Roadside Memorials
Author
Discussion

sparkythecat

Original Poster:

8,101 posts

285 months

Monday 28th November 2005
quotequote all
When someone meets an untimely death out of doors, I suppose it's understandable that their nearest and dearest may want to visit the place where their loved one died and lay a bunch of flowers at the spot. Fair enough, I'd probably do the same.

But what has brought about the apperent increased propensity for the mawkish dumping of tat in the street, by people who have little or no connection with the deceased?.

Some dimwitted infant runs into the path of a passing car and before you know it the pavement is littered with soft toys. What's that all about then?

I can't believe the ammount of tat that's been dumped outside Old Trafford - there must be lorryloads of it. What happens to all this stuff and who has to clean it up?

cotty

42,252 posts

314 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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Not really sure where your going with this one

ZR1cliff

17,999 posts

279 months

Monday 28th November 2005
quotequote all
Think your being a bit harsh there,its all part of the grieving proccess and the things like soft toys and stuff from large memorials will probably go to charity.

As for dimwitted kids running in front of cars....children are like animals in that they sometimes do things out of instinct and dart out in the road without thinking.

pzero64

2,159 posts

271 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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sparkythecat said:
there must be lorryloads of it.


I’m seeing Christmas present potential here

tonyhetherington

32,091 posts

280 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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Didn't all the memorials and cards etc. left for Sir Matt Busby get mulched up and now form the statue of him in front of old trafford? Quite fitting that

FourWheelDrift

92,342 posts

314 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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I don't like the bigger constructions, the kind of things that would probably injure a biker if they were to hit one. For example there is one in Milton Keynes that looks more like a dovecote and is about 5ft tall and made of wood, right by the side of the road.

The MK council are not allowing any more to be built. www.miltonkeynes.libdems.org.uk/news/155.html

heebeegeetee

30,177 posts

278 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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I don't like roadside shrines.

sparkythecat

Original Poster:

8,101 posts

285 months

Monday 28th November 2005
quotequote all
heebeegeetee said:
I don't like roadside shrines.


Thankfully we don't see many permanent shrines in this country, they seem to be the preseve of those countries where religion is practised with much more enthusiasm than we seem currently able to muster.

Rob P

5,821 posts

294 months

Monday 28th November 2005
quotequote all
Fair enough I say, but some seem to be placed in the most dangerous of places. Many appear on trees next to the motorway. Nice thought but a bit bloody dangerous.

billynomates

2,101 posts

266 months

Monday 28th November 2005
quotequote all
sparkythecat said:
heebeegeetee said:
I don't like roadside shrines.




Nor me. Spied one well attended shrine.. memorial.. come grave stone on the M6 last week not more than 1.5mtrs from the hard shoulder. Fresh flowers and not a weed to be seen.










leftie

11,838 posts

265 months

Monday 28th November 2005
quotequote all
I was approached to do a project on this some years ago. The idea was that if an agreed symbol could be used (e.g. a small sign with flowers on) it may serve as a reminder and slow people down. It was objected to by the councils because they were trying to reduce 'roadside furniture' and didn't want the liability issue if they identified a location as a 'blackspot' and had done nothing about it. Seems that speed cameras, massive orange backboards for speed limits signs, gallons of surface paint, humps, red tarmac, council adverts on roundabouts, rumble strips etc don't count.

tinman0

18,231 posts

270 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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ZR1cliff said:
Think your being a bit harsh there,its all part of the grieving proccess and the things like soft toys and stuff from large memorials will probably go to charity.


I was going to post something like this yesterday but decided not to. Its getting just a little bit out of control and I suppose its because people are cremated more so the memorial is the place where they died rather than in a private sanctuary.

The shrine just down the road is for 2 girls who were run over 5 years ago by 2 young guys racing in the dark, in the wet and went round a corner, mounted the pavement and hit a tree. Unfortunately the two girls were on the pavement. However, the shrine has been almost constantly manned. The two guys were given decentish jail sentences.

The second shrine 1/4 mile away on the same road is for a lady and her young child. She drove her Escort into the front of an oncoming bus. No prizes for guessing which vehicle won. If you wonder how she did it - she was overtaking a bus was in the oncomin lane, hit the second bus whilst picking up her mobile phone off the passenger floor??

But again - why do we need to be reminded about this constantly?

>> Edited by tinman0 on Monday 28th November 21:08

markmullen

15,877 posts

264 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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My family are under strict instructions that if I die on the road (doing 1000 miles per week its more likely) they are not to put down flowers and tat at the spot.

simpo two

92,917 posts

295 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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I find the odd bunch of flowers by the roadside a reminder that somebody dies there. Not for their sake, but for mine. However that's family grief and remembrance, which is entirely understandable. I don't understand why strangers want to do the same.

