Do you pull over for funeral processions?

[Tallguy88]

Here in the South, it's almost considered mandatory to pull over to the side of the road as a sign of respect to a funeral procession that's passing in the opposite direction and not to pass one going the same direction. Even the police will sometimes lead the procession and have additional patrol cars block intersections in the path of a procession so it can keep moving and stay together. But I've heard people say that in the North, people don't stop for funeral processions. What's your experiences?

 

[Pilgrim]

Didn't it used to be part of the motor vehicle code? At least in some states...

 

[SkyWriting]

Here in the South, it's almost considered mandatory to pull over to the side of the road as a sign of respect to a funeral procession that's passing in the opposite direction and not to pass one going the same direction. Even the police will sometimes lead the procession and have additional patrol cars block intersections in the path of a procession so it can keep moving and stay together. But I've heard people say that in the North, people don't stop for funeral processions. What's your experiences?

We do not in the north, though it's polite not to break up a procession. And we never pay any mind to one going in the opposite direction. Occasionally police do escort here. Factory workers cannot be one minute late without being penalized.

 

[tulc]

In Illinois funeral processions have the right of way and wont get traffic tickets (for running stop lights or stop signs) as long as they have their headlights on.

Illinois. The law gives funeral processions the right-of-way at intersections when headlights are lit. The lead vehicle must comply with stop signs and traffic lights, but once it has done so, all the following vehicles can proceed without stopping, provided they exercise due caution. Also, the procession must yield to an approaching emergency vehicle or when directed by a police officer. Vehicles not in the procession cannot enter it unless directed by a police officer and other vehicles cannot join the procession and turn on their headlights in order to gain the right-of-way granted to the procession (625 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/11-1420).

tulc(saw a guy get a ticket once for not pulling over for a funeral here in Chicago)

 

[dogs4thewin]

I am in the south and do not drive ( I cannot for a number of reasons). HOWEVER, if I did drive I would CERTAINLY pull over and HATE it when people do not.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Funeral processions are not much of a tradition in the Pacific Northwest, but I remember at least waiting for processions in Minnesota where I grew up.

The only time I have run into them out here is once or twice I ran into a police procession out here, and there was no question about pulling over then.

 

[Dave-W]

It is illegal to NOT pull over around here. A few years back the grandson of a close friend died. The boy's dad was a police officer that had just moved jurisdictions and almost every officer from BOTH cities showed up. It was a very long procession and the motorcycle mounted officers were ticketing anyone who did not pull over or tried to pull out of driveways thru gaps.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

A funeral procession was passing by a golf course. Seeing this a player stopped and bowed his head reverently as the procession passed.

Fellow player: " I'm impressed by your thoughtfulness. Did you know the deceased?

Player: "Yes", he replied. "We would have been married 40 years this Sunday."

 

[essentialsaltes]

Here in Los Angeles, rentacops on motorcycles shepherd the cortege through lights and stop signs.

Everyone is pretty cool about letting it pass. But if I were on the other side of the street, I wouldn't dream of stopping. And I don't think anybody else would either.

Per California DMV:

• Do not block or hinder a funeral procession. Vehicles taking part in a funeral procession have the right-of-way, and if you interfere, obstruct, or interrupt the funeral procession, you are subject to a citation (CVC §2817). A funeral procession is led by a traffic officer. All vehicles taking part in the procession have windshield markers to identify them and have their headlights on.

 

[Paidiske]

In Australia...

For the first block or so after leaving the church, there will be people accompanying the procession on foot, and traffic will pull over. Once the pedestrians peel off and it's just the cars, it's rare to see someone pull over.

 

[bill5]

Here in the South, it's almost considered mandatory to pull over to the side of the road as a sign of respect to a funeral procession that's passing in the opposite direction

? I've lived in the South a long time now and rarely if ever noticed that. I don't think it's disrespectful not to in the other direction, but IMO it is in a way which is best described with words that would get me in trouble here if you somehow break one up on the same side, or fly by one etc. Not that it surprises me that people do

 

[Moral Orel]

Two old men were fishing on a bridge when a funeral procession began crossing the bridge. One of the old men stood up, took off his hat, put it over his heart and held it there for the entirety of the procession. When it finally passed, he put his hat back on and sat down to fish again. The other old man said to him, "That was mighty respectful of you".

To which he replied, "It was the least I could do. We were married for forty years."

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Two old men were fishing on a bridge when a funeral procession began crossing the bridge. One of the old men stood up, took off his hat, put it over his heart and held it there for the entirety of the procession. When it finally passed, he put his hat back on and sat down to fish again. The other old man said to him, "That was mighty respectful of you".

To which he replied, "It was the least I could do. We were married for forty years."

Has a familiar ring to it.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Is it common for the spouses to not attend the funeral of their loved ones and fish or play golf instead?

 

[tulc]

Is it common for the spouses to not attend the funeral of their loved ones and fish or play golf instead?

...you don't know many golfers or fishermen do you?
tulc(is just wondering)

 

[Aryeh Jay]

...you don't know many golfers or fishermen do you?
tulc(is just wondering)

No, not really.

 

[tulc]

No, not really.

I sort of suspected that.
tulc(thinks some of them tend to be...overly fond? of their particular activity)

 

[Moral Orel]

Is it common for the spouses to not attend the funeral of their loved ones and fish or play golf instead?

Not in reality. I think @OldWiseGuy said it had "a familiar ring" because I already posted that joke in the "Jokes" section of the website.

For the record, it isn't as though I only know a few jokes, it just seemed so apt for this thread I had to put it out there again. I'll run out of clean jokes on here rather quickly though...

 

[Non sequitur]

Here in the South, it's almost considered mandatory to pull over to the side of the road as a sign of respect to a funeral procession that's passing in the opposite direction and not to pass one going the same direction. Even the police will sometimes lead the procession and have additional patrol cars block intersections in the path of a procession so it can keep moving and stay together. But I've heard people say that in the North, people don't stop for funeral processions. What's your experiences?

Yes. I was just in one (in the South), in a smaller town.

One of the most awesome things I've ever seen was a woman, with her small child, who had stopped in place with their heads down, while our procession drove by.

It was really touching.

 

[bill5]

Is it common for the spouses to not attend the funeral of their loved ones and fish or play golf instead?

Don't they have spouses where you're from?