Tribute to Car Accident Kids - I'm Angry!!!

[Duckman#72]

Gee I'm wild about this topic.

Are other people just as offended by vision of empty Jim Beam cans and cigarettes taped to a tree as a tribute to those 5 teenagers that died in last weeks car accident?

I cannot understand the mentality of some people. Regardless of whether or not drugs and alcohol played a part in the accident, that is not the point.

Someones son/boyfriend/brother/cousin/mate died last weekend. Surely when remembering these people, we find that their life amounted to more than an empty tinny and smokes.

Honestly what is the thinking behind such a tribute? Are they thinking - this is a way of saying "You're a lengend to the end"? Are they saying "Have a drink for me on the other side for us"? Are they saying "We'll have a drink for you"? Or are they just saying of all the memories they have of these people the one that resonates most to them, are those of them drinking?

Anyway you dice it - it is inappropriate and borderline offensive, not just for those kids, but to anyone who has lost a loved one through alcohol and drugs.

Duckman

 

[akkopower]

relax duckman,

Some people tape flowers to trees as tributes, somepeople place letters and some place art.

flowers die, letters are hard to write, art, some people just dont have the skills. The friends of these teenagers are just trying to remember the good times.

What a person places as a tribute is a private emotional connection between them and the deceased. Who are u to say what can or cant be used to show their emotional connection. open your mind a little and relax

have a good day everyone
go eat some chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce and chill duckman

 

[stock nub]

Did anyone notice what car they were in??????

Bright blue XR6 or XR8!

Now how many times do we see an over powered commodore/falcon wrapped around a tree with a p plater driving it?

I think the answer is a lot more than a p plater in a excel or any other less powerful car.

Connection between fast cars, young kids and crashes??

This happens over and over but the govt doesnt seem to want to step in and ban p platers driving over powered cars. If this occured then we may not see this as much.

 

[Julia]

Duckman, I'm very sympathetic to your view. Such a tribute does seem tasteless at the very least.

But is it possible that someone did it more as a gesture toward saying "this is what can happen as a result of abuse of these substances"?

 

[Teska]

Who are you to be critical of someone's grieving process. We all deal with death in our own way, whether it be cultural, religious or as an individual. Relax!

 

[nioka]

Who are you to be critical of someone's grieving process. We all deal with death in our own way, whether it be cultural, religious or as an individual. Relax!

The question is " should grieving be done privately or in public". "Should you inconvience others in your grieving when they are not involved and do not desire to be involved".

 

[Duckman#72]

relax duckman,

Some people tape flowers to trees as tributes, somepeople place letters and some place art.

flowers die, letters are hard to write, art, some people just dont have the skills. The friends of these teenagers are just trying to remember the good times.

What a person places as a tribute is a private emotional connection between them and the deceased. Who are u to say what can or cant be used to show their emotional connection. open your mind a little and relax

have a good day everyone
go eat some chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce and chill duckman

Hi guys

I have had some strawberry ice-cream and have settled down a bit now. Thanks for the advice. I got a bit hot under the collar. However - can I just make these points.....

Flowers are respectful, letters are special and meaningful (and private), art is reflective and representative....but one thing they have in common is that they are not offensive(generally).

I disgaree with you concerning this being a private tribute. There are hundreds of people at this landmark and it is being screened across the country on TV. There is very little private about it. Tributes can offend and I think it is too easy to just say..."it's my way of dealing with it". To me that's a cop out.

I cannot see why such a prominent position should be given to substances which may or may not have had a hand in their death - and if not their death, large numbers each year.

Julia, you make a good point. I didn't think of that side of it. For mine, it is so lacking in judgement as a tribute, that perhaps it isn't. It is just a warning. Well I hope the right people get the message and don't see it as a badge of honor, or representation of these kids lives like this old "fuddyduddy" did.

Anyway thanks for calming me down and making me see a different point of view.

Duckman

 

[Wysiwyg]

Car accidents remind me of when I was mere seconds late for my own horror smash. Someone brought up on another thread about being late for a train or something but nevertheless each event leads to the next event and so on and so forth.

