"Mike Marlow" wrote:
Roy wrote:


It really wasn't so bad, Mike. You only had to jerk the ladder back
about 3-4 inches while jerking it sideways about 4-6 inches. In
three summers painting houses with Dad, I only rode the ladder down
one time. This type of fall is not bad until the ladder gets to
about 45 degrees. At this point the legs kick out and the effects of
gravity are no longer moderated by the friction of ladder on house
siding. There is ample time to mull over just how much this is going
to hurt before you hit.

Years ago, I wasn't quite as bad when it comes to ladders. I could get up
them and down them, as long as I didn't hang out on one for too long. I was
in fire departments for years, and got up on more than a few roofs, to
ventilate structures, and often came back down doing a fireman's slide. Was
not too much of a problem. Over the years though, my fear of heights has
grown in an inverse relationship to the rate of growth of hair on my head,
and today I can't do squat on a ladder. If I feel the ladder flexing under
me, mental things start that are out of my control, and I just freeze up.
That's it - no more fun and adventure for Mike - I'm just stuck there. It's
insane how long it takes me to make my way back down.

My problem with ladders is I tend to forget I'm on one ...

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