Funeral processions

[Slushbox]

Sorry to hear of your loss. It happened to me twice, as parents departed. It's quite uspetting to see how little respect for other's grief there is these days.

[coppice]

A good friend died last year; he was a biker as well as a very keen driver of ancient and modern cars .There is no difficulty in making progress when the cortege is guarded by 50 hairy men on Harleys. I will admit to feeling slightly embarrassed as these self appointed guardians just parked their bikes across every junction and roundabout. There's a dividing line when 'showing respect ' becomes 'using a funeral to justify behaving like an arse' .

[spaximus]

TooMany2cvs said:

spaximus said:

and on one roundabout one driver forced our driver to do an emergency stop as he cut around between the hearse and our car.

Did that driver join the r'a'b between the hearse and car on the roundabout - or were you expecting traffic on the r'a'b to stop and let the cortege join en masse?

No overtook on the right lane and then sliced across in front of our car and the Hearse.

I personally would stop to allow those cars clearly carrying relations out, but I understand that others would not.

[Riley Blue]

My condolences OP.

Since I moved to Derbyshire ten years ago I've noticed much more respect for the departed than when I lived in the south. Here, pedestrians will often stand at the pavement's edge, heads bowed as a funeral procession passes and I've seen old men removing their caps. Vehicles seem to be more 'funeral aware' too.

[ch108]

wack said:

swisstoni said:

The op mentioned that the hearse was cut up - hardly a courteous overtake. But I agree - once on a dual carriageway or motorway, a slowish overtake of the cortège is acceptable - all IMHO of course.

Overtaking on a dual carriageway or a motorway would be OK because dozens of cars queueing up would be ridiculous , but in my almost 2 million miles of driving over 35 years I don't think I've never seen one on the motorway so it must be quite rare

Daldowie crematorium in Glasgow is just at the junction of the M73/M74, so most processions have to use the motorway. I've been to a few funerals there, and have travelled in the funeral car too. It was normal to have cars overtaking and I don't think anyone thought anything of it. At least on the motorway other cars can overtake the full procession in one go. Also the hearse and funeral car sped up on the motorway to about 50-60mph.

[Fire99]

Really sorry to hear of your loss and I'm equally sorry to hear that too many drivers seem to have their heads up their own bottoms and can't wind the wick down a little out of respect.
Back home I'd say drivers have been generally pretty good. If one is on a dual carraigeway I'd pass as 'gently' as possible and not scream past. A little respect costs nothing.

[Jaguar steve]

Slushbox said:

Sorry to hear of your loss. It happened to me twice, as parents departed. It's quite uspetting to see how little respect for other's grief there is these days.

Sorry to tell you that's nothing new. My dad's cortege encountered a moron in a BMW who sat on the horn and gave us the coffee beans out the window as he came past and then forced his way back in causing the lead vehicle to brake hard to avoid a collision 25 years ago this week. Totally pointless too - we caught up with him again at the next roundabout.

There were a couple of off duty BiB in the convoy and I often wonder if one of them went round for a friendly chat afterwards.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Condolences to OP.

The family is in morning - the rest of the world isn't, so we shouldn't expect the rest of the world to creep about at processional speed. However, one hopes that appropriate consideration might be shown.

[All that jazz]

Max5476 said:

I've given my wife strict instructions that when deceased I am not to be part of a slow funeral procession, everyone can make there way at the speed limit.

I don't like to think I'm disrespectful (people will definitely disagree on this though) but I don't agree with slow funeral processions on the public road. I don't know the person who has passed, or the attendees to offer my condolences after all, and yes I have places to be and things to do. I know that is selfish, but its only as selfish as the slow funeral procession.

My feelings too. Some years before my Old Dear died we had a similar discussion and her response was basically they can do whatever the hell they want when I'm dead as I won't be here to worry about it! As a result, when she did die, the church where the service was to take place was about 15 miles away and they were planning to dawdle along at 25-30mph on semi-rural busy A-roads. I made it clear that no such bullst would be happening and they and the rest of the family were to travel at normal speeds keeping up the flow of traffic and everyone make their way there in their own time, not in a procession, but obviously not take the piss and hold up proceedings at the church. No fuss, no dramas, it worked just fine.

I've made it clear to my family that the same is to happen for my funeral too. I don't get this respect stuff over funeral processions. You wouldn't bat an eyelid when the person was alive so why the sudden faux respect nonsense now they're dead? You don't even know them! It's an outdated nonsense tradition like saluting AA patrol men back in the day and should be consigned to the history books.

