Not Sure There Is Really An Answer To This, But Here Goes.

[anotheoldgit]

Why since Princess Diana's death, we have seen an escalation in the laying of floral tributes, why?

I ask all the atheists amongst us, is it the same as praying?

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/03/25/12/3E9DC4C800000578-0-image-a-9_1490444990793.jpg

Can we have a sensible debate on this one without it turning once again into a criticism of my choice of subject, headline or whatever?

Please!!!!

[Zacs-Master]

I think you need some evidence to back up your claim AOG.

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

/// and another reason was that people wanted to make a point about the depth of feeling both to the establishment and the Royal Family. ///

If that was true, why go to the expense of buying flowers, why not the time tried method of the scribbling of a message on a piece of board attached to a length of wood and waving it in the air?

[mikey4444]

AOG...people act irrationally at times, and I think we just have to accept it.

[trt]

Its up to the individual I suppose, if it makes them feel better.

What really annoys me, is when people leave tins of beer, or vodka etc, like at Amy Winehouse house, or at road accidents, ridiculous.

[mikey4444]

trt....I hadn't realised that people did that !

Just plain nasty !

[Mamyalynne]

I think my feelings have been covered on this - I found this article (from Australia) quite succinct in the points it covers.


http://theconversation.com/public-mourning-a-brief-history-35670

[jno]

I can't say I've ever seen cardboard storks. And though there are quite a few flowers (I wish people would take the cellophane off), as others have said they tend to be on roadsides where someone has been killed in an accident. In Catholic countries you'll sometimes see little shrines erected, and those are clearly religious. I think flowers are therefore the opposite of religious, they're what non-believers do - not praying, just remembering.

[anotheoldgit]

Islay

I did not particularly 'single you out' I chose you because of your answer, and because I didn't think you to be all that old.

Now we have got that out of the way:

Yes you may have seen loads of flowers left in memory of that young man died on that tiny country road, he must have had many relatives and personal close friends, just as we see masses of flowers on graves after a large attended funeral.

Such things have always taken place, except of course, at the scene of traffic accidents, but then we didn't see many of those because there wasn't so many road deaths.

[hc4361]

You should check your facts, AOG.

In 1924 there was 4886 fatalities of road accidents
The peak was in 1941 with 9169

Since 2010 there has not been more than 1901 per year

[Zacs-Master]

AOG, if you want people
To take your questions seriously you'd be better not posting inaccuracies.

[anotheoldgit]

jno

'I think flowers are therefore the opposite of religious','What non-believers do' and 'Remembering'? I don't think so.

But it may be true from a personal aspect, ie road deaths, funerals, but hardly when one does not closely know the person or has never met the person.

[Sqad]

hc.......1924...if you had an accident, you depended upon "luck" to see you through, but in the last decade, blood replacements,resuscitation techniques, intensive care etc have reduced the number of road deaths. More accidents than before 1924 but reduced deaths due to better trauma care.

[EcclesCake]

As you began and finished your initial sentence with 'Why' I have nothing to add.

You do like to nitpick.....

[anotheoldgit]

hc4361

Sorry about that, I didn't realise that, but apart from 1924, (I wasn't around then), my only excuse must be because I did not witness so many flowers by the road side, so I wrongfully assumed that there wasn't so many road deaths, but then I was around in 1941 and although there was so much death and destruction all around me, I still didn't witness many flowers.

[hc4361]

Agreed, sqad - and much improved car safety. The high number of deaths in 1941 was due to the blackout but it is a fact that there are far less fatalities now than since records began in the 1920s.
So we should be seeing far less roadside memorials but we are seeing more.

[anotheoldgit]

Zacs-Master

/// AOG, if you want people
To take your questions seriously you'd be better not posting inaccuracies. ///

See what I mean, some troll like persons just cannot help themselves.

I will no longer respond to your jibes.

[hc4361]

AOG, I've already said that I don't remember seeing roadside flowers before Diana died and that I do remember seeing them for the first time.

[Sqad]

hc

"So we should be seeing far less roadside memorials but we are seeing more."

Agreed.......and that is the point that AOG is making.

[Islay]

Surely there were not a lot of flowers around full stop in 1941 due to there being a war on and all that!!

[hc4361]

I mentioned 1941 not because of the number of flowers left but because of the number of traffic fatalities.