Flowers after an accident

[Kolley Kibber]

Today I walked along Barry Road and saw some flowers on the pavement which have been left to pay respects to the poor bloke who was shot on Sunday.

This got me thinking about floral tributes.

When there has been an fatal accident on a road I often see flowers tied to lamposts or left at the side of the road. I want to raise a question to other people, drivers especially.

When you drive along and see these floral tributes, does it make you slow down and pay more attention to that stretch of road, or does it distract you for a moment and potentially has the risk of you being involved in another accident as a result? Some people say they don't even register or see the flowers, do you fall into that category?

I am curious now to see other peoples thoughts on Floral Tributes at the scene of an accident.

[candj]

As a driver I do believe that floral tribute make me think and slow down and pay more attention to the road. I think I can probably speak for most drivers and pedestrians.

I had a friend die in a terrible accident in California over 15 years ago. He was drinking and ran a red light and smashed into a car of three innocent people who all also died. There was blood sprayed to high heaven on the buildings in the junction and it was noted as being the worst traffic accident in the history of the city. To this day, there is always a beautiful arrangement of fresh flowers placed on the corner where this accident happened and whenever I see it, it indeed makes me think. I would hope that it made others stop and think, as well.

[Shaggy]

In the part of France that Mrs Shaggy comes from they put up large signs shaped like coffins on the side of road by where a fatal accident has happened. On some corners there are three or four. It grabs the attention.

[Mark]

They sometimes put bikes that have been painted ghostly white (ghost bikes) in places where cycling accidents have occurred:

http://www.justseeds.org/blog/307182423_a333d03c55_o-thumb.jpg

There's on on the corner of St John's street and Clerkenwell road at the moment, it's quite eerie to look at.

[LegalEagle-ish]

Shaggy Wrote:

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> In the part of France that Mrs Shaggy comes from

> they put up large signs shaped like coffins on the

> side of road by where a fatal accident has

> happened. On some corners there are three or four.

> It grabs the attention.

I think this is a good idea. I saw them on the continent and it did make me think and slow down. It might be more effective than the so called traffic calming measures like speed-up bumps etc.

[Cassius]

In Greece they put up icons - unfortunately there are so many accidents in some places there are icons everywhere. When you don't know about it you stare at them as you drive past - probably causing another accident and yet another icon.

[cdonline]

I find them rather sad.

I would not like to remembered with flowers that look like they were bought from a garage forecourt.

[woofmarkthedog]

See the tribute on Sydenham hill near the Dulwich wood house.....it's even got a head stone.

[Eliza.D]

I have no objection to them. There are memorials to the dead all over the place. Benches, plaques, statues, war memorials.

For many who have lost a loved one then it is a source of comfort that they are remembered and maybe possibly in the case of car accidents or murder then people may think about the consequences of their actions.

[Sue]

candj Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> As a driver I do believe that floral tribute make

> me think and slow down and pay more attention to

> the road. I think I can probably speak for most

> drivers and pedestrians.

>

>

xxxxxxx

Nope. Don't think you can speak for anybody apart from yourself unless you've asked "most drivers and pedestrians" what they think!

Flowers certainly don't make me pay more attention to the road, though I consider myself a reasonably careful driver anyway, and I would have thought the kind of driver who was likely to have an accident due to carelessness wouldn't be affected by flowers.

[candj]

.

[indiepanda]

Sue Wrote:

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> Flowers certainly don't make me pay more

> attention to the road, though I consider myself a

> reasonably careful driver anyway, and I would have

> thought the kind of driver who was likely to have

> an accident due to carelessness wouldn't be

> affected by flowers.

Good point - it's like those "Baby on Board" signs people put in the back window of their car. The kind of inconsiderate oaf who is going to drive like they want to get right into your boot isn't likely to suddenly become considerate because you have a child in the car.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Don't want to detract from this thread, but the point of 'Baby on board' signs is that in case of an accident, rescuers know to search for a baby. That's why they should be temporary signs and removed when the baby is not in the car.

[Gan]

floral tributes are fine, but I've seen them become a permanent fixture....and become dangerous. if that sounds odd then read on.

I grew up in Derbyshire and went to Uni in Manchester, often driving along the A6 between the two. If you've used it then you'll know that it's a wonderful road with great views and a wonderful drivers/riders experience, but it needs respect. The motorcyclists love the run from Matlock Bath across to Buxton along it, unfortunately I've witnessed some of the accidents which are never pretty. There's one stretch where a few years ago there was a particularly bad one, ending in a fatality.

ever since then someone has been putting flowers up there. the problem is that on that particular 15m stretch of road the driver really needs to focus 100% attention on the road - camber is against you, it floods and often has mud across the tarmac. one day I saw a car had had an accident and hit the wall at exactly the same spot. when I'd had time later on to think about it the only explanation I could come up with was that the driver had been distracted by the flowers and crashed, luckily that incident only dented his no claims bonus, and not his skull.

wow, reading that back it seems really morbid. the point I am trying to make is that tributes can be appropriate as part of the natural grieving process, but the process involves letting go of a loved one, not losing more.

for this reason as a motorist I try to always ignore floral tributes, and avoid rubber necking on the motorway.