Roadside Shrines

fryup · 03-02-2009 6:43pm #1

I was listening to liveline today and they were having a debate about roadside shrines/memorials.

Some people were saying they were an eyesore, morbid and a distraction to drivers.......while others (mainly the relatives) were saying they were an appropriate gesture to there loved ones and a timely reminder to drivers to drive safely.

I sort of sit on the fence about it, i don't mind people putting flowers or a card at the spot where their loved ones died, but i draw the line at the more permanent shrines - i.e. the crosses and statues esp those big in your face ones.

How do you feel about it??...they're increasing in number each year..is it time to bring in regulations on them??

Plug · 03-02-2009 6:46pm

Its not like if there fag butts. Theres not too many.
I'd prefer to crash while looking at a nice woman than looking at a death scene memorial.

[Deleted User] · 03-02-2009 6:46pm

I think criticising how other people chose to mourn, is just about as low as you can go.

Turd Ferguson · 03-02-2009 6:49pm

Every time I pass one I think to myself "Thats a very unusual place to bury someone"

Biggins · 03-02-2009 6:59pm

For me, they serve three purposes.

1. They are a reminded how precious life is and how we should appreciate and stand up for the things we do have.
2. They are a personal mark of respect for those now gone.
3. If they are by a roadside, they also serve as a warning that dangers still exist at a particular bend and the costs that could be paid for ignoring such items, can be a heavy one.

03-02-2009 7:00pm

Moonbaby wrote: »

I think criticising how other people chose to mourn, is just about as low as you can go.

couldn't agree more - if these memorials give comfort to a family what about it?

FlutterinBantam · 03-02-2009 7:03pm

Ok what about if they are 40 metres high and 20 metres wide??

Biggins · 03-02-2009 7:06pm

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Ok what about if they are 40 metres high and 20 metres wide??

One example or GTFO please.

shenanigans1982 · 03-02-2009 7:11pm

Closest you'll get.

http://www.briarpatchmagazine.com/batches/may07/Elmer3.jpg

Biggins · 03-02-2009 7:13pm

shenanigans1982 wrote: »

Closest you'll get.

http://www.briarpatchmagazine.com/batches/may07/Elmer3.jpg

Interesting. Pity one has to travel that far to find one that size!
We don't fall across them everyday here in Ireland do we?

ScumLord · 03-02-2009 7:17pm

What would happen if you crashed into one? Innocently. Would you, or your family have to replace it or would the people who put it there be in some way responsible for an obstruction?

[Deleted User] · 03-02-2009 7:17pm

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Ok what about if they are 40 metres high and 20 metres wide??

You don't want to piss of the kind of people who pimp memorials that way.
Well not if you have a dislike of slash hooks and having your pelvis driven over and over by commerical vechiles.

Turd Ferguson · 03-02-2009 7:17pm

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Ok what about if they are 40 metres high and 20 metres wide??

Hey, that one is a life size statue of my ma :mad:

mike65 · 03-02-2009 7:19pm

Heres the website for them (not kidding)

http://www.irishroadside.com/

The Tramore Road is a case in point. 11 of them over a 7 mile journey.

SoupyNorman · 03-02-2009 7:21pm

I was listening to that today, I dont have a problem with it too much however the guy whos daughter crashed into one writing off her car in the process was a good example how some are a little OTT. A sizeable solid granite object in the ditch can be hazardous.

dsmythy · 03-02-2009 7:22pm

mike65 wrote: »

Heres the website for them (not kidding)

http://www.irishroadside.com/

The Tramore Road is a case in point. 11 of them over a 7 mile journey.

I guess drivers on said road had better slow down then.

Biggins · 03-02-2009 7:23pm

mike65 wrote: »

Heres the website for them (not kidding)

http://www.irishroadside.com/

The Tramore Road is a case in point. 11 of them over a 7 mile journey.

It must be a serious bad road - and it begs the question what the heck is being done by the nearest local elected representative(s) to help cut down on the deaths?

mike65 · 03-02-2009 7:25pm

The deaths range over about 60 years to be fair, its a grand road in itself.

Karoma · 03-02-2009 7:25pm

bravestarr082 wrote: »

I was listening to that today, I dont have a problem with it too much however the guy whos daughter crashed into one writing off her car in the process was a good example how some are a little OTT. A sizeable solid granite object in the ditch can be hazardous.

I didn't listen to that tripe, so forgive me if I'm missing out on the finer points of her argument, but on the face of what you typed: If you're in a ditch, you're already boned.

They're a sober reminder that crashes can lead to death. Leave 'em. I'm sure they have to get permission from the authorities over where/what they can put in place, so they're unlikely to actually cause accidents. If people are distracted by them... Maybe we should make some drivers wear blinkers because there are other distractions out there. Big. Scary. Distractions.

Myxomatosis · 03-02-2009 7:26pm

mike65 wrote: »

Heres the website for them (not kidding)

http://www.irishroadside.com/

The Tramore Road is a case in point. 11 of them over a 7 mile journey.

Websites design = shite

Websites content = shite. Who would be interested in browsing pictures of headstones? Apart from the immediate family perhaps.

Biggins · 03-02-2009 7:26pm

bravestarr082 wrote: »

...the guy whos daughter crashed into one writing off her car in the process was a good example how some are a little OTT. A sizeable solid granite object in the ditch can be hazardous.

...and how did she end up off the road in the first place?