GKP

15,099 posts

271 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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Oh well, I suppose it'll leave more room for the off white sheet with "Happy 24th, Charmaine" scrawled on it, to be hung up.

polus

4,343 posts

255 months

Monday 28th November 2005
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pzero64 said:
sparkythecat said:
there must be lorryloads of it.


I’m seeing Christmas present potential here


LOL thats so wrong...

ZR1cliff

17,999 posts

279 months

Tuesday 29th November 2005
quotequote all
tinman0 said:
ZR1cliff said:
Think your being a bit harsh there,its all part of the grieving proccess and the things like soft toys and stuff from large memorials will probably go to charity.


I was going to post something like this yesterday but decided not to. Its getting just a little bit out of control and I suppose its because people are cremated more so the memorial is the place where they died rather than in a private sanctuary.

The shrine just down the road is for 2 girls who were run over 5 years ago by 2 young guys racing in the dark, in the wet and went round a corner, mounted the pavement and hit a tree. Unfortunately the two girls were on the pavement. However, the shrine has been almost constantly manned. The two guys were given decentish jail sentences.

The second shrine 1/4 mile away on the same road is for a lady and her young child. She drove her Escort into the front of an oncoming bus. No prizes for guessing which vehicle won. If you wonder how she did it - she was overtaking a bus was in the oncomin lane, hit the second bus whilst picking up her mobile phone off the passenger floor??

But again - why do we need to be reminded about this constantly?

>> Edited by tinman0 on Monday 28th November 21:08


I think the worst place ive seen for roadside memorials is Koss,every couple of miles there is a little "dolls house chapel" on the spot where someones loved one has died and this can be on a dangerous bend about a foot away from the road,in the tiny wooden chapel they put the dead loved ones favourite possesions,gifts and a lit candle.

You are right it is getting more common placed and only the other day i was crossing a bridge over the M3 when i saw a large bank of flowers on the side of the bridge(a woman in her early 20's died when her car got hit from behind while she queued to get off the M3).

Another one i know of is where a young bloke in his late teens died and there is a shrine in the bushes with his favourite football scarf,flowers and photo pinned to a tree.

Like i say its all part of the grieving proccess,and in time these spots will get forgotten but in the meantime they help people come to terms with losing their loved ones,to some of us that might be hard to understand but then hopefully none of us live to experience such a loss.

>> Edited by ZR1cliff on Tuesday 29th November 01:54

Kinky

39,944 posts

299 months

Tuesday 29th November 2005
quotequote all
ZR1cliff said:
... a woman in her early 20's died when her car got hit from behind while she queued to get off the M3 ...


You know - I'm suprised there's not more accidents there at J6.

I queue there every morning [southbound] and am glued to my off-side wing mirror for the 1st sign of trouble - so I can accellerate onto the hard shoulder.

Only last week an elderly lady in a pug 106 came to a complete stop in lane 2 about a mile from the junction - I was right behind her - but fortunately enough of a gap behind ..... however - the artic behind me did not - and had to slam on his anchors and move sideways into lane 3. Believe you me my heart was in my mouth for those few seconds. Fortunately there was nothing in lane 3 at the time - but if there had been - I dread to think what would have happened.

Sorry - had to get that off my chest. Back on topic now.

ZR1cliff

17,999 posts

279 months

Tuesday 29th November 2005
quotequote all
Kinky said:
ZR1cliff said:
... a woman in her early 20's died when her car got hit from behind while she queued to get off the M3 ...


You know - I'm suprised there's not more accidents there at J6.

I queue there every morning [southbound] and am glued to my off-side wing mirror for the 1st sign of trouble - so I can accellerate onto the hard shoulder.

Only last week an elderly lady in a pug 106 came to a complete stop in lane 2 about a mile from the junction - I was right behind her - but fortunately enough of a gap behind ..... however - the artic behind me did not - and had to slam on his anchors and move sideways into lane 3. Believe you me my heart was in my mouth for those few seconds. Fortunately there was nothing in lane 3 at the time - but if there had been - I dread to think what would have happened.

Sorry - had to get that off my chest. Back on topic now.


Ime with you on that one Kinky,its well bloody dangerous and about time something was done.

Try coming off at the hook Jctn,turn right across m/way go to Dorchester arms and straight over T/Lights,,,T junc turn Left and follow road through to Basing, turn right over bridge and come out in Lychpit through to daneshill and in

Sorry back on topic

Don

28,378 posts

314 months

Tuesday 29th November 2005
quotequote all
sparkythecat said:

But what has brought about the apperent increased propensity for the mawkish dumping of tat in the street, by people who have little or no connection with the deceased?.


Blimmin' "memorials". I have no problem with flowers being placed anywhere. They're biodegradeable - they will soon be tidied up by the Earth itself.

Soft toys, though...NO!

People die on Snowdon and Ben Nevis (etc) every year. The National Parks don't want shite left on their mountains but its starting to happen. Scandalous.

Its bloody LITTER! Take it home.