Roadside memorials

Good point andy.

i think it is fabulous and most kind

makes me grateful to be alive

and think of those who have lost someone

There was one by a tree on the road my grandsons live on. I used to hate the thought of them having to see it every day when they went to school. It wasn't an accident blackspot or anything, so it served no purpose as a warning to drivers. It was where a motorcyclist hit a tree. Very sad, but I didn't like it inflicted on GSs.

It's a different thing if it's on a busy road where accidents have happened. It's a warning then.

I know of one where the parents have replaced the flowers at the point where their daughter was killed literally hundreds of times. Always fresh flowers.

On another road there is a spot where there is a dirty, faded Manchester United flag which is all tattered at the edges and flapping. The flowers are long dead and just look awful. This is no longer a tribute to the man who was killed there.

I'm sure at the time it brought great comfort to the family to visit the spot where their loved one died, but when they have fallen into a bad state perhaps it would be appropriate for the council to remove them.

My elderly mother strongly dislikes & disapproves of this trend.
I think if it helps the families & friends & it’s flowers then that’s fine, I’m not sure about beer cans etc, but then if it brings comfort what’s the harm.

I agree MOnica , family and friends will have a grave or a place where ashes have been scattered to lay flowers for anniversaries

I understand them immediately after the death, but feel very queasy when they go on and get repeated on anniversaries. I think that should not be allowed for all the road safety and other reasons people have mentioned.

I think it all started around the time of the death of Diana,
floral tributes piling up, and that was about 22 years ago.
I haven’t noticed as many as there were a few years ago though.
The only bad thing about the memorials really is that they are a distraction on some dangerous roads, bends etc.

Many floral tributes are placed by friends and by people from the community where the dead person lived. I didn’t
like it when flowers were placed on the bridge where my elder daughter jumped but accepted it meant something to those who placed them, I wouldn’t, but it does no harm .

There was a long discussion on this recently:

www.gransnet.com/forums/aibu/1250659-Permanent-Memorials-at-Roadside-Accident-Spots

A distraction to motorists.

We live on a busy unlit main road where there have been five fatalities in the last few years three of which have roadside memorials which every so often are attended and renewed.I don't mind them and it helps me to think about the families of those who died.They were all young men in their twenties and very much loved.We have petitioned for lighting but it has been rejected by the Council on the grounds that none of the accidents happened where the houses are and so accidents will continue to happen.I believe these memorials make people think and it helps them to focus their thoughts around a particular tree etc.

I agree with everything you’ve said.

Not that new as before I retired 12 yrs ago I drove past a roadside memorial everyday for at least 10 yrs it was where a GPO engineer working at the roadside was killed by a lorry. His family must of drawn comfort from replacing the flowers weekly for all that time.
It’s not something I would do but others have their own way of dealing with grief.

I think people do some strange things in memory of their loved ones.
If it brings them comfort and harms nobody then I would leave them to it.

I find it difficult to understand most of it, to be honest.