A tree on the side of any road is a dangerous thing to hit too.
Do we remove all them by following that process of thinking!

shenanigans1982 · 03-02-2009 7:27pm

Wouldn't have thought the Tramore road was that bad to have 7 of these on it. Especially when you consider how short it is. Would hate to think how many there are between Carlow and Tramore....one of the worst roads in the country.

03-02-2009 7:29pm

Doesn't bother me.

If they are such a distraction to drivers we should build 8ft walls around every single road in Irleand so the poor bastards aren't "distracted".

They serve as reminders to those using the roads, be they motorists, cyclists or pedestrians. They may be morbid, but then again if it effects you that much you need psychological help. There IS something wrong with you.

Biggins, can't blame the local electorate on that really, there may be more to it than that. Say the majority that have died did not abide by the rules?

Biggins · 03-02-2009 7:31pm

Noel Fast Hitter wrote: »

Biggins, can't blame the local electorate on that really, there may be more to it than that. Say the majority that have died did not abide by the rules?

Quite possibly true but hard to say when we don't know if they are driver, passenger or roadside innocent victim also.

shenanigans1982 · 03-02-2009 7:32pm

Biggins wrote: »

...and how did she end up off the road in the first place?

A tree on the side of any road is a dangerous thing to hit too.
Do we remove all them by following that process of thinking!

No thats just a stupid argument, we see hundreds of trees on any trip we take and pay no attention to them and while we see more of these memorials than we should they do take your attention away from the road which could easily lead to somebody ending up in a ditch or worse.

Biggins · 03-02-2009 7:36pm

shenanigans1982 wrote: »

No thats just a stupid argument, we see hundreds of trees on any trip we take and pay no attention to them and while we see more of these memorials than we should they do take your attention away from the road which could easily lead to somebody ending up in a ditch or worse.

Gee, I could say the same for every male/female that might attract the eye.
Maybe every roadside sign, poster, boarding - yea - lets remove them all.
After all, we are reading daily about how these things are causing loads of accident in our papers! :rolleyes:

Professey Chin · 03-02-2009 7:37pm

Biggins wrote: »

It must be a serious bad road - and it begs the question what the heck is being done by the nearest local elected representative(s) to help cut down on the deaths?

Most recent thing done to it was a resurfacing that made it worse then ever. Comin apart everywhere and its only a matter of time till thats 12:(

SoupyNorman · 03-02-2009 7:38pm

Karoma wrote: »

I didn't listen to that tripe, so forgive me if I'm missing out on the finer points of her argument, but on the face of what you typed: If you're in a ditch, you're already boned.

They're a sober reminder that crashes can lead to death. Leave 'em. I'm sure they have to get permission from the authorities over where/what they can put in place, so they're unlikely to actually cause accidents. If people are distracted by them... Maybe we should make some drivers wear blinkers because there are other distractions out there. Big. Scary. Distractions.

Biggins wrote:

...and how did she end up off the road in the first place?

A tree on the side of any road is a dangerous thing to hit too.
Do we remove all them by following that process of thinking!

No need for the self-righteous attitudes if you didnt hear it first hand.

His daughter was in a line of traffic travelling at a moderate speed, car in front jammed on, she swerved into the grass verge and had the monument not been there the car would have been ok, so the callers story goes.

As I said, I have no issue with the shrines/momuments but why do they need to be secondary gravestones, a plaque will serve the purpose intended and not cause any obstructions.

dollybird09 · 03-02-2009 7:39pm

holy crap... that website with the pics of the memorials is creepy...ok I know someone is going to freak out that I just said that!!

I know its meant as a stark reminder to all of us to slow down and not put our family in the same position as those who have erected these memorials, at the same time I think the website is morbid. If the function of these memorials is to allow the family to remember, then why not visit the site / the graveyard rather than set up a website... its certainly not how I'd choose to remember a loved one

Bogger77 · 03-02-2009 7:41pm

shenanigans1982 wrote: »

No thats just a stupid argument, we see hundreds of trees on any trip we take and pay no attention to them and while we see more of these memorials than we should they do take your attention away from the road which could easily lead to somebody ending up in a ditch or worse.

if seeing an object/cross/memorial/static object on the side of the road causes you to be distracted, you should not be driving. Simple.

as for the girl hitting one and totalling her car, boo hoo, "I'm a bad driver, I went off the road and hit a static object in the ditch and I'm blaming the object for it.", what if it was a cyclist who'd pulled in to let her pass, or those 2 ladies from up the road that go walking every evening standing in to let her pass.
Loads of what if's, but only one thing is certain, she left the roadway, in an uncontrolled manner, at such speed that she seriously damaged her car. She shouldn't be driving, if she cannot accept responsibility for it.

UpCork · 03-02-2009 7:41pm

I heard the debate on 'Liveline' today and to be honest, the families should be entitled to do what they want (within reason of course).

The inital woman who rang in made a valid point - she said her son (who was killed in a 'hit and run') didn't die in a hospital or in his own bed at home. This got me thinking, anyone of the older generation of my family (grandparents and their siblings) passed away in the same hospital here in Cork. We as a family dread having to go near the place as it evokes such bad memories for us. I know when I drive by the hospital, they are the first people that come into my mind - when I see the 'A&E' deparment for example, I can't help but think of the night my grandmother was brought in as she was sadly dying. Therefore, these families everytime they pass a particular road they are reminded of where their loved ones passed on. Only difference is really, you can't go erecting memorials in hospitals.

If they aren't too garish, aren't causing an obstruction and are in off the side of the road, then I don't see a problem and if it brings relief to the family, then what harm is it doing.

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