wow there are certainly alot of impatient people in this world when my father passed away in july there was a total of 70 cars and police escort at every intersection and people were sitten at lights longer than 9 mins and to think that some of the poep in the cars were b*tchen about the procession is pretty sad

 

> Just drive yourself from the church to the cemetary. What difference does it
> make whether you go in a line or not?

So people, especially not from the area, do not get lost. Many times, out of state relatives will drive grieving, sometimes angry, and crying relatives, who are not in their right state of mind, to the burial to prevent accidents from anger or inattention. Plus, being in an tight enclosed enviroment (car) with crying, sobbing, and sometimes screaming people and being distraught yourself is not conductive to safe driving.

When it that state it is very easy to get confused, distracted, lost, or in an accident that you might normally avoid. You can bet there would be a lot more accidents from forcing people coming from a church to drive in stop and go traffic.

The laws help promote the common good, even if you chose not to have respect for another person's misfortune and grieving.

 

When my grandfather died in 1986, there was a police escort at the funeral, and they were paid duty (i.e. on overtime) officers. The procession was really long - I and the rest of the pallbearers were about 12 vehicles back, and there had to be over 50 cars. We drove right down the main drag (King St.) in Hamilton, Ontario.

When my mother passed away last October, we were informed that the local police in most jurisdictions no longer provide the (paid) escort service due to the liability if there was an accident involving a car in the procession. However, my folks live (well, Dad still does) in a small-ish town (15,000 people when I was a kid, now it's over 20). The funeral home cars had purple beacons & all cars were provided with flags & the drivers were instructed to turn on the headlights (Canada has had daytime running lights mandatory since 1989, so most lights were on anyway. The funeral cars entered the intersections when safe to do so, then blocked traffic until all cross traffic had stopped & the whole procession had caught up before moving on. When moving most oncoming cars pulled over while the procession passed, and most pedestrians also stopped. It was heartening to see that most people still had the decency to take a moment from their hectic day to pay some respect to a departed citizen, even if some of that decency was forced upon them by the funeral car drivers.

When my grandmother passed away last November, the procession went the same funeral home to the same cemetary as my grandfather in 1986. She outlived most of her friends, most relatives of the same generation & her first born (Mom) so the procession was much smaller. Since there was no escort available, the funeral cars took a roundabout route down side streets & through residential areas. The funeral cars also blocked traffic at intersections as with Mom's funeral, but few people stopped to pay any respect, and some cars barged through the procession. The drive to the cemetary seemed to take forever & the whole experience was a little depressing compared to Mom's funeral.

FWIW, I stop when I encounter a funeral procession, when it is safe to do so - on a six lane main thoroughfare at 50 mph it is generally not sensible to pull over suddenly. If I am walking I will also stop. On the rare occasion I am wearing a hat, it comes off, too. I just think it is common decency. However I don't think that a funeral car driver has any business driving 35 down the middle lane of a freeway - that's plain dangerous. The procession should have kept up at least the minimum speed limit & stayed in the right lane, if it had to go on the freeway at all. Of course if the funeral director was trying to scare up some more business...

Just my 2¢ worth.

Cheers,
Eric

 

When my aunt passed away, it seemed as though the funeral director (lead car) was lost. Here he was, driving all over the city of Syracuse. My cousin, who I was ridng with, was getting REALLY upset with this until I realized that the funeral director had taken the time to map out a route that took us by my aunt's apartment and Syracuse University, where she worked for the ROTC for many years. For her last ride, she (and her family) was taken past the places that meant the most to her in life. I thought that was incrediby considerate, and I'll never forget it.

 

A few years back my great grandmother passed away and we took her back to the farming community were she still owned a large farm and had owned other farms and land around there for almost 100 years. It was really nice to see how these country people showed respect. As we drove in the big long procession, every truck, car, and even a tractor, stopped on the side of the road and a few got out and stood with there hats off and head bowed out of respect. Compare that to how funeral processions in the dity are treated.
The last funeral I went to I was one of the pall bearers and the procession went from the back of the funeral home and 30 feet across some grass to the grave site.

 

None of you have ever heard the expression??:

There's only two times in your life when its ok to
run a red light... when you're coming into this world,
and when you're going out.

