It will take 2-3 years for a baby to reach anywhere near the 6ft mark, so if you want to get a RTB baby I'd say you wouldn't need someone else to spot you for a good amount of time. Even more so if you get a BCI rather than a BCC (or "true" Red Tail) My BCI girl is at the 6ft range and even though I have someone close by just in case, she's very laid back and I've never really run into any REAL danger. I just believe in the motto "better safe than sorry". Even if your family isn't fond of snakes, I'm sure they would help you if you called for them. As for my girl, as long as she feels properly supported, she's more than happy to wrap herself around my waist and hang out around my shoulders, and "taste" anything nearby. I just have to be careful if I'm sitting down because she likes to wander off, and her reach is pretty far.
They're very curious snakes and they make a great introduction into the larger constrictors. They're usually very even-tempered (babies that are hissy are usually all show, and calm down with regular handling), are GREAT feeders and their requirements are very close to Ball Pythons. You just need to be prepared (for one day down the line) being able to provide an enclosure that could be up to 6ft in length! Just be prepared to eventually care for a decent-sized constrictor that will be eating large/jumbo rats.
For reference, my girl and I. I'm around 5'4" (and pretty tiny lol). Each snake is different, and you should adjust your handling accordingly to how it acts and how safe you feel.
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