Always carry your phone!!

[gstrom99]

The other day, while I was up on the (first story) roof, the (always blowing) Iowa wind blew my ladder down/off the gutter. This is at my (very rural) Iowa place. Where is my phone? In the house, on the kitchen table...
No one else home, and the dog can't help... Neighbors are too far away and it was so windy they surely wouldn't hear me screaming anyway. I was getting panicky and kinda freaked out.
After a few minutes, I figured I might as well get it over with and jump down, injury-be-damned. I ended up crawling over the side, and hung from the gutter, and dropped down. Something like a 5 foot drop. Luckily, nothing injured or broke. The gutter got a little bent, but didn't fail.

Lesson learned: Always keep your cell phone on your person...

 

[AWSubie]

Glad ur OK. I guess u would have gone hungry for a while had u been 2 stories up!!!

A little more than 20 years ago I had a similar experience and to this day, I now tie a rope to the top rung of the ladder and then throw it over the peak of the building I’m working on and tie it off so that the ladder, even if it slides a bit will not fall completely away.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Better than tying a safety rope around your waist, up over the roof, tied to a vehicle bumber, that the wife decides to drive away in. True story.

I NEVER as a matter of seeing it as an electronic leash, carry a cell phone, but I do, if doing something like that.

I like a ladder quite perpendicular, but also have a fear of ladders sliding out from under me, so often, if I have any doubt, tie it off. Or park some Utility vehicle in front of it.

 

[gstrom99]

Good idea. I was too far away, when it started to go, and I could only watch as it slid slowly away...

 

[Thomas]

Glad there ending turn out good for you and there wasn't nasty weather.

 

[Diggin It]

Lesson learned: Always ...

... secure your ladder.

 

[Oaktree]

I NEVER as a matter of seeing it as an electronic leash, carry a cell phone, but I do, if doing something like that.

Agree totally on the electronic leash/tracking device.

The older I get, the more likely I'll make sure there's someone around if I'm going to be doing something that might not end well if there's a problem.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Just make sure they like you and aren't in your will. lol

Other thing is that I don't see phones worn on my person to be well suited for doing anything very physical.

 

[drssg]

Better than tying a safety rope around your waist, up over the roof, tied to a vehicle bumber, that the wife decides to drive away in. True story.

And I bet she told you it was an accident!

 

[Industrial Toys]

Not me, just something that I read.

I don't feel nearly as bad as the people I heard about the drove off with the dog tied to their bumber.