I guess the "coming in" is child-birth enroute to the hospital.
But the going out part definitly reffers to funerals. It's
a very old law and I don't see it ever changing.
Shoot, I can't remember when I last saw one. Most funerals
are during the day on a weekday... I'm at work.

 

When I read this post all I could see in my mind was "Smokey and the Bandit"

 

Similar thing happened to me a few yrs back. While driving on I-65, I came up beside a funeral procession. They were apparently still entering the highway at one of the on-ramps I had recently passed, so the cops at the rear were not yet on the highway. As I neared my exit, it suddenly dawned on me that there was no way to get off the interstate without cutting into the procession, which was stretched out and took up the entire right-hand lane for a mile or two. Either that, or come to a complete stop off the left shoulder and wait for them to move on (or be rear-ended, whichever came first). I chose to cut through the procession to take my exit, and one of the funeral cops chased me down and treated me like I just spat on his mother's grave. Sheesh.

 

I can't quote the law but as a matter of respect I will pull over and wait. What i don't get is why the procession happens at 20 MPH or less. A few years ago we buried a dear friend of mine. Most of us there were motorcyclists. The procession moved so slowly that no one got out of first gear and we were feathering the clutch most of the time. Lots of clutch wear, some dragging feet, and hot cylinders that day. The nature of my deceased friend would have been to race the police escort to the cemetery.
When it's my turn to take that ride I really don't care what strangers do, but I do hope my surviving friends have a great time talking about memories that I am a part of.

 

Same thing up here in Alaska. Besides, it shows respect for the deceased. I mean, scuba lessons can be taken some other time if you're late!

 

I've always pulled over and taken my hat off as a sign of respect for the deceased. I can recall sitting for far longer than nine minutes at a few processions, but no matter. I would never think of cutting one off, cutting into one, or proceeding before it has passed. It's a mark of common courtesy and good manners to show respect. And I can think of nothing short of a life or death situation which would cause me to do otherwise.

My two cents' worth...

 

I too always pull over, turn engine off, and remove my hat (if I am wearing one), and bow my head.

I understand it can be sometimes frustrating sitting there, but if I am ever running late (I am perenially early), I never rush.
Whether it is a Job interview, I am pooping my pants whatever...
I always think, is there ever a REAL need to rush?

Nope - and this is coming from the person who sits on well over 150mph on the way to the shops...
But that is me on an open road with no traffic, the situation is entirely under MY control.
With other people around, I just slow down...
I am only going to endanger myself, or the people surrounding me.

I see no rush, who's racing???



Having said that, my funeral procession is going to be along 90miles of Australian black top without a speed limit...
It will be a race to the cemetary.

Even if there are 100 cars, with my friends, you won't have to wait 90s, let alone 9 minutes...

 

I like it!

 

I wait. Its a respect issue. I also use it as a time for prayer and reflection on my day as well as thanking the Lord I am not having to mourn the death of a loved one as these folks are.

I would bet my last dollar that those who gripe about waiting for a funeral procession will wait 20 minutes in a Mcdonalds drive through anticipating their Big Mac, Wait in line 2 hours for the gates at a Nascar track to open, wait in the car for an hour while their wife runs into the store for just a few items, Will sit in their car for 30 minutes or more and wait for their turn to exit the high school football game.

In texas you are to wait until it has passed. I have seen cars and truck drivers and even heavy equipment operators pull over and get out and stand by the roadside with their heads bowed and hats (If theyw ere wearing them) over their hearts until all the funeral cars passed. I was taught its a respect issue. I have seen it a few times here in Eastern NC.

I just recently attended the funeral of a 35 year old mother of two who died from cancer. her funeral procession had probably 60 plus cars. I saw teens pull over (going the opposite way on a two lane hiway) moving truck pull over, cars, mini vans with kids there were a few who blew past but the ones who pulled made my heart rejoice.

I know you talk the talk but if it were your mom, your sister or child and someone blasted into your moment of mourning you would be singing a different tune. Just give the family and friends that brief moment. Do as i do use it to your advantage. Thank the Lord he found you should have precious air in your lungs one more day. heck use the time to talk to your kid! If all else fails keep a crossword puzzle book in the glovebox for those dreaded 9 minute funeral processions!