

[supthecreek]

ok Jimmy... knock it off.... I got vertigo just looking at the pictures

[PonoBill]

I used to be one of those guys. the ones that walk right up to the edge of a ten story building with no guardrail and look straight down. I was the guy that didn't mind doing the warning light inspections on the cooling tower at Trojan. 499 feet and the ladder for the last 200 feet looked straight out and tilted outwards to follow the tower curve. Here's the tower coming down in '06. I was in the crowd of ex-employees, drinking champagne and watching it fall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf2J6-729Qw

Now I find myself edging up to any similar precipice. Makes me feel like a wimpy oldster.

I come by my lack of fear for heights honestly. My Mom is not really afraid of heights. She is just scared because she always has a strong urge to jump.

[Wetstuff]

Rick,  You got the stones -- standing alone in 35f. water, then dropping down a moving water slide that would be happy to claim you a victim.


Bill, I resist thinking about what you did ...Oooofh! Maybe you are part Mohawk?  I heard a radio interview where they casually walk atop bridge girders over the St. Lawrence for the fun of it and have a long history of working in Manhattan as ironworkers. 

"My Mom is not really afraid of heights. She is just scared because she always has a strong urge to jump." ....I think I'll stick FoH.    Cheers.

Jim

[Gramps]

It's funny, my son hates ladders but feels perfectly at ease rock climbing at Smith Rock and other crazy places.  I spent a good part of my working life on ladders so they don't bother me but no rock climbing for me. 

At this stage of life, I figure I've used up most of my good luck, so I think I'll stay fairly close to the ground.  Those pics make me a bit queasy.

[CascadeSup]

I'm the same way as your son.  I rock climbed for 25 years (retired from that, now), but I hate ladders.   Rocks don't wobble when you get way up on them.

[headmount]

I'm the same way as your son.  I rock climbed for 25 years (retired from that, now), but I hate ladders.   Rocks don't wobble when you get way up on them.

For guys over 50, 80% of ER visits are from ladder accidents.  Have a good pal with reactions like a cat.  He fell off his ladder in his garage and landed on his heel.  Broke it. 

Ladders are like a pick and shovel, look at them when you're over 50 and you're back will go out.

Hang glided in my 20's, and then picked it back up at 52.  Skills were still there but mind set wasn't.  Got up high and wasn't stoked any more.

There's plenty of these high risk videos out these days and no need to do any of that stuff yourself.  Get prone on your bed and check it out.  Spectating is fantastic in the new millennium

[PonoBill]

^^What he said. I used to fly ultralights. 3000 feet up sitting what amounted to a simplified lawn chair with a cranky snowmobile engine making it go. WTF was I thinking. The new ones looks a lot safer, but knowing what I do about consuming safety margin I'm leaving them to those who have never flown into a thermal downdraft or bumped through a rotor.

Parasails look kind of cool though, and might be more ADD-resistant. I can tell you for certain that people with ADD should NOT fly ultralights.