Are "In Loving Memory" windshield decals a thing in your area?

[rastahomie]

They're all over the place here in southeastern Missouri, and I think they're all kinds of tacky.

Equally tacky are those roadside memorials for people who die in vehicle accidents. I've already told my friends and family that if I die in a car wreck and they make one of those memorials for me, I'm coming back from the dead and haunting them. And not in a good, Casper kind of way. I'm getting all The Conjuring on them.

 

[Geoff_M]

We occasionally see the car decals here in Michigan, but they're not a big thing. They don't appeal to me in the least. When I see one I think "So how long to you wait before it's appropriate to scrape it off? Do you wait until you have another one for another person and replace it... or do you add a 2nd one?"

 

[bethbuchall]

I'm in central NYS and see one on a fairly regular basis, but I wouldn't say it's common either. I don't understand the point, and I would never do it. But they don't impact my life, so I'm happy if they bring someone else solace.

 

[morgan98]

I am not going to tell anyhow how to grieve, but I find them odd. They are on the outside of your car, not the inside, so I am not sure how much of it the driver themselves would see it. As for strangers seeing it, I really don't know what to think. First I think, "Oh that person must have had someone close to them die." Then my next thought is we have all lost people close to us, so I do not understand why they feel a need to "announce" such a thing.

Again, people grieve differently, but it is too public of a display for my liking.

 

[NotUrsula]

Normally, when someone dies and a memorial is erected, the memorial has no other purpose than to be a memorial, or at very least a quiet place of contemplation, such as a park bench. Not so with a car, especially since for most people, a vehicle is the second-most-expensive possession they have. When I see a car designated as a memorial, the first impression I get is that the driver now owns the vehicle courtesy of the deceased. Sort of like, "Grandma died and I got the car" It always strikes me a kind of bizarre.

The tees are less odd-seeming to me, but somehow still strike me as off. I guess it's a cultural thing for me; I have the mindset that when honoring a solemn occasion, one should dress in one's best, but keep the colours subdued. A baggy white tee seems just a wee bit too casual for the sentiment in my world.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I see them occasionally here in MA. No way I'd put one on my car.

I'm also in MA, but haven't noticed them yet (that I remember). I agree that I personally wouldn't want one, though. I don't actually have any bumper stickers.

 

[Heidict]

I have seen it on a few cars in CT, but only a handful. I wouldn't do it, but I don't even like bumper stickers on my car, so a huge decal on by back window isn't going to work for me.

As far as shirts go, I've now see "prison strong" shirts with name, picture and how long they will be gone worn by entire families.

Now that there is keeping it klassy!!!!

 

[Squirlz]

We occasionally see the car decals here in Michigan, but they're not a big thing. They don't appeal to me in the least. When I see one I think "So how long to you wait before it's appropriate to scrape it off? Do you wait until you have another one for another person and replace it... or do you add a 2nd one?"

I'm in Okemos Michigan. Never heard of this.

 

[CarolAnn856]

I'm in south Jersey and only see them once in a while on pickup trucks or occasionally on older-looking cars. I would absolutely never do something like that, and I personally think they are tacky.

 

[Gorechick]

I've seen them here in SW Michigan but only related to military loss.

 

[Geoff_M]

I'm in Okemos Michigan. Never heard of this.

Perhaps I should have said "Southwest Michigan"

 

[morgan98]

Perhaps I should have said "Southwest Michigan"

I used to live in extreme Southwest Michigan...New Buffalo!

 

[jevs]

From a health promotional perspective they are used in Australia as a visual reminder for not only the drivers of the vehicle but for other people on the roads as well to decrease the amount of road deaths. In 2006 we had the 'Touched by the Road Toll' campaign where they used these:

The latest campaign is 'Towards Zero' and again there are bumper stickers.

If people get upset about roadside memorials then I'd suggest staying away from major highways in Australia, with next of kin permission - the TAC occasionally use the car wrecks as another visual reminder.

 

[swansong1001]

When our son passed away, I wanted to find a way to keep his memory with me. The car decal or a shirt were too public and tacky. I had a ring made with his name and that is just personal enough for me. You can't even tell it is a name unless you look closely. It keeps my personal memories of him close to me.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I have my memories in my heart of my daughter. I like the idea of swansong though with a ring. I don't need decals.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I saw one today. Had baby footprints and the name George, I see them all the time around here & find them odd. The ones that take up the whole rear window are tacky.

 

[luvsJack]

Pretty big thing here. I don't really understand them and wouldn't do it. Seems like originally it was mostly done for babies, young children and teens but has become something done for people of all ages.


The crosses or memorials on the side of the road are fairly common too. I like them as long as they are kept up. There is one for my bil. His best friend carved a really pretty cross and placed it by the stump of the tree he hit.

For my nephew, we just wanted the tree cut down. It was right at the edge of the road, in a curve with a bit of an incline. The land owner wouldn't cut the tree for awhile but high school kids kept putting flowers and stuff by it. He finally agreed to cut it down and put three small white crosses where it stood.

 

[powellrj]

They aren't common around here.

 

[kimblebee]

I saw one today. Had baby footprints and the name George, I see them all the time around here & find them odd. The ones that take up the whole rear window are tacky.

The whole back window?? I was thinking it was the size of a four person stick family that are popular on rear windshields.

 

[Hrhpd]

I must be the most unobservant person in the world because I have never seen one. This is the first I have heard of them. And several posters have already mentioned that they are popular in our generalized area.

Definitely not something I would do. I find it pretty tacky.