You Know You Are Old When

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I've walked on my 10/12 many times. Of course, turning 50 this year, I think it's about time to retire from that. I can still do it with no trouble, but healing from a second-story fall probably takes a lot longer now, than when I was 30!

I also have 12/12 raised seam metal, and go up on that routinely, but with a chicken ladder. No way to stay on it, otherwise.

Two handy things to have...both less expensive than even a walk in clinic visit:
Body harness...just rope around chimney or tie something over roof like tractor or truck.
For metal roof...magnetic shoes!

 

[jjeff]

Ok switching to building jobs and getting or being old who walked 2nd story 2x6 top plates without fall protection? Manually lifted trusses with ropes to said top plates and set them without a telehandler, skytrak, lull, Pettibone or whatever you call these now common pieces of jobsite equipment. Sheeted 10 or 12 pitch hip or gable roofs manually sliding every 5/8" 4x8 sheet up a ladder? Back in the day I could easily slide two up a ladder in one trip. Those were the days and by far the best shape I was ever in and miss them.

 

[newbury]

tie something over roof like tractor or truck.

Just make the tractor or truck inoperable, so your wife (for example) doesn't drive away and drag you over the top!

 

[WinterDeere]

Just make the tractor or truck inoperable, so your wife (for example) doesn't drive away and drag you over the top!

There was a story of this happening to a member of another forum I used to watch. Dude had tied himself off to the trailer hitch or bumper of one of their vehicles, over the roof ridge and back down to where he was working on the far side of the roof. Wife decided she needed to run to the store, hopped into that vehicle, and dragged him over the roof and back down.

 

[Jstpssng]

There was a story of this happening to a member of another forum I used to watch. Dude had tied himself off to the trailer hitch or bumper of one of their vehicles, over the roof ridge and back down to where he was working on the far side of the roof. Wife decided she needed to run to the store, hopped into that vehicle, and dragged him over the roof and back down.

I've heard this story a lot over the years, even before internet use was widespread.
I've never been sure if it's a common occurance or merely an urban legend.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

As a teenager a friend of mine worked at a grocery store. One day he helped an elderly lady take her groceries out and loaded them in her trunk. She thanked him as she rolled her window up right as he slammed the trunk...on his apron!!!! Back when grocery store clerks wore white aprons...and she took off! He ran of course, hollering, smacking trunk lid. Luckily it was in town and she got the red light up ahead. Probably hard of hearing but she saw him and unlocked the trunk.
My wife wouldn't take off knowing what I was doing.
My Dad fell just 7 feet backwards off of a small shed roof when he was 64, damaged a few vertebrae and suffered 24 years (passed at 88). If nothing else I'll have a good rope with me attached to something substantial.
I have to go up on 2 story garage roof soon installing an antenna. It's about 6/12 so not bad at all.

 

[Jstpssng]

I have a shed roof with a 6/12 pitch. One day I was out shoveling snow when I slipped on the ice underneath and slid from the peak, down the full length of the roof and off the edge. (Talk about deju vu all over again.) Luckily that time I had shoveled enough snow to nearly fill the 10 foot drop so only fell a couple of feet, and I landed on my feet.
If I ever go up on a roof again I will be wearing a safety harness.

 

[jjeff]

How about driving? Used to be able to drive one of my old regular cab compact, option devoid trucks solo well over 1000 miles in a day taking a brief nap In that tiny cab, on off or on ramps, and keep going, consuming copious amounts of caffeinated beverages. Now diving solo it's 500 miles max in a day, and my current somewhat comfortable extended cab full size truck has cruise and ac, consuming limited amounts of caffeine beverages or I'd have to take a leak every 5 miles, plus I need to get to someplace that has an actual bed, and sleep for hrs.

 

[Jstpssng]

If I consume copius amounts of caffeinated beverages in the AM- anything more than my 20 Oz travel mug- I won't sleep tht night.
A few weeks ago I thought about having a second cup... I slept about 3 hours.

 

[tradosaurus]

I have a shed roof with a 6/12 pitch. One day I was out shoveling snow when I slipped on the ice underneath and slid from the peak, down the full length of the roof and off the edge. (Talk about deju vu all over again.) Luckily that time I had shoveled enough snow to nearly fill the 10 foot drop so only fell a couple of feet, and I landed on my feet.
If I ever go up on a roof again I will be wearing a safety harness.

Where will you tie off to?