Fatal car accidents

[Predator1]

Racer X, Maybe you have heard of the famous Ortega Hwy/74. This is truely the road of death. 29 miles of Moutainous curves and 1000 ft cliffs.

[markb]

I have never seen such a thing up here. If someone dies in a car accident, people sometimes light candles and leave flowers, but I have not seen anyone building a monument or putting up a cross. I guess our culture is different, or no one bothers because they know there will be plow-trucks and 1,5 metres of snow when the winter comes anyway.

I highly doubt that anyone is buried along the road. There must be regulations against that.

It's just that, about 10 years ago, I was in Czech republic, Poland, Spain, parts of france, and I saw hundreds of them. And at the time, I had never seen even one in over here. Other people have said the same thing to me. There are areas of europe I'm sure where they do no such thing, but it seems to have caught on in parts of europe first? Whatevah. Just an observation.

Er, the buried there bit was...unserious. Municipal regulations research not required.

On a certain level, I think we all understand why someone would be motivated to put a monument at a such site. We might not do it ourselves, but to ask why is a false question. We all know why.

[RacerX]

Racer X, Maybe you have heard of the famous Ortega Hwy/74. This is truely the road of death. 29 miles of Moutainous curves and 1000 ft cliffs.

Oh yeah, I've been riding motorcycles for 20 years; I'm familiar with all the cool roads around here. I've ridden Palomar, Ortega, Silverado, Santiago, Turnbull, Angeles Crest, Big T, all of 'em.

[horns666]

Cleveland Metal.."The ONLY bad thing i can see with those those memorials is, i saw a study where people were dying on this long stretch of road where there were only a few poles... And people would hit the poles... Nothing else for miles around around them, and they would be hitting these poles."

John remeber that dude on that crotch rocket I told you about..perfect example..

he split his head in half on a a steel utility pole...the only one around for 100+ yards..

just 12" to the right or left, he would have completely missed it.

It was his time, that's for sure..I watched him go..he looked at me, which was weird because his head had a huge V shaped wedge from the top of his head to his teeth.. and he went ..fuggit!

He didn't feel a thing..I'm sure of it.

There was a family of five in a vehicle that hit that same kind of pole..they all didn't make it except the youngest who was like two years old, he was in bad shape..but he made it. There was so many people that witnessed that incident..there was ribbons, teddy bears, crosses, pictures..you name it.. that gathered aroung that pole for well over a year, prolly two years..nobody touched it..It was bad.

[fullshred]

Get rid of the shrines? Kill the cell phone users and the drunks first and you'll eliminate by 75%

The rest are the elderly driving impaired and reckless teens.

[horns666]

Get rid of the shrines? Kill the cell phone users and the drunks first and you'll eliminate by 75%

The rest are the elderly driving impaired and reckless teens.

My worst nightmare is sitting in my tiny Cobra and looking in my rear view mirror at a speeding Hummer with a guy screaming at his cell phone..

The color of my car is .."Wake the fuck up yellow!!!"

[monk]

It's just that, about 10 years ago, I was in Czech republic, Poland, Spain, parts of france, and I saw hundreds of them. And at the time, I had never seen even one in over here. Other people have said the same thing to me. There are areas of europe I'm sure where they do no such thing, but it seems to have caught on in parts of europe first? Whatevah. Just an observation.

Er, the buried there bit was...unserious. Municipal regulations research not required.

On a certain level, I think we all understand why someone would be motivated to put a monument at a such site. We might not do it ourselves, but to ask why is a false question. We all know why.

You are probably right. I have actually not been to that many places in Europe so I should not know.

[Shawn Lutz]

I think the accidents involving trees and poles are more attributed to other factors.....I have yet to run into anything...tree, pole, high rise building, barriers etc just because I look at them as I drive by. If that theory stands then how come all the billboards along side the interstate are still there or have a million memorial items next to them???? My guess is that is all driver error and/or driver fatigue. You can't blame a tree for an accident when the driver was nodding off when the hit it.

[npacheco]

Roadside memorials are usually done because the death of a loved one was a shock. If someone is sick in the hospital, you kind of expect it and prepare yourself emotionally. When it is sudden, such as a motor vehicle accident usually is...well, it is quite a shock and normal grieving kind of goes out the window. Especially if it a young person...you know, someones son or daughter, brother or sister, someone you're not exactly prepared to lose (not like you're ever REALLY prepared to lose anyone, but...). Until you're in that position, it's hard to predict how you'll handle the situation.

As for them being a distraction...don't look. They're as much, if not less, of a distraction as a billboard for Hooters. Besides, if you can't glance to the side of the road while your driving and not wreck, you might want to reconsider the whole driving thing.

[Rsmacker]

Some people go waaaaaay over the top with these memorials, they have been springing up all over the place round here, but not just when a fatality has occured. Some have appeared after kids have been knocked over and hospitalised. There appears to be a certain type of person who loves these things -

Chavs. (Google it you fine US folk!)

As with all things Chav-related, they should cease and desist, immediately!!
As for being reminders of dangerous roads, not much point really, is there? They should be BEFORE the scene if they are to be of any use as a warning!
They are just a mess really, better to pay attention all the time, not just when you see a few teddy bears pinned to a tree.

[fett]

Well, Rsmacker just let me off the hook.

[lerxstcat]

I think the accidents involving trees and poles are more attributed to other factors.....I have yet to run into anything...tree, pole, high rise building, barriers etc just because I look at them as I drive by. If that theory stands then how come all the billboards along side the interstate are still there or have a million memorial items next to them???? My guess is that is all driver error and/or driver fatigue. You can't blame a tree for an accident when the driver was nodding off when the hit it.

That's true, and also I wonder how many swerved to avoid hitting a dog, or a deer, and crashed? The animals don't stick around and couldn't tell us what happened. Or, God forbid but I'm sure there are some cases, where another reckless driver forced them to crash, then the asshole just drove on because he was drunk or just didn't want to be scrutinized. On those lonely country roads, it can happen.

And Fett, one guy who drives on the wrong side of the road doesn't get you off the hook! Accept with grace the egg on your face, and take yourself to a better place!

[RacerX]

I for one am getting tired of hearing about Chavs.

[Shawn Lutz]

That's true, and also I wonder how many swerved to avoid hitting a dog, or a deer, and crashed? The animals don't stick around and couldn't tell us what happened. Or, God forbid but I'm sure there are some cases, where another reckless driver forced them to crash, then the asshole just drove on because he was drunk or just didn't want to be scrutinized. On those lonely country roads, it can happen.

And Fett, one guy who drives on the wrong side of the road doesn't get you off the hook! Accept with grace the egg on your face, and take yourself to a better place!

that is also true Rich, other drivers and animals.

I drive about 50 miles round trip to work on I-30...one thing that really bothers me is the 18 wheeler tractor trailors. Some of these trailors are in very sad shape and have to be illegal to be on the roads. The rigs themselves are nice but I see it so many times pulling a PoS trailer....thanks NAFTA

[fett]

d Fett, one guy who drives on the wrong side of the road doesn't get you off the hook! Accept with grace the egg on your face, and take yourself to a better place!

I have no egg on my face. I still think what I think. If you disagree with me that's fine. The best place I know is to keep my emotions in perspective. And I give up on the blatant pouring out. But, it's not for me. Those UK guys are tough crumpets.