# Dangerous Stairs



## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

I think these must be the most dangerous stairs I ever saw!


View attachment 105601


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

jennifertemple said:


> I think these must be the most dangerous stairs I ever saw!
> 
> 
> View attachment 105601


Yep- NO RAILINGS!


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Fman said:


> Yep- NO RAILINGS!


Wait until you are trying to navigate them while UI with no railings!:wink:


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Somebody who was too clever regarding design and too stupid regarding practicality/common sense/safety.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

Reminds me of my stairs down to my basement. I kind of like those because its the only way you could make wider steps for such a steep pitch. Mine are just single steps, but double black diamond into the abyss! Trying to go down with full laundry basket is the worst!


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

The stairs in our house are just regular ones - but that’s what they look like when I try to go down them after one too many.


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

The person who built that clearly didn’t pull a permit and had no knowledge or concern for building codes and/or safety. I certainly hope the homeowners don’t have children. 

One dangerous stairway I encountered was in the 1666 Alexander Standish house which my family lived in for a number of years. Alexander was the son of the Mayflower Pilgrim, Captain Myles Standish. The stairs to the 2nd floor had less than a 4 ft run for an 8 ft rise, also having a rope for a handrail. It was like climbing a step ladder, having to almost pull yourself up using the rope.

Aside from that, I can’t say I’ve ever seen or worked on an unsafe stairway or encountered one that wasn’t built to code. I did however have a close encounter of the third kind involving a set of stairs.

Although a bit off the safety topic, the close encounter of the third kind involved walking down a flight of stairs in one of former media mogul Robert FX Sillerman’s homes. The stairs led into what was a knock-off of a 70’s/80’s discotheque/dance club. When walking down the stairs the first time, I wasn’t aware that there were pressure sensitive actuators incorporated into the stair treads which would cause different lighting and sound FX to turn on at each given step. Each stair tread when stepped on would produce a different musical note along with a different lighting effect. I didn’t quite get it until walking down the first 5 treads, the notes being composer’s John William’s theme from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”. Just when I thought the fun was over after walking down the stairs, I accidentally stepped onto what was the keyboard from the movie “Big” which was on the dance floor. When no one was looking I couldn’t resist giving chopsticks a go..


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## Fman (Aug 20, 2011)

Alchemy Redux said:


> The person who built that clearly didn’t pull a permit and had no knowledge or concern for building codes and/or safety. I certainly hope the homeowners don’t have children.
> 
> One dangerous stairway I encountered was in the 1666 Alexander Standish house which my family lived in for a number of years. Alexander was the son of the Mayflower Pilgrim, Captain Myles Standish. The stairs to the 2nd floor had less than a 4 ft run for an 8 ft rise, also having a rope for a handrail. It was like climbing a step ladder, having to almost pull yourself up using the rope.
> 
> ...


I happened upon the "Big" keyboard once! I didn't step on it to play though. I play piano by ear.


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## Lightningboy65 (Mar 12, 2018)

Steep pitched stairways are common in old houses in the NE, especially in a "butlers" secondary stairway. I never saw one where the treads didn't span the entire width.


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