Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Dick on July 11, 2012, 03:51:24 pm

Title: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: Dick on July 11, 2012, 03:51:24 pm
Have read threads about ladders falling off van roof and really didn't think it would happen to me.....until today. I had to take van into garage for some MOT work and decided to take ladder off do to my own windows, I undid the ladder clamp then took something else out of van and drove to garage. I travelled about a quarter of a mile and when I turned right at traffic lights I wondered what the strange noise was, it was the ladders sliding off. I managed to park quickly and ran to retrieve them from the middle of the junction. I think I was very lucky as it was 8.15 with plenty of traffic and school children about, no one was injured. I was a bit shaken. The only damage was the nearside mirror had come adrift, the garage had refitted it, I hadn't noticed it had come off I was so glad to get ladders and get away.
A close shave.
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: roundbuilder on July 11, 2012, 04:00:26 pm
To stop this happening again why not invest in some telescopic steps. Thats what i use as i kept having my ladders stollen from roof. Its nice not needing anything on the roof.
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: johnny bravo on July 11, 2012, 04:26:10 pm
telescopic steps,     do they come in different heights.
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: roundbuilder on July 11, 2012, 04:32:34 pm
Not sure but mine get me on any flat roof i come against.
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: PurefectWindowCleaning on July 11, 2012, 05:17:54 pm
Its happened to us before, lucky enough its was on a quiet street with no one around. I had a nice scuff all down the bonnet, which polished out somehow.

I now automacticly when driving off, look in my wing mirror and check that i can see the ladder clamp on the ladder  ;)
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: Klean07 on July 11, 2012, 05:19:19 pm
Happened to me twice in 25 years. Funny thing was though the second time I drove 4 miles home one day without them falling off. Couldn't believe it when they fell off next day though!! ;D
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: gary999 on July 11, 2012, 06:02:04 pm
i drove home from the lickey hills back to my house about three miles
went to put ladders in garage discovered to my horror i hadnt tied them down ;D
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: Tony Edwards on July 11, 2012, 06:05:03 pm
i drove home from the lickey hills back to my house about three miles
went to put ladders in garage discovered to my horror i hadnt tied them down ;D

I put my ladders in the van and the wife on the roof.

Got home she was gone, result !
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: Dick on July 11, 2012, 06:11:03 pm
I don't think telescopic steps would have made any difference, I just clean forget to get ladders off, luckily I had put clamps in the van, so didn't lose those which I've often done as I always put them on the roof and have left ladders at a job to finish off and driven away to a clatter of clamps.
A new memory is what I want.

Funnily enough where I'd taken the van to for MOT work, a taxi driver had taken his car there as well and recognised my van and said to the mechanic, 'I saw those ladder fall off that van this morning.'
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: gary999 on July 11, 2012, 06:16:40 pm
i drove home from the lickey hills back to my house about three miles
went to put ladders in garage discovered to my horror i hadnt tied them down ;D

I put my ladders in the van and the wife on the roof.

Got home she was gone, result !

lmfao ;D
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: Tony Edwards on July 11, 2012, 06:18:59 pm
i drove home from the lickey hills back to my house about three miles
went to put ladders in garage discovered to my horror i hadnt tied them down ;D

I put my ladders in the van and the wife on the roof.

Got home she was gone, result !

lmfao ;D


Cheers Gary

I was laughing as i wrote it

What a saddo I am !
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: Cliff perkins on July 11, 2012, 06:40:51 pm
Being forgetfull is what got me in trouble.
I left the handbrake off on my 18 ton tipper truck when i reversed onto my low loader.i put the airlines onto the trailer which in return made the trailer and tipper truck roll back,i tried to pull the air line out the trailer where it was connected directly behind the rear wheel of the tipper truck,unfortunately as i pulled it out my right leg got sucked under the back wheel and it came to a stop with half my leg underneath it.
I had to wait there for an hour with a total of 18 ton ontop of my leg untill somebody found me and the ambulance was called along with the fire engine to jack the truck up.

Being forgetfull nearly lost my leg.
 ;D
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: Roy Cauldery on July 11, 2012, 07:03:54 pm
i drove home from the lickey hills back to my house about three miles
went to put ladders in garage discovered to my horror i hadnt tied them down ;D

I put my ladders in the van and the wife on the roof.

Got home she was gone, result !

another top post Mr Edwards-I have once again spilt my beer with laughter ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: dotty on July 11, 2012, 07:45:06 pm
good post i for get how to spell every day it does my head in but a know how to count money
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: firefly123 on July 11, 2012, 08:22:29 pm
when i was a retained fireman about 15 years ago had a call about 5 30 am  1 pump had gone up the road about 5 mins later knock on door  guy says your fire engine  just lost a ladder in road allways pays to check things are secure only cost 1500 for a new ladder
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: AC Window Cleaning on July 11, 2012, 08:39:46 pm
I once lost a set of ladders and the roofrack at 70mph on my car when i just started on a busy a road,the whole lot span through the air like a helicopter hahaha.
Luckily it didnt hit anything or anyone ;D
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: david watts on July 11, 2012, 08:43:42 pm
done it myself;allways put ladder hooks on drivers seat now
get into habit of puting them on and dont get sidetracked
Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: BVC on July 11, 2012, 09:22:12 pm
Got a set of ladders still floating in the river orwell after they came off the orwell bridge 5 years ago. ;D

Title: Re: Never thought it would happen to me.
Post by: Dean Taberner on July 11, 2012, 10:53:46 pm
A £650 WFP flying off the roof rack isn't much fun either. :o

Dean.