Take away my man card.

[Wyndru]

Apparently I'm afraid of heights, and as I get older it's getting worse.

At work I'm on ladders quite a bit in the ceilings running cat6 and I'm usually ok with it until we hit ceilings that require that you stand on the very top of the ladder and just balance. My coworker just realized this and has been giving me shit since he found out :\.

Today I figured I would do our gutters for the first time, and I threw the ladder up (about 20 feet off of the ground) and started up. By the time I got to the top my heart was racing, I felt dizzy and I froze up. I couldn't bring myself to climb actually onto the roof (and we have a VERY low incline on our raised ranch, it's basically flat). My instant reaction was to try and get down asap. I climbed down, broke down the ladder, and returned to the garage less of a man.

I'm sorry my fellow men, I am no longer part of the club :'(

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Apparently I'm afraid of heights, and as I get older it's getting worse.

At work I'm on ladders quite a bit in the ceilings running cat6 and I'm usually ok with it until we hit ceilings that require that you stand on the very top of the ladder and just balance. My coworker just realized this and has been giving me shit since he found out :\.

Today I figured I would do our gutters for the first time, and I threw the ladder up (about 20 feet off of the ground) and started up. By the time I got to the top my heart was racing, I felt dizzy and I froze up. I couldn't bring myself to climb actually onto the roof (and we have a VERY low incline on our raised ranch, it's basically flat). My instant reaction was to try and get down asap. I climbed down, broke down the ladder, and returned to the garage less of a man.

I'm sorry my fellow men, I am no longer part of the club :'(

I suffer from the same affliction. Once my torso clears the top of the ladder I lose it unless I can hold on to something. Didn't used to be like that. But now... wow.

I don't see this as a man-card issue obviously.

 

[Wyndru]

I suffer from the same affliction. Once my torso clears the top of the ladder I lose it unless I can hold on to something. Didn't used to be like that. But now... wow.

I don't see this as a man-card issue obviously.

Yeah, it sucks, I used to climb tall trees and ladders and get on roofs when I was younger with no probem. It's weird, because I'm still fine with ski lifts and amusement park rides regardless of how high they are but if I don't have something holding me in place or around me to hold on to I freak out.

 

[xSauronx]

ive always had this issue, but im a little clumsy and just anticipate hurting myself. it doesnt bother me so much if i know that i have something solid to grab that can support my fat ass if im on the top of the ladder, but im still not comfortable with it most of the time.

i dont like getting on the roof from a ladder if the ladder wont go past the roofline. again, im clumsy so i just dont want to hurt myself. i worked with a kid years ago who would climb on anything and everything and do all sorts of stupid, crazy shit with a ladder. i cant believe he never got hurt

 

[Wyndru]

i dont like getting on the roof from a ladder if the ladder wont go past the roofline. again, im clumsy so i just dont want to hurt myself. i worked with a kid years ago who would climb on anything and everything and do all sorts of stupid, crazy shit with a ladder. i cant believe he never got hurt

That's a big fear of mine also, getting from the ladder to the roof, or even worse, coming back onto the ladder while looking down. If I actually got up there today I was afraid I'd have to have my wife call the fire dept to get me down lol.

 

[IronWing]

How's your blood sugar, blood pressure, and general physical condition? Poor health can mess with your balance.

 

[marvdmartian]

At work I'm on ladders quite a bit in the ceilings running cat6 and I'm usually ok with it until we hit ceilings that require that you stand on the very top of the ladder and just balance.

Um, Wyndru? Unless you're working for yourself, or are just too lazy to go get the taller ladder, you need to go talk to your boss about getting you another ladder for those circumstances.

OSHA rules state that the top 2 steps are NOT to be used, on any ladder. And standing on top of the ladder, balancing, will definitely be a no-no!

This isn't a matter of not being manly.....it's a matter of being SAFE.

 

[Wyndru]

How's your blood sugar, blood pressure, and general physical condition? Poor health can mess with your balance.

My blood pressure has always been good, and I'm in somewhat good shape, I lift weights a few times a week. I'm not sure about my blood sugar though.

