I heard a coworker ranting about people slowing down to look at a roadside memorial and this got me to wondering. Are they legal? What's the consensus on these things. Some I've seen are quite elaborate, complete with nativity scene.
I dont mind them either, but let's not get all willy nilly with the law here. Seat belt laws are stupid too but I never get any slack.
An author wrote a book about this phenomenon a few years ago and I heard him interviewed on the radio. It's kind of a strange thing. He interviewed many families that have put these up and the little shrines are often maintained for many years (or forever). Even more strange, many of these people (primarily women) put more effort into maintaining/tending the little highway shrine than they do their loved one's grave site. People from all walks of life tend to make these and there was no real socioeconomic pattern that he could discover. The only thing that "shrine people" really had in common was the fact that they'd noticed these little displays in the past and had been very moved by them. Often, shrine builders had even stopped to study others' shrines (long before they experienced a traffic death) and it seemed to affect them.
So, people are basically copying what they've seen others do. But, it does seem strange that people would fail to visit a loved one's grave, but instead continually decorate and tend their death site shrine. Personally, I think it's odd behavior and akin to prolonged public grieving. It's inappropriate, IMHO.
So, people are basically copying what they've seen others do. But, it does seem strange that people would fail to visit a loved one's grave, but instead continually decorate and tend their death site shrine. Personally, I think it's odd behavior and akin to prolonged public grieving. It's inappropriate, IMHO.
Seat belt laws are stupid? Wow. I wonder how many of those roadside memorials would not be there if some of those people where wearing their seat belts.
Seatbelt laws are stupid, not seatbelts.
A high school boy ran off the road, hit a power pole, overturned, and was killed about 1/4 mile from the farm on a county road.
The shrine they built in the ditch is complete with concrete benches, half drums to burn wood in when its cold, fake flowers in pots, and little ceramic animals all over the place. The creepiest thing is the power pole. It has at least a dozen knives hammered into it, plastic snakes, bats, and gargoyle looking masks nailed to the pole.
In the summer, somebody keeps the weeds down. I've never seen anybody there, but new items are added or replaced.
Very strange what people will do.
The shrine they built in the ditch is complete with concrete benches, half drums to burn wood in when its cold, fake flowers in pots, and little ceramic animals all over the place. The creepiest thing is the power pole. It has at least a dozen knives hammered into it, plastic snakes, bats, and gargoyle looking masks nailed to the pole.
In the summer, somebody keeps the weeds down. I've never seen anybody there, but new items are added or replaced.
Very strange what people will do.
I don't care for them. If I die in a car or on the road, I would rather be remembered where I lived, not where it ended.
Legally, I expect they fall under the litter laws unless you have some special permission, unless it's out of the right of way or easement.
I will say some of them are unobtrusive and tasteful. One of the ones I dive by in New Mexico has a 8' high wooden cross wrapped in led lights with a solar panel and a battery, it amazes me no one steals the stuff.
Legally, I expect they fall under the litter laws unless you have some special permission, unless it's out of the right of way or easement.
I will say some of them are unobtrusive and tasteful. One of the ones I dive by in New Mexico has a 8' high wooden cross wrapped in led lights with a solar panel and a battery, it amazes me no one steals the stuff.
