When I entered Montana a few days ago, I was greeted with this sign as I crossed the border with Wyoming:
I thought it was nice that the people of Montana were putting so much work into advertising the amount of deaths that occur on highways, and since then, I’ve seen countless white crosses, often immaculate and well-cared-for.
I decided to take the time now just to post some photographs of the many roadside crosses I’ve taken pictures of along my journey. These are just a very few of the very many I’ve seen.
First, Montana:
Nebraska:
South Dakota:
Pennsylvania:
Vermont:
New York:
West Virginia:
Personally, I dislike roadside memorials. My initial reaction is always, “Well, what did you do to contribute to your death?”
Intellectually, I know that is wrong. I know there could be any number of reasons for road fatalities, beyond my perceived carelessness of the victims.
I know this, but I still feel the same way, every time I see a roadside memorial.
There is a highway near where I live now, that runs through my hometown of Northborough, Massachusetts – Route 290. At one stretch of this highway, here is a huge cross memorial dedicated to four teens who died in a terrible car accident. The cross itself is nailed to a tree, and both tree and cross are imposing. The cross is fabricated from some shiny metal, and at night, the cross reflects your headlights back at you when you drive past. It’s like a quick cross flash when you drive past. I’m spooked by this flash every time I drive by it.
The newspaper reported on the deaths of these kids. They were drinking on a Saturday night, and decided to race down this stretch of 290. They lost control, crashed, and died.
I’m reminded of their poor judgment every evening I drive down that stretch of 290.
I hate that memorial and the stupidity of those kids. Now, I can’t stand any roadside memorial.
— karen · Oct 25, 05:00 PM · #
Hey, Karen,
While I can understand your reaction, as someone who worked for four years doing bereavement counseling for (among other things) grieving parents of kids who died in similar crashes, I’d like to suggest you step back a bit and focus on the surviving parents, siblings, and friends…and on the sometimes innocent bystanders who also die in alcohol-related crashes. (Saddest story I was involved in personally was a six-year-old boy killed in such a vehicular homicide.)
Whatever feelings we might have about alcoholism and drunk-driving (I’d love to see tougher laws that take licenses permanently for even a second drunk-driving offense, and jail time for those who continue to drive after their licenses have been revoked) there is a lot of grief to go around after such a death—too often, grief falling on those who have not been reckless or irresponsible. The crosses are a way to cope. Spontaneous memorials have a lot less to do with the virtue of those who died than with the basic truth that we’re all human, and any life lost unmourned diminishes us all.
— Cat C-B · Oct 25, 08:50 PM · #
Hi Cat C-B:
Thanks for your perspective and comments. I appreciate your viewpoint very much.
I recognize that there are individual stories behind every roadside memorial, all as varied and different as the victims and mourners themselves.
I was merely stating my opinion. If it conflicts with your own opinion about this subject, I accept that we may not agree about roadside memorials. If I offended you, then I offer an apology.
— karen · Oct 26, 07:32 PM · #