Should you ever overtake a funeral procession?
Discussion
There is a naming and shaming of a taxi driver on Facebook at the moment. The passenger (funeral employee) in the funeral car has taken photos of a black Vectra 'overtaking at 60mph' after flashing his lights and driving up behind. This was a single carriageway. Obviously that is unacceptable, but there are many posters stating you shouldn't overtake a funeral procession even on a dual carriageway.
The funeral director company page are asking for the post to be shared etc. It won't be difficult to identify who it was as the numberplate and taxi firm are clearly visible. I guess a call to the taxi company wasn't sufficient.
I'm not a fan of all this tell-tale trial by social media as you only get one side of the argument and it's all a bit playground but this is the modern way.
So, would you (courteously) overtake a funeral procession on a dual carriageway or just sit behind?
The funeral director company page are asking for the post to be shared etc. It won't be difficult to identify who it was as the numberplate and taxi firm are clearly visible. I guess a call to the taxi company wasn't sufficient.
I'm not a fan of all this tell-tale trial by social media as you only get one side of the argument and it's all a bit playground but this is the modern way.
So, would you (courteously) overtake a funeral procession on a dual carriageway or just sit behind?
On a Dual carriageway yes. Single carriageway I would not. Honestly couldnt say why, passing one on a single carriageway just seems a bit disrespectful, dual carriageway just seems like normal road use.
However those stupid wedding chariot things id say are fair game, passed one out of pure frustration recently doing ~10mph in a 40.
The trial by social media thing really doesnt bother me, rarely use friendface or tweeter. Hell the last time It was even brought up in convorsation is when myself abd a friend where deliberately trying to get ourselfs into our local "Parking like a knob in XXX" fb group simply to experience the comedy of how wound up folk get on there. So far my shogun and his discovery have been abadoned all over the shop and niether of us have been caught
However those stupid wedding chariot things id say are fair game, passed one out of pure frustration recently doing ~10mph in a 40.
The trial by social media thing really doesnt bother me, rarely use friendface or tweeter. Hell the last time It was even brought up in convorsation is when myself abd a friend where deliberately trying to get ourselfs into our local "Parking like a knob in XXX" fb group simply to experience the comedy of how wound up folk get on there. So far my shogun and his discovery have been abadoned all over the shop and niether of us have been caught
Edited by caelite on Saturday 1st October 09:25
Driving to my local cinema, there are several roundabouts, two in a NSL zone.
At one, a medium-sized roundabout (two lanes, five exits), a funeral convoy was on the roundabout. Because I entered at the opposite side to them, I couldn't see them. I wasn't going fast (20-30). The hearse and car behind had gone onto the roundabout, but slowed to either a stop or certainly walking pace. I then came to a stop and the rest of the funeral traffic followed them out. Not many cars, about five or six.
I did think at the time though - I have no problems whatsoever letting them out and stay in convoy - but it was a reasonably quiet day and I wondered if someone else approached the roundabout the way I did (the main route), they might not see me parked up the other side (it has lots of foliage on it, my car is low) - there would be no obvious reason for a car to be stopped half-way round on that day, so I wondered what would happen if someone wound up rear ending me as the highway code was not being observed. Bit of an odd one.
At one, a medium-sized roundabout (two lanes, five exits), a funeral convoy was on the roundabout. Because I entered at the opposite side to them, I couldn't see them. I wasn't going fast (20-30). The hearse and car behind had gone onto the roundabout, but slowed to either a stop or certainly walking pace. I then came to a stop and the rest of the funeral traffic followed them out. Not many cars, about five or six.
I did think at the time though - I have no problems whatsoever letting them out and stay in convoy - but it was a reasonably quiet day and I wondered if someone else approached the roundabout the way I did (the main route), they might not see me parked up the other side (it has lots of foliage on it, my car is low) - there would be no obvious reason for a car to be stopped half-way round on that day, so I wondered what would happen if someone wound up rear ending me as the highway code was not being observed. Bit of an odd one.
Passing on a DC is of course ok.
I did experience someone on a roundabout the other week decide he didn't want to wait and swerved around the stationary cars who were letting us out... He very, very nearly hit the third funeral car (which I was in)...
That is the only time I've had an issue in a funeral procession, usually motorists are very respectful and sit and wait at green lights etc to let the cars out, which shows to me that most people are decent human beings.
I did experience someone on a roundabout the other week decide he didn't want to wait and swerved around the stationary cars who were letting us out... He very, very nearly hit the third funeral car (which I was in)...
That is the only time I've had an issue in a funeral procession, usually motorists are very respectful and sit and wait at green lights etc to let the cars out, which shows to me that most people are decent human beings.
Agree completely on single carriageway, and passing normally and respectfully when there is another lane that enables one to clear the whole funeral convoy. Overtaking and then pulling in and breaking the convoy would be awful.
My mothers's coffin had to be brought from Surrey to the funeral in Kent. The undertakers didn't want to use the M25. Consequently my mum was almost an hour late for her own funeral. I was furious at the time as I could see the crematorium was soon going to close for the day but I'm sure she is still laughing now!!
My mothers's coffin had to be brought from Surrey to the funeral in Kent. The undertakers didn't want to use the M25. Consequently my mum was almost an hour late for her own funeral. I was furious at the time as I could see the crematorium was soon going to close for the day but I'm sure she is still laughing now!!
jamei303 said:
In some parts of the US they get angry if oncoming vehicles don't stop for a funeral procession.