Anyway I was driving on the highway at 100k and up ahead I saw a vehicle veer sharply across the road. I thought they had crossed to take a side road rather abruptly but in fact had lost control of their vehicle. I pulled over and assisted the dazed and biled occupants that had rolled in the vehicle and were now facing the opposite direction in a gully. Plain clothes boys arrived and took over from there.

What happened was their vehicle's left wheels had caught the gravel off the highway and the woman driving over corrected the vehicle and hence crossed in the path of oncoming (me) traffic and into the gully. At 100k it would not have been soft. I'm very patient these days.

 

[treeman]

When I saw it on the news I thought "wtf" are you serious? Doesn't this kid see the irony of putting a can of alcohol there and that's the best he can do for his friend?
But then I thought he does have a right to honor his friend in anyway he thinks is best, being in his position id be pretty furious if somebody - especially who doesn't know me or my friend was telling me what is appropriate or not.
So my final thoughts are mixed, think putting the can of alcohol there looks stupid to me but I respect their way of honoring a mate.

 

[Duckman#72]

But then I thought he does have a right to honor his friend in anyway he thinks is best, being in his position id be pretty furious if somebody - especially who doesn't know me or my friend was telling me what is appropriate or not.

So my final thoughts are mixed, think putting the can of alcohol there looks stupid to me but I respect their way of honoring a mate.

Yeah - maybe I just need to get over it.

But the whole "tribute" thing just seems way overdone to the point of being chic. It is ALL ABOUT the mates left behind, and is a process that seems to forget about those deceased and their parents and family.

I am waiting for the day a girlfriend pins a pack of condoms, a pair of handcuffs and a g-string on a tree, with the words "You were the best root I ever had".

Well.....thanks for sharing....but somethings should remain private in my opinion. You mark my words -this will happen one day soon and there will be an outcry.

Duckman

 

[Buckfont]

The question is " should grieving be done privately or in public". "Should you inconvience others in your grieving when they are not involved and do not desire to be involved".

It`s so tragic to have so many young lives lost, however as long as there newspapers, TV`s and radios, we are all part of it whether we like or not.

 

[Agentm]

i read it as 5 dead and a sixth in hospital

i also cant believe that car can carry six

i am convinced speed was a contributor, and i also believe the law disallows that driver to carry passengers..

every aspect of what we dont want to see our youth do in a car at night all fell together, unrestrained, overcrowded and high speed.. shearing a oak tree in the process i understand

too many things could have happened to prevent this, and responsibility is obvious here.. but there is no way of dealing with it when the person who delivered this is deceased

will anyone ever be able to explain senseless carnage like this? never. most who attended the scene would need councilling for some time to come, and the family and friends will be having to deal with the most tragic of circumstances as best they can..

too young, too fast and too much hurt here.. imho its as bad as it gets..

 

[Pager]

When they crashed they were estimated to be traveling at 140klms

Very sad for the family's of those killed but had they hit and killed other people rather than themselves they would be facing a media and public backlash and probably jail.

High powered cars and P plate drivers is a lethal combination, just hope government's take action.

 

[gordon2007]

I have a very harsh view towards these type of deaths.

They were breaking the law, drinking and speeding and apparently too many people in the car too. The driver should be up for a darwin award.

If a man goes and robs a store and accidently shoots himself and dies, why is it so many think, 'the fool deserved it'. Yet when someone breaks the law and drives drunk, speeds and is generally a hoon, it's suddenly a tragic event.

Doesn't fly in my book. I'd rather they kill themselves then kill some innocent family getting rammed by this moron and killing them.

Edited due to typo.

 

[Duckman#72]

too young, too fast and too much hurt here.. imho its as bad as it gets..

Correct.

The Jim Beam cans probably represent fun, laughter, mateship, good times, youth and freedom. I can accept that.

But to many, it also represents lawlessness, drink driving, underage drinking, violence and abuse, addiction, excessive behaviour, stupidity and death.

Were the people making the tribute meaning the former? Most probably yes. But that doesn't mean that many others saw a very different message contained in the "tribute".

Considering nature of the accident, anything promoting, condoning or honouring excessive behaviour should have been avoided in my opinion.

