Headstones Along the Road.

Lando Griffin

I am not in favour of it; headstones at the roadside to remember someone that died on the road.
If that person died say chasing cattle or in the pub I doubt there would be a head stone erected.
Headstones are for graveyards should not be allowed on roadside for public safety if say one was laying a wreth or a driver getting distracted.
What's the general view on this morbid depressing subject?

Seachmall

They're not headstones. They're memorials.

They're partly there to make drivers aware that people have died on that road.

And they're about as distracting as road signs.

lkionm

It's for the walkers to get distracted by.

Lando Griffin

Seachmall wrote: »

They're not headstones. They're memorials.

They're partly there to make drivers aware that people have died on that road.

And they're about as distracting as road signs.

I for one don't need reminding that people die in the roads.
People die doing all sorts of things like overeating but I don't see a headstones outside supermarkets or fast food chains.

keith16

I don't agree headstones nice but have to remember there that the road?; the pub different no-one died in the pub and people don't remember if they did or not because there is no headstone there on the bar? airplanes too, plenty people die there but no graves in the plane only seats so I agree with that but am still sad because sometimes I can remember by myself. There should be headstones for forgotten paragraphs too, so much potential but only black space filled with text text and more text like this but only bigger or sometimes smaller but font size 2 is ok.

McDermotX

What we need is more headstones along the roads !!

corktina

what's the harm? if helps the grieving family, no problem.

somefeen

Abortions for some. headstones for others

HondaSami

Lando Griffin wrote: »

I am not in favour of it; headstones at the roadside to remember someone that died on the road.
If that person died say chasing cattle or in the pub I doubt there would be a head stone erected.
Headstones are for graveyards should not be allowed on roadside for public safety if say one was laying a wreth or a driver getting distracted.
What's the general view on this morbid depressing subject?

They are not headstones, some families erect a plaque to remember where their son/daughter/family member died, it's a way for others to remember really because family will never forget.

Lando Griffin wrote: »

I for one don't need reminding that people die in the roads.
People die doing all sorts of things like overeating but I don't see a headstones outside supermarkets or fast food chains.

If it makes a few people slow down and think of the consequences it can't be all bad.

Standard Toaster

Maybe we should be rid of the Famine Memorial sculptures along Custom House quay while we're at it op?

Coll1e

Completely agree with you Lando. And a lot of them are actual headstones rather than memorial plaques or crosses. I know a guy who has one erected near to the front of his house. Its really tacky- fake flowers, plastic figurines of holy mary etc. He'd love rid of it but he doesn't want to be a pariah in the area asking the widow to take it away.
Apart from not liking them I don't see why anyone would like to remember their loved ones on the side of the road like that. I've had people close to me die on the road and think they'd have hated to be remembered in the spot where their life tragically ended.

The Big Red Button

On the Dublin to Sligo road, from about Castlebaldwin onwards, there are dozens of white crosses, each marking the place where someone lost their life.

It's a road I've driven hundreds of times, and it's well-known for being a very dangerous stretch of road. I'd usually be coming on to it after having driven from Dublin, often late at night after a long day's work, and the crosses definitely serve as a reminder to me to keep alert and focused on my driving for the last bit of my journey. I'm sure they have the same effect on others.

I don't have a problem with any sort of roadside marking like that. Hopefully they bring some peace to the grieving family and friends, and if they also serve as a warning to other motorists of accident blackspots, that can only be a good thing.

seven_eleven

It's not something I tend to get too conflicted about to be honest.
Not once in my life....have I ever thought more than "oh hey a headstone, somebody must have died here" for that short 3 seconds as I drive past and see it in the corner of my eye.

Lifes too short for that sort of stuff!

Duff

I'll tell you what, I'll make the tea, and you take your bra off.

HondaSami

Duff wrote: »

I'll tell you what, I'll make the tea, and you take your bra off.

You lost?

Ilik Urgee

It's the cyclists who cycle 2 abreast who.....

Ah fuck it:pac:

Sofaspud

Some of them can be really interesting. I once saw one in Cork, it said it was for a guy from Dublin called Miles.

Really old he was too, it said 160.

chatterpillar

chatterpillar wrote: »

On the Dublin to Sligo road, from about Castlebaldwin onwards, there are dozens of white crosses, each marking the place where someone lost their life.

It's a road I've driven hundreds of times, and it's well-known for being a very dangerous stretch of road. I'd usually be coming on to it after having driven from Dublin, often late at night after a long day's work, and the crosses definitely serve as a reminder to me to keep alert and focused on my driving for the last bit of my journey. I'm sure they have the same effect on others.

I don't have a problem with any sort of roadside marking like that. Hopefully they bring some peace to the grieving family and friends, and if they also serve as a warning to other motorists of accident blackspots, that can only be a good thing.

There are 29 crosses on a 7km stretch. It really makes you reflect and slow down as you drive along there. I think there has been another death since the crosses were erected.

I never understood why that stretch of road wasn't upgraded with the rest of the N4.

Lapin

Standard Toaster wrote: »

Maybe we should be rid of the Famine Memorial sculptures along Custom House quay while we're at it op?

I'm all for that.

They're fúcking awful.

Chain_reaction

Lapin wrote: »

I'm all for that.

They're fúcking awful.

Do you not think they convey the horror of suffering at the time?

true

If everyone who ever died had a headstone / memorial marking that spot, the country would be full of headstones every couple of meters. The people who put up headstones are actually claiming their loss is more import than those who are not...

I feel sorry for the people who have had their property devalued by such memorials to particular victims of rta's. You do not see them in other countries..

I thought the verge of the road belonged to the council ?

If the side of the road is private property, I am sure permission would be sought 1st.

Seachmall

true wrote: »

The people who put up headstones are actually claiming their loss is more import than those who are not...

Claregirl

I agree with OP about the Headstones. There's a headstone and a full surround on one of the main dual carriageways near me, and it just creeps me out - it actually looks like a grave, pictures flowers momento's etc.

I've no objection to simple markers or crosses for example as it serves a purpose making drivers more aware and some comfort for the family that their loved one will not be forgotten but if this is left unchecked we'll end up with 8ft high celtic crosses and tombstones before too long.

Lando Griffin

Lando Griffin wrote: »

I am not in favour of it; headstones at the roadside to remember someone that died on the road.
If that person died say chasing cattle or in the pub I doubt there would be a head stone erected.
Headstones are for graveyards should not be allowed on roadside for public safety if say one was laying a wreth or a driver getting distracted.
What's the general view on this morbid depressing subject?

There is a nice mountain walk near where im living but if you take one particular path on the walk, you pass a little wooden cross commemorating a local rally driver who died there 11 year ago. Picture of the man on the cross to make matters worse. I really dont like these pictures on gravestones as it makes it so final.

There is another cross near my house in Tipp in memory of a man and his two year old son who were brutally mowed down in an act of revenge by a local lunatic back in the mid 1970s. The poor kid of course caught in the cross fire because his dad was allegedly having an affair with psycho-boys wife. I dont condone adultery in any circumstances but no man deserves a death like that even for an affair and as for killing the little boy, the b*stard should have been locked away for life...but nope he was out in no time and has since stabbed a man with a sword over in the uk.

ThreeBlindMice

Something discrete is not too bad but I have come across hideous shrines along the old Dublin Limerick and Galway roads. They should be forbidden on motorways. A bush or tree planted in memory with a small plaque would be more appropriate.