somewhat safe

possibly lethal

Ladders I
My general rule of thumb for ladders is the shorter the better. Although I am not afraid of heights, ladders are scary. Surprisingly, I actually have many ladders.  Most of these take the form of the usual- step stools, step ladders and three sizes of extensions. The longest extension (28 feet) frightens me so much I hide it under the front porch. That way I only remember it when I absolutely need it. Honestly, I have looked up at a dead branch in a gutter (house is tall and narrow) and wondered how will I get that thing down?
On top of a full compliment of "regular" ladders I also have several odd short ones I use to screw in art to the walls of a neighborhood bakery, bunk bed versions decorating our tree-house,links from the garage roof to the tree house and a curved model from a scrapyard for fun. The reader may be thinking- Why on earth would a person who is afraid of ladders have more than they need? Simply put, ladders are not only very useful tools, they have a mystical quality. Call it a bridge - connecting or allowing for greater possibilities.
One time I had to install a 25 foot Chinese dragon bas-relief sculpture on the outside wall of a futon shop. Knowing my proclivities for error/disaster, I requested an employee stand  the base of the ladder. He later said "You wanted me to keep it steady, right?". To which I answered "No, I figured if I fell, I would fall on you and survive".