Duckman

 

[ThingyMajiggy]

When they crashed they were estimated to be traveling at 140klms

High powered cars and P plate drivers is a lethal combination, just hope government's take action.

How can you possibly blame speed and high powered cars for this, man this Sh!ts me off.

Nearly ALL these cases there was drinking involved, car load of kids, all pissed or half pissed, yet its the speed that killed them, nothing to do with the booze?? Give me a break! And the high powered cars, pretty much all of these "high powered" cars you speak of, also have high performance brakes, high performance handling, high performance tyres to handle all this high performance, the part people don't understand is kids ARE going to do this, its what they do, no matter what car they are in, so why give them the biggest piece of crap under the sun with NO handling, NO brakes, even if it can't pull the skin off a custard, they WILL definitely try, ESPECIALLY with booze involved, it just makes a SURE thing that if/when they do crash, they are more likely to be killed because of the piece of crap underpowered car they are in that cant handle anything.

What they should be doing is concentrating more on the drink driving, and bringing in a decent advanced driving course that is COMPULSORY before they can get their Ps etc, actually teach them how to keep calm and control the situation when things get out of control. Not panic and jam the brakes on whilst jerking it across the other side of the road when/if they run a wheel off into the dirt etc.

To have a car load of kids, that have been drinking and crash, then blame it on the speed is just stupid.

Alcohol and skill is the cause, not speed or the cars they are driving.

 

[nulla nulla]

relax duckman,

Some people tape flowers to trees as tributes, somepeople place letters and some place art.

flowers die, letters are hard to write, art, some people just dont have the skills. The friends of these teenagers are just trying to remember the good times.

What a person places as a tribute is a private emotional connection between them and the deceased. Who are u to say what can or cant be used to show their emotional connection. open your mind a little and relax

have a good day everyone
go eat some chocolate ice cream with chocolate sauce and chill duckman

You see tributes everywhere, they send a clear message:

1. Someone died here as a result of a motor vehicle accident;
2. The people left behind are grieving for their loss; and
3. Slow down and take more care.

If these tributes make even only one person reconsider their speed and attitude to driving they acheive something valuable for the greater community. I sympathise with the families of the victoms for their irreplacable loss.

The point of inexperienced drivers in control of overpowered motor vehicles has been the subject of discussion with two of my own children currently on their learners permits. The agreed perspective is that they need to learn responsible driving habits regardless of whether they are behind the wheel of a 4 cylinder, a 6 cylinder or a v8.
Small cars, overloaded with passengers, under the control of an inexperienced and possibly intoxicated driver can travel at high speeds with equaly disastrous results as an "overpowered" falcon or commodore.

The young need to be taught responsible driving habits from word go. As parents we may need to set a better example in respect of responsible driving and driving education, rather than flick passing the blame to the State and Federal Governments in respect of the quality of the roads we drive on and the power of the vehicles on the road.

 

[GumbyLearner]

Alcohol and skill is the cause, not speed or the cars they are driving.

I totally agree with this statement SC.

However, I do note you used the word skill. This is where I disagree that P-platers should be driving high-powered vehicles. It takes time to master anything in life. It is unfortunate that these kids lives have ended so abruptly. Surely Vicroads or the TAC can do something to lobby the Government about giving young people more time to learn how to drive and do it with a 4 cylinder rather than XR6. The only people who know this are those who have been on the end of it from an inexperienced driver, myself included.

A car is a dangerous weapon just like a gun, knife or a set of nunchucks etc.. There are too many young people who do not have the wisdom of experience to realize this.

 

[Go Nuke]

Aren't you all forgetting that a little Hyundai Excell will get up to 140km/hr!

High powered cars will kill yes...but so will the less high powered cars.

I just can't understand why they haven't speed limited cars to say 120km/hr!

Why do we still make cars that are capable of doing twice that?? I'ts got me beat.
Until then, young people will keep dying..simple as that. I'm 31 now and have gotten past that stage of my life, but I can say Ive been there and done that. Sure its silly...but it didn't stop me from doing it.

Alot of young people feel 10 ft tall and bulletproof

 

[GumbyLearner]

Alot of young people feel 10 ft tall and bulletproof

So true Go Nuke