[Twilight Flyer]

You want a warning memorial...the most eye-opening one I ever saw was a good decade ago on I-77 in Virginia or West Virginia...not sure where on the interstate exactly.

Anyway, in the median, there was a car. It was absolutely totalled....looked like it had rolled many times at a high rate of speed. There was a big sign that said something like "my son got drunk and this is what happened. RIP". It was pretty sobering. I believe it was up for most of the summer as I saw it a few times on my way to and from Ohio from North Carolina.

As far as the memorial crosses and such, I don't necessarily have a problem with them but I do agree with Hobo about his statement when they are forgotten and left to the elements. My thoughts are that if you care enough to set up a roadside memorial to an accident victim, then care enough to take it down when you can no longer maintain it.

[Malaki86]

There is a road in western Maryland - can't think of the road number or the name of the town it goes through. Anyway, at the base of this mountain is a Wyerhauser plant.

The hill going down has a 10 mph limit for trucks. There are 2 or 3 locations for trucks to stop and check their brakes. Along this hill are signs about every 1/2 mile stating that if you lose your brakes, put the vehicle into the ditch immediately.

When you get to the bottom, you understand why. On one side of the road is a grade school. About 1/4 mile from the school is a 90 degree left turn. If you don't make this turn, well, you get to see the geology of Maryland up close as there is a solid rock cliff about 200 feet high to stop you. There are probably over 20 crosses painted on this cliff, indicating how many people (mainly truckers) who have died in that turn.

Now, if you have a problem with that (crosses painted as a memorial to someone killed on a road) you need to take a serious look at yourself, because you're obviosly not worth a f*ck in my book.

[geomon]

On an I-65 exit in Mobile AL, is an extremely wrecked car that is set on the grassy median by the city with a large sign stating "DON'T DRINK & DRIVE". Everytime I pass that area, there is a different car there but the sign remains the same. ...A powerful reminder of the consequences of drinking and driving.

Regarding crosses....to me, its a sad and poignant reminder of the danger that lurks just one bad decision away. It does not bother me that they are there and it might pass on a sense of peace to the relatives of whoever died there. Perhaps there should be a length of time that they are allowed to be there....for example, 5 or 10 yrs then they are removed.

[RostyC]

There used to be one on I 97 in Maryland that was in the grassy median, they kept it up nicely for a long time with flowers on the ground surrounding a white cross that stood about three or four feet tall. Around the cross sometimes they would drape a wreath of flowers, and on top they placed the guys motorcycle helmet, or a motorcycle helmet. Now, the ironic part was the guys nickname that they painted across the front of the cross horizontally in black letters and it said "Bump"

I don't mind the crosses, you shouldn't leave them unkept though.

[repete]

I have a problem with roadside crosses, thats when people do stop to care or pay there respects. That crash that killed there loved one many times happened there for a reason such as a bad curve. When they stop to visit the site they really need to consider that fact and chose there parking spot carefully. I for one don't want to have to add to there sorrow, I had one very close call on a small road in Ga.

[Slimland]

Originally Posted by Slimland

Well I agree with GMan on the understanding of the seperation of church and state..

But that being said I agree with Hobo on the crosses and other things on the side of the road..I think it is a distraction, and could cause an accident No matter what Religion, or ethnic background..

I am going to quote myself, to expound..

Malaki86 said the below

There is a road in western Maryland - can't think of the road number or the name of the town it goes through. Anyway, at the base of this mountain is a Wyerhauser plant.

The hill going down has a 10 mph limit for trucks. There are 2 or 3 locations for trucks to stop and check their brakes. Along this hill are signs about every 1/2 mile stating that if you lose your brakes, put the vehicle into the ditch immediately.

When you get to the bottom, you understand why. On one side of the road is a grade school. About 1/4 mile from the school is a 90 degree left turn. If you don't make this turn, well, you get to see the geology of Maryland up close as there is a solid rock cliff about 200 feet high to stop you. There are probably over 20 crosses painted on this cliff, indicating how many people (mainly truckers) who have died in that turn.

Now, if you have a problem with that (crosses painted as a memorial to someone killed on a road) you need to take a serious look at yourself, because you're obviosly not worth a f*ck in my book.

Something like this I could understand.. And some of the others that have posted..
Where I come from it is flat, and not alot of curves.. I had to think back to when I drove, so on some occasion yes I guess it could be alright..

[Rev.Vassago]

I don't know about other states, but in Wisconsin, they are illegal, and are sometimes removed because of this (but usually aren't). There was a HUGE one south of Sheboygan a few years ago when there was an enormous pileup in the fog, and many people died. The display that came up afterwards was very large, and very distracting.

IMO, if a family wants to use something like this to help their grieving process, then let them. If it makes even one person pay attention a little bit more to what they are doing, then it served its purpose.

[Raafi]

personally

other than a reminder that this area can be dangerous, why do people put these things there?

i thought graveyards were where we remember our dead, not the place where they died

seems very morbid to me

so if i died in a bus, do we put a cross in the seat?

i dont know when this started, it may have been a good shock therapy for drivers education in high school but as the original poster said, its all over the place now

and a cross is religious, whether the person puts it there for religion or just out of tradition, its still a religious symbol

[DaveP]

For crying out loud golfhobo....

You're starting to sound like a truck driver.

[golfhobo]

Malakai said:

Now, if you have a problem with that (crosses painted as a memorial to someone killed on a road) you need to take a serious look at yourself, because you're obviosly not worth a f*ck in my book.

What denomination (or should I say sect) do YOU belong to? I want to be able to send them my thanks for sending their BEST ambassador of Christ's love to our little corner of the world!

For what it's worth.... I don't think the PAINTED crosses on a rock wall would bother me as much. But, like someone said about dying on a bus.... why don't we have little crosses (descansos) in several classrooms and schoolyards throughout the country? And why not at nearly every intersection in any city?

And the bigger we make them, the MORE poetry and such we can write on them.... so that someone trying to READ them, can get HIMSELF or others KILLED?

As for the grieving process: I was brought up to believe we should do our grieving in private, or with close friends and relatives. I didn't come to "your" funeral because I didn't KNOW you, (although I once spent several hours sitting by the grave of a young girl who committed suicide in my H.S. and I never knew HER, either.) I'm sorry, but I just don't NEED your grief shoved in my face all day long.

I appreciate all the answers given on this thread, I'm leaving out again today, and will give it much thought as I pass all the "memorials." That is... if I can quit thinking about WHY the family died there.... cellphone call? text messaging? slapping the kids in the backseat? too fast for conditions? DUI? showing off?