Heights

I am scared of heights and found it very unnerving to be presented with
a precipitous and windy viaduct on a TOG French Run - I made it across
but only just :-(

I was wondering if any ukrmer who suffers from vertigo has managed to
deal with their fear and cope with the roads, bridges and tunnels that
dangle or thread their way through mountains and valleys. I read the
tales of great trips to France, Switzerland and Italy and feel I am
destined to never ride those roads unless there is some clever solution
or helpful tips. (Helpful) Suggestions welcome.

 

I'm terrible with heights. Riding and driving over bridges doesn't
bother me, though I don't like walking over them (I have to shut my eyes
and hold the rail to cross the bridge to the Tate Modern).

Really, I don't know. IIRC it's an issue even if you don't look down -
which indicates that it's the thought of the height, rather than the
view of it. So... hypnotherapy?

 

Facing your fear is the only way really. I have a great fear of height
myself, and cannot even manage a ladder for more than a few rungs.
However, I have still managed to go mountaineering, skiing and even fly
in a microlight. I have also helmed a 72ft narrow boat across the
highest aquaduct in the UK.

Some of the things I did on mountains make my heart jump now, but I did
them, and I'm still here. I even held a Scouts Mountain Leadership
certificate. It can be done, you just have to puch yourself to overcome
it.

 

When I started skiing about ten years ago I had to keep my eyes shut
on chair lifts. I can now handle even really high ones, and can ski
steep slopes. I assume that the change is simply down to familiarity.
I still can't go out on balconies, but I can do (in fact revel in)
mountain passes - as long as I keep away from the edges.

Trying to find logic within the above I suggest

1) Finding the nearest bit of road that scares you and riding it over
and over again - I'm pretty sure it will eventually stop scaring you.

2) When you do start to feel scared, concentrate on the road and how
much good solid tarmac is all around you. It probably won't work on
bridges (Pat has trouble with them) because you know there's space
underneath, but it might just work on terra firma.

Are scary roads less so if you're on foot? If so, why?

 

And on a similar note Paul, how do you feel about being on a train going
across a bridge?

 

I'm just plain weird with heights. Cliffs, mountains, great yawning
chasms : no problem whatsoever. Air travel - both light aircraft and
big jets : everything just jim dandy.

Put me on the edge of a building, bridge, or some other man-made
structure though, and I cack my pants.

I freaked out a few weeks ago just looking at the Clifton suspension
bridge, never mind actually going over it.

Very odd.

 

Heights I'm ok with but I do get claustrophobic which I tried curing by
taking up caving and scuba diving and even ended up doing a few cave dives
in Hodge Close [1]. I still break out in a cold sweat if say the tube stops
in a tunnel but I find it much easier to control. I suppose the same works
with vertigo, start off slow and with what you feel is controllable and
work your way up so to speak.

[1] Yea, yea I know Hodge is not a *proper* cave but it's close enough for
me

 

Paul Corfield wrote

If you want to get to the other side of the bridge then you either go
across it or go around. Frankly I can't be arsed to go around so I just
get on with it and don't look down.

Or to put it another way, if you keep your eyes on the road like you
should be doing then the scenery is not an issue is it?

 

--
Linger CR250
TFSTR#? |BOTAFOF#43 |SKOGA#(can't find the number) |BBB#4 |BHaLC#7

 

I'm the same with ladders!

 

Yes, I can relate to that, a hard rocky mountainside is certainly
different to a man made object.

 

ARSE!

Sorry

 

I am scared of heights and found it very unnerving to be presented with

Parachuting. You *won't* look back.

Buzby

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

It's quite common. The chaps at the Dartford crossing apparently have to
deal with it quite frequently (they drive the person across I believe).

That sounds eminently sensible.

 

You need to work up to freefall?
Akcherly looking out the door over the jump zone always gave me the wobbles.
Healthy that IMHO.

 

As I've said above, Pat is. I've asked her about it and she can't
explain why. She's no chicken (well you've seen for yourself how
relaxed she is on the back of a Thunderace at eek mph). Yet whenever
we cross the Forth road bridge I have to drive, and at well over the
speed limit, as she holds her breath the whole way over!

 

That's me as well.

When in that kind of situation thoughts like "will this balcony crumble
away" and "I wonder if the handrail is loose" enter my mind.

I chose to ignore my fear by focussing on something else instead, which
isn't always easy.

 

MikeR wrote:

Whilst in Amsterdam with an ex who is as heights phobic as all of you
here have mentioned, we did the trip round Anne Franks house.

There's one piece of corridor where the floor is clear plastic/glass.

There's a staircase below it, and there is no alternative but to go over
it. It's just big enough that you probably need 2 steps across to clear it.

Now in order to help convince said ex it was safe, I stood on it.
Jumped. Lots. Of course this should have demonstrated how strong it was
(I am not exactly lightweight). But in her head, I was making it worse.

Took bloody ages to get over it, with me in the end having to virtually
drag her over because of the mounting queues behind being rather
unsympathetic. I was not thanked....

 

I thought that bridge was cool, I don't like heights but being in the
middle of a bridge, and a fair distance from the edge I didn't see a way
I'd fall off it.

I really liked the huge bridge I rode over on the way back from Normandy
this year. http://www.technologystudent.com/struct1/norman1.htm

 

Focus ..... mmmmm ..... pies.......