To be fascinated yet horrified by free climbers?

[Blamanche]

I recently clicked on a social media video of someone free-climbing up a very tall building. No ropes, no harness, one slip and it’s curtains on the concrete below.

Algorithms keep serving up more of this content and I’m becoming slightly addicted. I’m fascinated but also horrified. Some of them I have to close my eyes, it’s just terrifying.

I know everyone is different and we all get our thrills one way or the other but this seems just wild. Just watching gets the adrenaline pumping. What possesses them? How do they even start doing it? Are they to be admired?

AIBU?

Me too.

I have severe vertigo- can’t manage ladders and get trapped up spiral staircases in castles and have to be helped down.

My daughter is a keen rock climber and I have to try not to think about what she does.

I read that a famous free-climber had fallen from El Capitan over the weekend. Awful - my head spins to contemplate that - what happens if you sneeze or get an itch?

I feel the same about free divers. Insanity.

I used to do indoor climbing. I think they’re absolute nutters.

You mean free solo not just free. Free just means they don't use gear to help them climb, solo means there's no protection if they fall.

In the UK it's usually called called soloing, free is kinda a tautology.

Ah ok! Thank you for clarifying.

Me too! I’m so scared of heights but I’m addicted to watching these dare devils do things I can’t even fathom. Have you watched Netflix skywalkers - a love story? It’s not really that great a story but the end is pretty amazing.