Saw some people doing a scary thing

[Grapehound]

5er Tom, I guess a senior member designation is better than a senior moment.

[bikendan]

As a retired firefighter and a lover of heights, I love being on a ladder and being up high. BUT at 67, my knees are really bad so I'm not as steady as I used to be.
Last year, I was cleaning gutters 10ft up. The ladder gave way and I fell onto concrete. Luckily I discovered that at 66 years old, I can still bounce and didn't break anything. Now, the DW won't let me get on a ladder without her there, to help steady the ladder.
Once I get on the roof of my RV, I feel perfectly fine. It's transitioning from the ladder to the roof, that's the dangerous part.

[5er_tom]

I am never comfortable while on the roof. I usually stay on hands and knees. Worst situation I had was a few years ago. Spent the night in WY at a KOA and unexpectedly got 3” of snow overnight. Of course when inside sleeping you cannot hear the snow. Woke to find this unpleasant surprise. It was a heavy, wet snow and the slides (3) would not come in. The snow just rolled up on the slide toppers. I had to get up there along with the 3” of snow, with a broom, and push the snow off the slide as the DW pulled them in. It was cold, wet and slippery. I hope to never have to that again. But, glad I had slide toppers!!!

[Grapehound]

The OP wrote, in part ...

On a recent trip I saw 3 folks standing on their camper cleaning off the top of the slides.

I concluded that he meant that he saw three different people on the slides [plural] of three different RV's, suggesting that roof walking seemed a popular but somewhat dangerous thing to do. ArkRVHog, I didn't interpret it to mean three people on a single slide roof but you could be right.

To me, three people on one RV roof would be a mega-convention.

[pdqparalegal1]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

Falling is dangerous especially as a person gets older and good to be reminded. with that said how would a person clean/chalk the roof of a RV without being on a ladder or the roof short of hiring someone else to do the job.

74 next week; got the balance of a drunk toddler. I pay someone to take the risk for me. My SIL is good about helping but he is 1.5 hours away, hate to bother him too much.

[D W]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

Falling is dangerous especially as a person gets older and good to be reminded. with that said how would a person clean/chalk the roof of a RV without being on a ladder or the roof short of hiring someone else to do the job.

Yup, if you don't feel safe up there then you hire "the guy" to do it. Some people are built for it. Just take a look at loggers and roofers.

[5er_tom]

In my younger years I had no fear of height. I once worked in an oil refinery. A condition of employment was no fear of heights. One of the refinery supervisors took several of out to one of the operating units where we climbed up steps up the side of a 90’ tower. At the top we then walked across a catwalk to the adjacent tower that was 130’ tall. Did not bother me at all. Doubt I could do that today.

[old40ford]

I will be 70 this year and have had 6 back surgeries, so I’m not really able to get up there anymore. I solved this problem by getting a younger wife!

[Trawlerphil]

Some folks always look up when crossing the road and if that's your thing good on you! At 75, I'm still doing ladders but a lot more slowly and carefully--"Ole man Rosch didn't raise no fool!"

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by Mr. Dan

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The view up there is spectacular, isnt it?

[Wolf26]

The world is a dangerous place, Thats why I sit on the floor in the corner of my bedroom closet with the lights out. Sometimes I stay there for weeks at a time. I feel much more safe.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by ArkRVHog

I get up on my roof (about 11' high) as needed. But based on the OP seeing three people up on the roof at the same time...that would concern me. My Class C can rock a bit as just I move around the perimeter...but 3 people moving at the same time might get a bit more risky. Just my humble opinion.

Perhaps he will chime in but I think he was referring to three different campers:

On a recent trip I saw 3 folks standing on their camper cleaning off the top of the slides. One had a broom, another a corded blower, and one with a battery blower.

Or maybe the guy with the broom couldn't reach everywhere so he asked someone to bring him the battery leaf blower and then he found the battery was dead so he asked for the corded blower?

I carry a smaller battery-powered leaf blower with us. When we're home I use it to blow off the deck. When we're staying somewhere and under trees I'll go up on the roof to blow it and the slide toppers off before we depart, if needed. The blower uses the same battery as the drill and the saw and it's not doing me any good at home when we're on the road.

Ray

[waybeck2018]

Originally Posted by D W

Yup, if you don't feel safe up there then you hire "the guy" to do it. Some people are built for it. Just take a look at loggers and roofers.

At 73 with bad knees and a plate bolted to my tibia, I am very reluctant to get on the roof. Until the knee and tibia injury in 2015 I never hesitated. Since then I hire someone to clean the roof and inspect it. Grandson is 13 now and very responsible but I hesitate to send him up there so will continue to pay someone.

[PoppySteve]

Originally Posted by Grapehound

The OP wrote, in part ...

On a recent trip I saw 3 folks standing on their camper cleaning off the top of the slides.

I concluded that he meant that he saw three different people on the slides [plural] of three different RV's, suggesting that roof walking seemed a popular but somewhat dangerous thing to do. ArkRVHog, I didn't interpret it to mean three people on a single slide roof but you could be right.

To me, three people on one RV roof would be a mega-convention.

Yes, my bad. Three different RV's.

[BM Welder]

50 years ago I walked 6-8 inch steel beams 200 ft. in the air to do my job and thought nothing of it and we didn't have any fall protection back then. I know that I could not do that now.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

The view up there is spectacular, isnt it?

Yes, indeed!

[dryflycaster]

Sadly there are people out there that should NOT chew gum and walk at the same time. If you are afraid of doing something it's a good indication that you probably should not attempt to do it.

[clarkrl]

Actually the ladders that are put on RV's are poorly designed for getting on roofs. If you check out the ladders they put on buildings the handrail extends upwards for another 4 ft or so. That may not be practical for RV's, but it would sure make that transition from ladder to roof, or vice versa, less awkward.

[TitanMike]

People just need to know their limitations. Have balance issues? Then roof walking isn't for you.

Can't think ahead when using a ladder, like making sure it's on solid ground and can't slip, might be a good idea to get help.

If washing the roof, remember that soap is slippery and act accordingly.

As for others? Saw a guy installing a 14' high garage door. Had an 8' step ladder and was standing on the very top platform, reaching up to faster the rails to ceiling hangars.

Looked like a Circus performer and he did this four times for that door.

Crazy to watch but it didn't bother him at all.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by clarkrl

Actually the ladders that are put on RV's are poorly designed for getting on roofs. If you check out the ladders they put on buildings the handrail extends upwards for another 4 ft or so. That may not be practical for RV's, but it would sure make that transition from ladder to roof, or vice versa, less awkward.

I don't care about awkward. I just crawl from top of ladder to a placr I can stand up safely, away from the edge. Don't need the "style points".