Flowers by the side of the road.

[StoneMtn]

I was having a discussion about this with a fellow-Skank recently. He is absolutely against the idea of flowers and other monuments being erected at the side of the road where accidents caused the death of someone. He compared it to placing flowers in the hospital room where people died, or at the scene of a murder; both of which he believes would be ridiculous, because that is why we have cemeteries and headstones.

This conversation started because, apparently, the Ontario government will soon be replacing these flowers with some sort of official plaque or monument or something. (I don't know all the details, but this is what my fellow-Skank told me.)

Now, I had never really thought much about this before, but I am curious if others have opinions on this.

Anyone adamantly against flowers or other monuments at the side of the road? Anyone adamantly pro-flowers?

Any thoughts at all?

[Jaimoe]

If plaques get approved, the 401 will look like the biggest cemetary in the world.

[AD]

why on earth does the government have to get involved?

i don't care either way if there are memorials on the side of the road, but if someone wants to leave flowers they shouldn't have to go through bureaucrazy to put them there.

(awesome typo i made there. i'm leaving it in. and trademarking it)

[MarcO]

I can think of two places around Hamilton where flowers have been laid for years. It always gives me a moment for pause.

A plaque is nice but it doesn't have that personal commitment that maintaining the flowers has. Besides all that would happen then is people would leave flowers by the plaque.

[Jaimoe]

I was having a discussion about this with a fellow-Skank recently. He is absolutely against the idea of flowers and other monuments being erected at the side of the road where accidents caused the death of someone. He compared it to placing flowers in the hospital room where people died, or at the scene of a murder; both of which he believes would be ridiculous, because that is why we have cemeteries and headstones.

I don't know who that skank is, but I find your paraphrased comments somewhat ridiculous. Strangers often leave flowers at murder scenes - like in front of the Yonge Steet store where the Creba girl was killed. That story touched a lot of people and it is a way of showing immediate sympathy and support. Funerals are not always open to everyone, so why not leave something symbolic like a flower or a doll where the unfortuate event occurred.

[AD]

anyone in ottawa remember the american embassy after 9/11?

that was touching and emotional. wold the ontario government intervene in something like that?

[phorbesie]

jared posted about this yesterday but i think it got steamrolled by slip.

i don't think a permanent plaque or monument is necessary for a car crash site. flowers and stuff is cool.

[Jaimoe]

If one plaque/flower arrangement on the 401 could make an aggressive driver and/or speeder change their ways, then I'm all for it.

[Kanada Kev]

No need to stop at the side of a highway unless it's necessary. Not a safe place to hang out. I wouldn't want people "visiting" the roadside site where i died in a car accident. Morbid, IMHO. I'm also not a fan of grave sites mind you ... I go with, take what you can from my body when I'm gone if it can make somebody else's life better. Then scatter my ashes somewhere and become part of nature.

[Dr. J]

I doubt that flowers or monuments are going to slow people down or dissuade them from driving drunk. Perhaps what it does is remind those who choose not to drive this way why they make that choice.

For me flowers is enough. When you get into monuments and maintenance etc you turn a simple gesture of remembrance into some sort of business transaction. For me anyways, I would look at it differently.

[SevenSeasJim]

One time driving up the 400 I almost went off the road because I was looking at this big flower wreath at the side of the road (it was huge).

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

I can't see why anyone would object to flowers (unless it is conducive to dangerous driving, but then, there are plenty of billboards around that might have that effect).

Flowers for me have always stood for life that's bloomed and been cut (literally) short. I can't think of a more fitting symbol.

[Gateaux]

Apparently they want to get rid of the flowers and such as the gov't thinks that accidents are being caused by people checking them out.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

What would they have to say about, say, Victoria's Secret ads on the side of the road (and there are in fact plenty like that around)?

[bradm]

What would they have to say about, say, Victoria's Secret ads on the side of the road (and there are in fact plenty like that around)?

There are? I need to change the bus route I take to the office...

Aloha,

Brad

[Velvet]

One time driving up the 400 I almost went off the road because I was looking at this big flower wreath at the side of the road (it was huge).

I'm a sucker for irony, and I think of this possibility often when I pass flowers on the side of the road.

[SevenSeasJim]

What would they have to say about, say, Victoria's Secret ads on the side of the road (and there are in fact plenty like that around)?

I most defintely would drive off the road or up the arse of the person in front of me if we had these up here.

[Jared]

the biggest argument is that its bepressing and people dont want to have to pass countless memorials on there way to work or the cottage.

Havign a sign at the side of the road is dangerous, not matter what its for, i reall doudt any person drining dangerously or drunk is going ot see one of theses and decide to stop drving, especially since they are in the middle of the highway.

I really hate them, i have to pass 5 on the way to my cottage, and they always depress me. if they kep puttingmore u wheats going to happen in 10 yeals when there at 50 on the way to my cottage,, when are they going to draw the line?

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

We all die. Sometimes in worse ways than others. It's important to be reminded of this, sometimes.

[Jared]

but then where draw the line? should we put plauqes up every place some one got murderd? or how about places where a child died. why only where car accidents took place?

If we put up plaques every place someone died can you imagine what the city would look like, they would be everywhere!

My father died from cancer, no one put up a plaque in the hospital room,

that why we have cemitaries and graves, so that the people are remembered

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

We do, though, do our utmost to hide death from ourselves. It's not like that the world over. I think we'd probably do more with and for life, if we knew better what its boundary was.

[djmelbatoast]

Most of these memorials are enacted by wankers who don't even know anyone involved but who get some perverse thrill out of promoting their cause or just feel important doing this pointless activity.

I remember a few months ago in the paper here a woman whose son had been killed in an accident down the street from her house. She had to make a public plea for strangers to stop putting up flowers months after the fact because it made it quite difficult for the family to start the healing process.

I think plaugues are stupid to.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

Those strangers remind me of the Robert Duvall character in The Apostle, who'd chase after car-crash victims to have the thrill of praying with them into the next life. Fucking ghoulish. I'd like to hope there are few people like that around.

[Alexis]

if the point is trying to get rid of road side distractions...how about removing the GIANT TV SCREENS from the gardiner? i think that might be a better place to start.

when i see something marking where a fatal car accident has occured, it doesn't make me sad, it makes me cautious. i don't get depressed driving by a cemetary, why one of those?

[Jared]

I really dont think littering the highways, with signs are going to help us do more with our lives. you see then,, get distracted, and depressed, have to explaine to your kids what there about, and then forget till the next time you see them.

i really cant see then making people not drink and drive, or respect live more. if they want to stop drunk drivers, then they should put the plaques in the bars, or in the parking lot.

or use the money that there spending on this to put more ride programs out there