I guess I am a little farther out of town and they get away with more here. This area of Florida was smart enough to get wide right of way areas bought while they could afford it. Usually the truck can get off the road on the grass, since the poles are always on the property owner edge of the ROW.
I am sure you can't climb a fiberglass pole with gaffs but there might be some other rig. I doubt OSHA would approve anything like that in the 21st century tho.
The 230kv line behind my house is 90' up on a concrete pole. The last time they looked at that they used a drone. The guy told me, if something needed fixing, I was going to see a helicopter.


Greg Fretwell