I guess that some of us are "flatlanders" when it comes to dwelling arrangements. I don't mind looking out of windows high up, but I once looked at an apartment in Skyline Towers at Bailey's Crossroads in VA and instantly knew it was not for me, but the lady opened the door to the balcony and invited me to see it. I eased out against the door frame and did not go near the railing, but when the swimming pool 20 some floors down looked like a postage stamp, I just knew that I would not enjoy a balcony up there unless maybe the air conditioning broke and that was the only place with a breeze so I could crawl out and lie down to sleep when it was dark and I could not see how high up I was. It was like when I looked over the railing, it seemed like the forces carrying me off the balcony were greater than the forces keeping me on the balcony.
About the wind: that is a big factor in wanting to have plants on a balacony and not just that they will be blown away, but also that the wind is very dehydrating to the plants so they need lots of water and are generally very stressed.
There was a balcony railing failure in NYC earlier this year, I think, where the date was sitting on the brick railing and it suddenly just gave way and he fell to his death. I don't want to go that way. I at least want to have somethng solid under me, whatever happens above or around me.