My wife keeps telling me it's evolution and natural fears ingrained in us and different people have different reactions (fear of getting hurt/death,etc...) but I think that's her way of being nice while she quietly thinks her husband is a big pussy .

Um, Wyndru? Unless you're working for yourself, or are just too lazy to go get the taller ladder, you need to go talk to your boss about getting you another ladder for those circumstances.

OSHA rules state that the top 2 steps are NOT to be used, on any ladder. And standing on top of the ladder, balancing, will definitely be a no-no!

This isn't a matter of not being manly.....it's a matter of being SAFE.

I thought that was the case, I've never looked it up. It's only during the summer and I never think about it when I'm working, so it's partly my laziness. I rarely need to get up on those top 2 rungs though and we do have larger ladders, so I'll keep that in mind.

 

[brainhulk]

have a hot girl nearby to show off in front of. /feargone

 

[IronWing]

My wife keeps telling me it's evolution and natural fears ingrained in us and different people have different reactions (fear of getting hurt/death,etc...) but I think that's her way of being nice while she quietly thinks her husband is a big pussy .

Hmmm, my wife thinks men over fifty should be banned from ladders as they seem to hurt themselves. I wonder if this will hold when I hit fifty and something needs doing.

 

[roguerower]

I'm scared to death of heights, however I have no problem with jumping out of a plane at 5,000 or 13,000 feet.

 

[Broheim]

This isn't a matter of not being manly.....it's a matter of being SAFE.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPau5QYtYs

 

[brainhulk]

dude, just have coworker be a ladder extender

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Same thing happened to me. When I was younger I'd scoot up a 40ft ladder onto a roof like it was nothing. Nowadays I'm barely comfortable on a medium a frame. I never did it for work, but I do think brain chemistry changes to where you are less willing to accept risks like this.

 

[TridenT]

I'm usually not afraid of heights anymore or most stable ladders. Problem is, many ladders are not stable. I'll start climbing them and they'll sway massively at the slightest movement. That's when I am like, "fuck fuck fuck fuck. I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER BROKEN WRIST."

 

[Jeff7]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPau5QYtYs

Oddly enough, it is not a good idea to do the Safety Dance while balancing on top of a ladder.

 

[skyking]

No reason at all to give up your man card.
One of my fellow pilots would ask me to change bulbs in his hangar for him. He had flown several small planes all over the country, but the 12' hangar ceiling was a no-go.

 

[lykaon78]

Thats not fear... thats wisdom.

 

[SandEagle]

lol. i suffer from this as well. i was painting yesterday and i just can't go on that last step. i have to ask my kids to hold the ladder for me. when they complain i ask them if they want me to fall and smash my head and die. that usually changes their mind

 

[OverVolt]

I have the same problem and I had it ever since I was a kid so I doubt it is blood pressure or blood sugar related lol.

The trick to getting over your fear of heights is practice being aware of only your current surroundings and working in them (you can still look down, etc). You just have to practice climbing up and focusing on your immediate surroundings (don't look down is a bunch of shit). I know it would work for me but I haven't taken the time to do it.

 

[Rudee]

I'm afraid of widths.

 

[RockinZ28]

Um, Wyndru? Unless you're working for yourself, or are just too lazy to go get the taller ladder, you need to go talk to your boss about getting you another ladder for those circumstances.

OSHA rules state that the top 2 steps are NOT to be used, on any ladder. And standing on top of the ladder, balancing, will definitely be a no-no!

This isn't a matter of not being manly.....it's a matter of being SAFE.

This. Fuck that, I would never stand on a ladder like that.

We just had a contractor die a few months ago pulling that shit. Was fixing a roll up truck bay door, was only on a 10 ft ladder I think, but fell and landed on his dome.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

OP have you tried the stance of dominance on the top of the ladder? Perhaps this would improve your manly balance.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of falling...

 

[Brigandier]

I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of falling...

I'm not afraid of falling, I'm afraid of what happens afterwards.