An item on Radio 4 this morning about roadside shrines - not to any deities but to keep alive the memory of hit and run victims. They spoke to the mother of a 7-year-old, killed at a crossing. She found the spot where he died covered later with crosses and flowers and teddies, and decided to make it permanent. Drivers see the shrine, they're reminded that someone died here so drive safely.
Except that they also spoke to the little boy's aunt, who could completely see the point but also added that mightn't a shrine actually distract a driver at the crucial moment?
I think I'm with auntie on this, at least in principle. And never having lost a loved one to an RTA (fingers crossed) I don't feel in a position to lecture on how letting go and moving on might also be a good tactic, after a decent time has passed. But I see no harm at all in safely conveying to drivers the basic fact that this has been a dangerous spot of the road for at least one person. What's needed is an official roadsign.
What kind of sign? Not one of those black-on-yellow temporary notices that you sometimes get at existing blackspots. They need to be read, drivers are whizzing past and again they're going to be distracting. No, a well designed roadsign with a simple image can convey a key fact in a split second. It's what they're there for. Parking. No entry. One way. It's the power of symbols. The sign shouldn't necessarily be something associated with death, like a skull and crossbones - too macabre - or a religious image, which will be meaningless for followers of other or no faiths. I propose a large reflective C (for "casualty") on a black background. Put it on a pole the same height as a normal speed limit sign, and if you like attach a small plaque giving details for anyone interested enough to pull over and stop. And if grieving relatives want to put up a shrine too, fine, let them, but the necessary information is being conveyed in a standardised and approved format.
Any MPs looking for a cross-party crusading hobbyhorse, you're welcome.
In the south of France, I've seen something like this on a particularly bendy road, except that the sign is a life-size black silhouette. Very alarming, especially when first encountered at night. There were quite a few on that road...well, it worked on me.
ReplyDeleteYou'd get lots of Cockneys screeching to a halt at these blackspots in case they incur some type of charge. Hardly make it safe to have Cockneys around would it.
ReplyDeleteYour point?
ReplyDelete