Amateur Roofing 
2003 Reader Submission
Pending Acceptance
There was a couple who bought an old run down house across the street from my friend's home in Spokane, WA. This house had a chalet-style roof that was very steep. Two guys decided to repair some holes in the roof of this fixer-upper.
We watched one guy secure a rope to a tree branch near the roof, not paying attention to the position of the trunk of the tree relevant to where he tied the rope, which was about 4 feet away.
Well, my friend, an experienced roofer, went over and told him that is not a good idea, the best place to tie one's self off to prevent a fall is at the top, and he suggested using the chimney instead. They paid no heed to his warning, the guy pointed out his ingenious plan, he tied himself to his friend on the roof, who was bigger than him, thinking if he fell the other guy would act as an anchor.
Needless to say on this damp, steep roof with many holes in it, the guy eventually slipped and fell, and his plan failed, he fell about 15 feet off the roof, still tied to the tree, and he smacked right into the trunk, breaking his collar bone and dislocating his shoulder; then landing on the ground, spraining his ankle, pulling his friend with him as he went.
Fortunately, his friend was on the other side of the roof so he had time to stop his fall by holding onto the chimney and untying himself from his hapless idiot friend. I don't know who's dumber, the guy who fell, or his friend for letting him tie them together. The next day, his friend went back to work, this time the rope was tied to the chimney.
With this kind of ingenuity, it's a wonder we aren't already extinct! ;) Submitted on 05/23/2002
Submitted by:
Rachel Hartman
Reference:
Personal Account, April 2002
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