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Running late for my class downtown, I decided to take the bus. Apparently I was running late for that too, but the driver kindly stopped when he spotted me tearing down the sidewalk. Out of breath, I thanked him briefly. He responded with a comment about my height followed by asking how tall I was (6′3″). That’s when things started to get weird.

The driver rambled on good-naturedly about his concerns for the safety and well-being of tall people. He claimed to belong to an organization called the Society for Prevention of Risk and Injury to Tall People. “SPRIT-P,” he said calmly, “is the sound that a tall person’s head makes hitting the ground.”

Now I’m well aware of the drawbacks of being tall. It mostly has to do with finding clothes that fit well (i.e. long enough yet not so wide as to fit two of me simultaneously), ducking pipes in parking garages and general discomfort on airplanes. And anyone with a passing knowledge of physics understands that the taller you are, the worst it’s gonna hurt when you hit the ground. Armed with this knowledge, I eye the ground warily and try not to fall too often.

After playing along for half a block, he was starting to make me uncomfortable. He seemed very serious about the subject and wouldn’t stop talking. I just wanted to get past that red line and shuffle my way to the back of the bus. Finally, by the next stop the spell broke and I was free. As I settled into a seat, I heard him comment on the height of another tall guy boarding the bus.

Returning home after class, I decided to try my hand at some more night shots, but this time across the Granville St. Bridge. This is my favourite of the three bridges crossing False Creek. It’s taller and longer than the rest and offers great views of both the east and the west. And tonight there were fireworks.

Now I am truly afraid of heights. You’d think I’d be used to it — but maybe it’s that fear of falling down from 6′3″ that makes the prospect of falling off a bridge intensely frightening. Crossing this bridge tonight made my legs turn to rubber.

Mine is a strange phobia with some very odd quirks. Natural heights aren’t bad: I’m fairly comfortable near the edge of a cliff, for example. But man-made objects like bridges and balconies really get to me. Especially if the railing is see-through (e.g. not solid concrete). Going across the Granville St. bridge is normally fine if I keep moving and remain distracted by the scenery. But the presence of people nearby makes it ten times worse. And the bridge was really crowded with people trying to find a good place to watch the fireworks.

So I snapped a few shots, trying to stay calm and perhaps linger long enough for the start of the show. But I couldn’t do it, and when my batteries died I knew it was time to split before I “sprit-p”. So there are a few decent pictures but, alas, no fireworks. At least I didn’t hit my head on the way home.

Photography tip for my fellow amateurs on the bridge: Night shots require a very steady platform. Tripods are ideal, but if you don’t have one, improvise. Bridges usually have railings (you won’t catch me on one that doesn’t!) which make a decent platform in pinch. Sadly, you will all have very blurry pictures of fireworks!