Roadside shrines

What is your opinion of them?

I think it is a terrible idea, they look tacky, and i think the idea of placing flowers where someone was horribly killed in a car crash is pretty morbid.
There is one near me, sadly a couple were returning from a night out just before their honeymoon and tipped over the car and both died. It is a really sad story, but i dont think the way to honour someones life is to put flowers next to the mangled fence the car plowed through.

There was also one near to me where a young boy of 19 stole a car, and killed himself joyriding after crashing it. There were tonnes of flowers and even graffiti scribbled all over the ground and walls. Nice to have an excuse to graffiti isn't it without the threat of the police saying anything, because that would be insensitive. I don't exactly have sympathy for someone who stole a car, and could have killed pedestrians with dangerous driving. Better him than anyone else he may have killed.

But really the main point i am making is that i think this is a bad way to remember someones life. Plant a tree, or place flowers in a memorial garden in their memory, not next to a busy polluted road.

What are your opinions?

I kinda suspect it's a way for acquaintences and "casual" friends to really just have a think about who they've lost. It's an odd one, I'm sure the dead don't care but I've been to two biker friends crash sites before now, along with others and none of us were really that close to the victim to be solid friends, or perhaps even funeral attending worthy, but they were close enough that folks just wanted to take some time out, pause and remember the fallen. It's daft but I guess the crash site is as good a place as any just to take that time to think.

It's an odd one, I definitely get what you mean and like I say, I'm sure the dead don't care; but I guess part of it is just human nature.

It's a relatively new thing - never saw it before about 15 years ago.

i believe one or two members of this forum have lost their lives and have memorials near or on the spot where they fell, killed through no fault of their own, so think its a delicate subject.

i therefore shall just say its not for me, but dont have a real issue with it

I`d also say it`s not for me but I can understand that people want to place the memorial as a mark of respect.

[Biker Biggles]

Not for me either but a slightly different reason.
The most tragic thing for me is that these shrines demonstrate how we do actually forget these incidents over time.They start with regular attention and new flowers every day or every week but slowly they get neglected and eventually become a bunch of dried stalks.Human nature Im sure,but Id rather not have started in the first place.

[fizzwheel]

We put flowers at the place where my friend was killed, after his funeral, they were cleared away as his family didnt want that place becoming a shrine. I walk / drive / ride past the accident spot quite frequently, but I dont need to have a specific place to go to remember him.

I think its Ok, until theres a more suitable place such as a grave where they can be placed.

[Lissa]

Originally Posted by ArtyLady

It's a relatively new thing - never saw it before about 15 years ago.

I wonder if it's another Americanism that's made it's way over here?

Pete and I are in agreement about this issue, and it's not for us either.

i think they can have a positive effect on others. i think it can help some people be more aware that some roads are dangerous, might make people think a bit more.

personally im not keen on permanant memorials, like benches, as over time they get neglected and look bad, and end up disrespectful IMO, things like planted trees are much better as they need no maintainance and so only get better with time.

It's popular on the continent, certainly there were loads in Corsica when I went. After Mark's death we put some flowers at the spot but they were cleared away after a while. I don't think we need a permanent shrine there like abroad, but I always give a nod when I ride past there now.