While your job may be harrowing—sitting in front of a computer monitor all day, occasionally glancing out the window to wonder how many minutes are left until you die—the guy in this video may have it a bit worse. For reasons unknown, his job is to climb to the tippity-top of a 1768 foot tall transmission tower. Here’s his helmet cam video of his climb, and while it does not show his ass clenching up, I can guarantee you that mine did. If I had placed a pencil in there, it would have snapped in half.
Bang bang, choo-choo train, let me see you shake that thang. Wm. Steven Humphrey is the editor-in-chief of the Portland Mercury and has held the job since 2000. (So don’t get any funny ideas.) More by Wm. Steven Humphrey
My pencil just snapped.
Dear Steve,
I never want to think about you putting a pencil in your anus ever again. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Graham
I made it about 3 minutes in before I had to turn it off. Consider my pencil snapped.
I’m surprised this guy has the strength to pull himself and those tools up that far, while packing along his 50 lb balls.
@BlackedOut, me too. I didn’t think it would bother me, being a video and all. But jesus!
Why does the tool bag have to trail behind him, instead of his wearing a backpack?
Keee-rist, that free-climbing at the end coupled with the helmet-cam is insane. That will now be added to my other favorite video of widely unknown but dangerous occupations that make our modern life possible…
http://bit.ly/28tnbP
@Michelle: Doubtful 30lbs. of tools would fit on his back when he’s “inside” the tower.
They took the video down because it shows free climbing. I do the same job and it’s scary how much techs like my self have to free climb because the cheap ass antenna builders don’t provide safety provisions. GRRR!!