I saw this the first time years ago, in Missouri, where the dial-up service made it jerky and quirky. Now, I see it again, and have to marvel at it, my gooseflesh taking control.
@Patsy Faye @Nancy Hart Having worked with high voltage equipment all my life (and, still alive!), I was astonished to learn they do routine maintenance on such "high-lines" while energized. The scenes of him bringing the chopper up to line potential are "shocking". If he did not do that, as soon as any part of his body, hand, foot, came near the line, that spark would have jumped to his body, probably electrocuting him. As done, he feels nothing but the wind while crawling on those wires! Frank
We watch a new channel here now 'Smithsonian' They have a lot of US history programmes, I was shocked when I saw workers way back and the dangerous conditions they faced, a lot died doing the work, you just don't expect to see such dangers today
My guess is the reason for crawling those lines is to check the compression sleeve that connects the lines. Stringing high power transmission lines takes a lot of engineering & once strung routine inspection is a must. The most I've done before lines were energized was to check the full safe operation of the 170 ft. condor bucket trucks used. Example Safe operation from outrigger stability to full extension & boom storage before use was mandatory. Crawling the lines may still be needed It's been many years since I was involved in transmission line construction. Thankfully I got out of that as a job & into management.
Dial up service lines and telephone line are not considered high voltage. High voltage is electrical utility lines, carrying electrical service across country, around like 2.4KV or 7.2 Kv or 12.5 KV and up. 480 is considered dangerous if not handled properly, even 120 volts can under certain circumstances shock or kill you but not considered high voltage. Now high line repair people go through some harrowing experiences to do repair work as you @Frank Sanoica have shown. I am very fearful of high places and not so high places.
You're a safe as in your Mother's arms...a long as you don't touch the OTHER wires! (1.12 Million Volts DC, anyone?) Hal