[PistonBroker]

Blayney said:

Sad really. Whenever I encounter a funeral procession I bow my head slightly, give a moment of thought for their loss, reflect upon my own losses and do my very best to drive courteously and with respect. Last thing anyone needs on that day is encountering a poor driver.

My condolences.

+1

I suspect it's just something that's just lost on a new generation sadly.

[silverfoxcc]

wack said:

Overtaking on a dual carriageway or a motorway would be OK because dozens of cars queueing up would be ridiculous , but in my almost 2 million miles of driving over 35 years I don't think I've never seen one on the motorway so it must be quite rare

My Mum went along to M2 to he Crem at Canterbury. Normwal 'walk out' then 60+ along the M2

[oceanview]

Such disrespect from so many people, unfortunately.

I do remember, however, 16 years ago when my nan passed, some people on the side of the road somewhere in London, actually stopped walking, bowed there heads towards us and we all really did appreciate there gesture.

[Hoofy]

Someone did that Inbetweeners thing when my dad was being buried.

We actually laughed out loud in the limo behind the idiot as we're fans of Inbetweeners.

[wack]

Hoofy said:

Someone did that Inbetweeners thing when my dad was being buried.

We actually laughed out loud in the limo behind the idiot as we're fans of Inbetweeners.

Remind me

Funerals are solemn affairs because the relatives have lost someone they loved but I'm sure the deceased would have found it funny , at my dads funeral the vicar tried to stand in front of the open grave and almost fell in , there was a gasp of shock but my dad would have been laughing his tits off if he'd fell in

[Who me ?]

Condolences to the OP.I never experienced this with either of my parents as the Crematorium was over 100 miles from their home. But to add bit of light relief, I'd post something that happened at one of my favourite uncles funerals.
All were gathered round the grave, hole dug, and minister saying his bit, when the clouds opened. All ran for shelter and one wit was heard to say " only bloke here that's not wet is in the box". Quick as a flash, knowing the deceased ( the minister who had a great sense of humour ) replied " he's sitting on the cloud, he's just triggered, laughing at us all getting soaked".

[Hoofy]

wack said:

Hoofy said:

Someone did that Inbetweeners thing when my dad was being buried.

We actually laughed out loud in the limo behind the idiot as we're fans of Inbetweeners.

Remind me

Funerals are solemn affairs because the relatives have lost someone they loved but I'm sure the deceased would have found it funny , at my dads funeral the vicar tried to stand in front of the open grave and almost fell in , there was a gasp of shock but my dad would have been laughing his tits off if he'd fell in

https://youtu.be/XgXBlpRMYIE?t=11m6s

[anonymous-user]

I can't imagine overtaking a funeral procession, I'm just not that important.

[Riley Blue]

A widespread issue it seems:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/news/slow-down-for...

[sebhaque]

I managed to let myself out in the middle of a funeral procession once. Half of the convoy got caught at a red light, so when I found myself surrounded by six-door Mercs with tearful people dressed in their No 1s, I barrelled off at the first opportunity to let them go past. Every single car waved a short thanks.

I can't remember if it was on PH or another car thread, but I seem to recall hearing a tale of a car pulling out into a funeral procession somewhat disrespectfully, towhit some of the cars decided to bunch up around the new participant and not allow him/her to leave the group until they got to wherever they were going. I would imagine an extremely apologetic driver when faced with dozens of angry mourners.

In terms of not knowing the dead person, I don't agree with just treating them as another road user. The funeral procession normally has quite a few other people in tow, most/all of whom are in mourning. Unless there's a serious emergency, which thankfully I've not experienced yet, I have no problem in letting some folks go past to say their final goodbyes to someone. Having been at a family funeral where my mother and sister have been bawling their eyes out on my shoulders, I wouldn't wish that on anyone. The least I can do is to just let them get past. I can park up, check my phone, scratch my arse and afford a few minutes for the most part.

ETA: with all that being said, I would quite enjoy it that, when I die, my funeral car is some form of 500+bhp estate and my body spends its final few moments above ground being chucked about with a dab of oppo. I would love to see the Police try and prosecute the dead guy because he demanded to go sideways on the way into the ground.

Edited by sebhaque on Tuesday 26th July 00:24

[thatsprettyshady]

Sorry to hear of your loss OP.

From what I remember of my Dads funeral, part of the route was along a busy dual carriageway (A3 Guildford) and some people still wouldn't overtake, and those that did were quite sheepish about it, it was quite funny at the time and also touching... I suppose some some people still have respect.

I'm burying my Mum on Thursday so I suppose this thread has reminded me of that, and will give me something to think about and possibly have a little laugh at on the journey.

I never overtake funeral processions myself, and those that do I have no words for.


Saying that, what about emergency vehicles? I bet that's dead awkward for them.