Philippe Petit

[mackenzie]

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/newyork/pe ... petit.html

Read an article about this bloke the other day. Bit too young to remember it actually happening, but this is the man who walked a tightrope between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.

Everytime I read it or see photos of it my heart pounds and my hands get all sweaty.

Truly amazing. But don't you have to be a tiny bit crazy to do that sort of thing??

"He was bouncing up and down..." said an eye witness.
Good GOD!

 

[MCFCTrick]

I can't go any higher than a step ladder, so truly terrifies me.

 

[mackenzie]

I can't go any higher than a step ladder, so truly terrifies me.

I too have a fear of heights. Was once reduced to nearly having to call in for help to walk when I was at the top of Blackpool Tower (this was the first time I realised it).

Am OK with cliffs etc etc it's just the man made things that I have a problem with.

Have you seen the pics of Petit??

 

[MCFCTrick]

I can't go any higher than a step ladder, so truly terrifies me.

I too have a fear of heights. Was once reduced to nearly having to call in for help to walk when I was at the top of Blackpool Tower (this was the first time I realised it).

Am OK with cliffs etc etc it's just the man made things that I have a problem with.

Have you seen the pics of Petit??

I am exactly same, cliffs etc fine, but ladders, or buildings after a certain height, or worst of all rollercoasters.....a wreck.
Though suprisingly did ok up Empire State Building, and Twin Towers!
That mad French bloke is something else though.

 

[mackenzie]

I've done the BIG rollercoaster at Blackpool only once.

It was the Easter weekend and the queues were really bad. A group of about 8 of us went and 2 of us stayed out of the rollercoaster ride. However, as much as it pains me to say, the queues were 45 minutes long and I was stuck with the most boring person on the planet, so when the original 6 decided to have another go I rather hastily decided to join them.

The first steep rise and then the feeling that there is NOTHING beneath you is not something I want to repeat. Ever.

As for those rollercoasters that are attached to high rise buildings in the States.........................

 

[mackenzie]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=EIawNRm9NWM

As much as the subject matter terrifies me I want to see this movie.

Truly inspirational.

 

[stony]

It is possible to lose your fear of heights. I used to be afraid of heights but after spending a few years operating one of these, I was ok.

 

[StrangewaysHereWeCome]

jeez christ Stony ... how did you do it? I shit meself in a scissor lift!

 

[stony]

jeez christ Stony ... how did you do it? I shit meself in a scissor lift!

haha, I shit myself in scissor lifts, those things are dodgy as fuck. I'd rather be 35 metres up on a telescopic boom than 5 metres in a scissor.
You get used to it after a while. When I had my interview, part of it was being taken up in the biggest boom they have in the yard, the one I went up in was a 28m(98ft in old money) Then they watch your reaction. I was shitting bricks but I really wanted the job and I had already been pre-warned on what they frown upon. So holding on with two hands was a no-no. First six months on the job I shit bricks every day but then I just got used to it. After a couple of years I was happy enough to sit on the edge of the cage without a harness whilst at full stick.