Oh yeah Ive heard of that. Supposedly its a pretty big thing over there, some states even have laws mandating you stop and if people dont ive heard its common for truck drivers enforcing traffic stopping with their vehicles (this is in Texas where I have some family)Personally I reckon thats pretty stupid, there is showing your respect then there is just causing needless inconvenience and danger to road users
sparkythecat said:
In bygone days the coffin would have been carried by pall bearers, or by a horse drawn carriage, with mourners on foot. Given that very seldom happens these days
why do funeral convoys need to travel so slowly?
Probably so the body doesn't rattle around inside the coffin? Would be pretty upsetting hearing your nan thudding from side to side each time the hearse took a corner. why do funeral convoys need to travel so slowly?
sparkythecat said:
In bygone days the coffin would have been carried by pall bearers, or by a horse drawn carriage, with mourners on foot. Given that very seldom happens these days
why do funeral convoys need to travel so slowly?
It's just a sign of respect. Don't need to be bombing it to a funeral. why do funeral convoys need to travel so slowly?
I have been a funeral director for twenty years, and I come across this situation on a daily basis. If I am travelling on 30 limit roads, I tend to instruct the driver to keep to about 20mph. Slow and respectful, but not ridiculously slow. There is alot of careful timing involved on the journey from house to crematorium/church, and I have to build in a certain amount of flexibility to the journey to allow for the unforseen, particularly so if travelling a distance. If I am 'ahead of time', I will slow the hearse down slightly, as I always endeavour to arrive 'just in time' to start the service. it is awful for a family to be hanging around waiting for the service to start if you arrive 10-15 minutes early. I aim to arrive no earlier than five minutes before the start of a service, a quick check everything is in place - i send a couple chaps ahead to deal with things like fee payments (Anglicans particularly are s
t hot on getting their loot first), setting out service sheets etc; and then straight into the start of the service.
I have absolutely no issue with cars overtaking, as long as it is done safely and carefully, and respectfully, ie, not wheelspinning in third with a plume of diesel soot in an aggressive manner.
At roundabouts and junctions, my drivers know they always drive for the last car in the cortege, be that a limousine or private family car as family members often do not know where they are going. So, the hearse will pull out at a crawl when there is an appropriate gap, and then crawl across the roundabout to enable any following cars to stay in order behind; the hope being that cars coming from the right will then slow down and allow the cortege to pass by. It doesn't always happen though and very often there will be some aggressive in a hurry who will insist on cutting through the cortege, or even joining in it with the hope of blasting past the rest later on. I honestly sometimes think that some drivers do not even see the hearse, they just see a black car that they have to get past.
On a motorway journey I will stick to 55-60mph and watch the world go by.
As not to become an instant crushing bore, I'll save all my gory stories of clearing up giblets for another time. Suffice to say, if you can think of a manner in which you could die or be killed, I've probably seen it and scooped it up.
Cheers!
t hot on getting their loot first), setting out service sheets etc; and then straight into the start of the service.I have absolutely no issue with cars overtaking, as long as it is done safely and carefully, and respectfully, ie, not wheelspinning in third with a plume of diesel soot in an aggressive manner.
At roundabouts and junctions, my drivers know they always drive for the last car in the cortege, be that a limousine or private family car as family members often do not know where they are going. So, the hearse will pull out at a crawl when there is an appropriate gap, and then crawl across the roundabout to enable any following cars to stay in order behind; the hope being that cars coming from the right will then slow down and allow the cortege to pass by. It doesn't always happen though and very often there will be some aggressive
in a hurry who will insist on cutting through the cortege, or even joining in it with the hope of blasting past the rest later on. I honestly sometimes think that some drivers do not even see the hearse, they just see a black car that they have to get past. On a motorway journey I will stick to 55-60mph and watch the world go by.
As not to become an instant crushing bore, I'll save all my gory stories of clearing up giblets for another time. Suffice to say, if you can think of a manner in which you could die or be killed, I've probably seen it and scooped it up.
Cheers!
sparkythecat said:
In bygone days the coffin would have been carried by pall bearers, or by a horse drawn carriage, with mourners on foot. Given that very seldom happens these days
why do funeral convoys need to travel so slowly?
Frankly, the horse drawn carriage swhy do funeral convoys need to travel so slowly?
t that you see today is cretinous and as ghastly as their wedding equivalents. But I still wouldn't pass one. They are only used in urban environments where everyone lives on a grid system so always easy alternate routes if you did stumble across one and weren't prepared to wait. For the cars? Well, slapping along at standard road pace just doesn't seem appropriate or practical. I see no harm in maintaining a modicum of theatre to important events. We could just dump them in the canal and video it for Facebook?
1,500 people die every day UK. Which means enough funeral processions to bring the nation to a complete standstill if they were all to creep about in low speed convoys with nobody passing them.
Whilst it's not unreasonable for the bereaved to hope the rest of the nation may show suitable respect, they need to bear in mind the need for the rest of the world to be able to carry on as usual.
"Respect", yes. "Political correctness", no.
Whilst it's not unreasonable for the bereaved to hope the rest of the nation may show suitable respect, they need to bear in mind the need for the rest of the world to be able to carry on as usual.
"Respect", yes. "Political correctness", no.
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