Rich Rule

Haha, just realised I was getting away with myself and gave myself another year. I am 47 at the moment, 48 in September. I have been climbing 20 years. Started in 2002. Worked for a couple of companies to cut my teeth and went freelance after 2 years. Did a stint at Greenwich Council as well, nearly didn’t make it out alive on that one. I would have slit my wrists if I had stayed much longer (Not literally). So boring and unchallenging, it felt like a step back from the previous 18 months. I will add though I was fairly fit in those days.

But there are many climbers who are stubborn. Let’s face it, we all are to some extent. You have to be stubborn or deranged to get up a tree in the wind and rain and finish a job. The point I am trying to make is there are many climbers who have ruined themselves and their own stubborness hasn’t helped them. ”Prussis works fine, don’t need the mechanicals.” “Been on a Blake’s for 15 years, my elbows are screwed” We all know the type. The industry has advanced in equipment and techniques. There is no need to be screwed by 40 years old these days. Use your brain and ditch the Prussic/Blake’s, body thrusting etc. There is some thing out there for everyone. BTW in answer to the original question I am 48. Still climbing, had a couple of injuries the last year. Not tree climbing related . So when fully fit will be contract climbing and my own work 5 days a week.

Coppice is at ground level. Pollarding isn’t at ground level.

Secateurs. Powered Felco’s and silky. Lime trees with 2 years growth.

We did this job a couple of weeks ago. Swedish Embassy in Oslo. I have done these trees 3 times now.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=leather+satchel+type+lunch+bag&t=osx&iax=images&ia=images I kind of remember what you mean. My old fella had similar. Anything close in the link above?

No worries. When I needed to go to the hospital. I was cooking and cooked some frozen fish, unknown to me the knife broke and a shard of the blade came off. There I was eating my dinner and suddenly a stab in my throat, I thought it was a fish bone then I glanced across at the knife on the side to see the blade damaged. I did the pissheads two finger salute and threw up what I had eaten but it didn’t help so I went to AandE. The referred me to another hospital for a full body MRI to see if the piece of blade had pierced my intestines or stomach lining. As I was leaving I had to pay for the treatment even when I showed them the EHIC. That was when they explained that the Health service system of paying for the first 2000 Nok or treatment and anything above that is covered by the state.

I didn't say it was. I referring to the point you made regarding the total cost of medical care is covered, which it isn't and never was, it states it in the article you posted. I just gave a couple of examples, 1 I experienced and one a customer had experienced.

I bought mine after chatting to Nod. I was moving to Norway shortly after and was trying to get bits and pieces so I’d be sorted when I arrived. He said it had just come out and was designed with Srt in mind. So I bought 60 m and have enjoyed climbing on it since.

Did you read the link you posted Mark? Travel insurance has always been the case and the EHIC didn’t cover everything. I used to contract in Norway (One of the countries on the EHIc) and one day had to get medical treatment whilst I was there. I still had to pay the costs. Even when I explained I had the EHIC they said I had the same cover as a Norwegian resident. Which is that there is a certain amount payable for medical treatment and then once you hit a limit you are covered by the state. Travel insurance would allow me to reclaim that portion back. Also the EHIC would cover emergency treatment. If you had an ongoing issue off the accident, ie broke you back skiing. You would be covered for the emergency treatment and not the ongoing care. also if you required repatriation that will be extremely expensive. I had a customer once who broke his back skiiing in Norway. He was covered from the EHIC for transport to and from hospitals as he needed to be moved but then was in a situation where he needed to be flown back to England. That part alone cost 21k in GBP. Luckily he had travel insurance to pick up the costs.

Both are pretty narrow though. I got the Voyager from Samson about 4 years ago just after it came out. Very nice rope and still climbing on it these days.

Judging from the context of the post, I would presume he was commenting on the thread starter. He was quite specific as John mentioned near the beginning of the thread that he didn’t descend on a Blake’s but a Fo8. Again, the clues are in the detail.

That was in Eltham, I remember it well. We were getting phone calls to take out shrubs after that.

I would say the non ce cougar ropes are pretty hard wearing. I have been on Samson Velocity 12mm for a few years now. It is a nice rope and easy in the hand. I also have cougar orange and that is a few years old, plus some sterling 11mm but hardly climbed on. Also a couple of others including courant, it that is still in the box. I will say though, I tend to chop and change ropes depending hon if they are wet. Having more than one 60m rope suit me.

I was gonna suggest similar. only if it is a damage free zone. Would be interesting to see the result.

My apologies, it was just the fact you were unaware that in CA you don’t apply to do work, you notify the LA that you are planning to do the work and they have a specific time frame to respond. That may be a notification to crack on or may be a notification that they have slapped a TPO on said tree(s). Either way I think you have handled it correctly. You have stated you will do it correctly or walk away. That means if he says go ahead, you contact the LA. Kevin touched in this in an earlier post. If he wants to still do it on the quiet, walk away. Who cares if he takes on someone else and in a months time the job is done. And as someone suggested contact the LA to effectively grass your client up. That could damage your reputation as well. Just remember ‘snitches get stitches’ (Joke). Off course I am not suggesting someone with stripe you, just that if you are professional and give him the option to do it your way. If he is in disagreement they politely decline this job and walk away. that way no harm is done.

Swerve. Some people have money and have made it by hanging little guys out to dry. You sound quite new to the industry and I think he knows it and may take advantage of your naivety. As I said, ‘Swerve’ with a capital ‘S’.

Looks like you might have just got away with that with only minor damage Rich, did you? Zero damage. The loading ramps on the plant trailer had made contact with about 4, 2-3 inch wide small trees in the wooded area. Totally missed the trailer lights and I couldn't have parked it better between the two bigger trees. The snowbank stopped my hilux going down sideways. The black bit at the end of the side bar had almost popped off, popped it back on and good to go. Very lucky really as the truck was flung around 130 degrees. Till it hit the bank and stopped.

The whole thing was quite surreal, slow motion unfolding type event. We got it sorted no problem and zero damage to trailer, chipper and truck. Could have been so much worse. Tried initially to get it out with my mates ranger then after no joy. We tracked the chipper off using the winch for support. Pulled the trailer out no worries after that. We we’re back felling and winching trees 45 mins later. IMG_2710.MOV

You don’t fancy going fully electric?

I have a Hilix with an auto gear box. I live in Norway and as the rumour goes, it does snow and get cold here. I tow chippers and trailers with a tracked chipper on quite a fair bit. The only problem I’ve had was losing it on sheet ice one day, trying to get up a long incline. Ended up about 40 metres back down the hill, jackknifed and the trailer/chipper combo down an embankment and the hilix stuck in a snow bank. Going down hill, either click the gearbox into semi and keep to 1 or 2 gear. Or even easier hit the DAC button (Downhill Assist Control) and let the engine do the work for you.

@Mick Dempsey Who knows? She was about to lift the lid on a paedophile ring for the program Panorama. Which apparently stretched through the UK High Society and included the members of the BBC. Before the program went to air she was shot in the head on her doorstep in West London. Since then, Jimmy Saville, Dave Lee Travis, that twat from ‘it’s a knockout’ and many others, yet not one person knew? Just look at some of the old footage of Sir Jimmy. Fuck me, he was a right nonce trying to kiss young kids on the lips in the Hospice.

The same could be said for people with the polar opposite views. The media have lied to us and twisted facts for years, and now we are suddenly supposed to believe everything they say? Jimmy Saville wasn’t a nonce then and not one person in the BBC knew about him? Apart from Jill Dando.

My friend had a pair a while ago and went back to them et eying a couple of other brands. Not sure of the longevity though.