Watch out for those old aerial drops in older neighborhoods

Last week in a 1970s subdivision, I put weight on a weathered line from the pole and the whole thing snapped, nearly dropping the ladder. Anyone else run into this and have a safe way to test them first?

3 comments

3 Comments

carr.jana1mo ago

Heard some guys tap the line with a screwdriver first to check.

cole_lee91mo ago

That's how my uncle lost a finger in '98.

alice24228d ago

Tap the line? With a screwdriver? That's how people get hurt. You're not gonna hear anything useful. Old lines rot from the inside out. Tapping tells you nothing about the core. Overbuilt lines from the 70s were way stronger than modern stuff. If it held weight for 50 years, it'll probably hold you fine. Your ladder just hit a bad spot. One bad luck story doesn't mean every line is a trap. People panic over nothing. Check the line visually for heavy wear. If it looks solid, it probably is. The screwdriver trick is just internet nonsense.