What is your take on Roadside Memorials?

Around here (MA,NH) there has been some discussion about Roadside Memorials, being a distraction to drivers. The state or city take them down after a while or if someone complains. Do you think they should be allowed to remain? Usually the familys are very upset that they are removed..

I don't think they are a distraction, any more than anything else on the roadways. As long as the person who owns the property doesn't mind, what is the problem. If it is on a major highway why not leave it alone for a reminder for others to slow down.

This passed weekend on Saturday morning 3 people died in a crash up the street from my house a 4th ran away from the scene and has not been found. They were driving a stolen vehicle and were driving too fast when they hit a tree in someones yard. That day and every day since people have set up a memorial and have been walking on the property of the people whose tree was invloved.

Should these people have the right to go onto someone elses property?

What would you do if people started setting up a roadside memorial on your property and were sitting outside your house all hours of the night?

I just thought I should ask because I see people out there every day and have been wondering what others think.

As an added thought to ponder should these 3 people be memorialized if they died committing a crime?

Did they get what they deserved?

 

I think a simple Cross and their name is a perfect solution. Somthing that doesn't have a chance to blow onto the road or litter the ditch. And still lets their loss be known and remembered.

 

I wish like hell I didn't see 'em.

Not because I disapprove, mind you, but because of why they're there. When I do see them, I tend to reflect on my own mortality, and perhaps drive a little more cautiously for a while, and reflect on how someone might have come to be killed on that particular piece of road, and what I can do to prevent myself from becoming another cross beside the road.

However, I do not feel that it is appropriate to place such a memorial on someone else's lawn. Just seems a bit too intrusive.

 

NOBODY should have a "right" to go on someone else's property. I don't have any problem with the crosses on the side of the road. I think it makes people drive smarter. You'll also notice that there are certain areas with LOTS of them which is usually a sign that's a more dangerous stretch of road. Better they be left as a warning to others in addition to a memory for the deceased.

If crooks wreck a car and die upon hitting a tree in my yard, no . . . there will be no lawn memorial for them.

 

no one is going to put anything on my property, to bad for them but its my property.

as far as roadside, as long as it is not lavish and won't make a road hazard, then no problem, as far as being a distraaction to drivers, when they get rid of billboards and all the other advertisments, then they can move on to the memorials.

 

I agree with you guys. No one is going to put a memorial on my property.

I also think that thoes memorials are just a "polite" way, or a "good reason" to litter. If you want to pay your respects...put that crap in frickin' cemetary.

 

I do nt think theyre a distraction, but I dont see why we need them either, Everyday people die in other places than the road, and there is no cross for them at the location of death.

 

If something like that happened on my propery I'd probably let them put a "memorial" up for a week or two, a month at the most.

 

Exactly the way I see it. I don't think they're any more of a distraction than the thousands of advertisements and "for sale" signs that I see on the way to work, however a memorial at the location is not needed. The gravesite is a suitable place for rememberance and memorials, you don't need to have one at the exact spot they died or got into an accident.

People say "it will remind other people to slow down" well... if you think that a little cross is going to do more than the speed limit signs or dangerous curves signs or any of the multitude of other signs... you're wrong.

 

There is NO way I would let them put a memorial up in my yard if they died while breaking the law like that. What would have happened if you or your spouse was pulling in or leaving when these A@#holes were driving like that? Do you think their families would give you a amemorial?

 

If it's on private property, then I think the property owner should have the final say.

Too many people have no respect for the property of others. It's too bad they died, but I think the people who care are going to remember it whether the memorial is there or not.

 

people need to grieve. seems that's the thing to do now go out to the site of the accident and stand and cry over a big pile of flowers and teddy bears

no. only the property owner has that right

i would tell their leaders that i don't mind them there, as long as they pick up their trash and are gone by 10 o'clock at night. there shouldn't be any problem as long as they understand that they're guests on your property, and you're being a decent guy allowing them to have a memorial service.

i'd also come to terms on the memorial. i wouldn't want them to leave all that crap in front of my house and have it blowing all over the place. but a small cross set at the side of the road is a suitable memorial.



what i think is there's the law and your rights as a property owner. and then there's times you have to use common decency because you're talking about people that are your neighbours. rights are more for when you have to deal with some jerk with a badge.

i could commiserate if they had stolen YOUR truck, crashed the truck into YOUR tree, and their loser friends were now having a kegger on YOUR lawn. but stealing a car to go on a joyride isn't even the same as stealing a car because you want to use it to rob or kill someone.

at least if they have enough sense to respect their dead, maybe there's still hope the rest of them don't end up dead or in jail.

(wishful thinking on my part)

no. kids are gonna do what they're gonna do.

 

NO.. I do not think they should be allowed!

We already have a place for this, it is called a cemetery.

 

Well Said!