NWR: Funeral Processions

blabla89 · October 2014

When I took driver ed in Missouri, the driver's manual said that funeral processions always have the right of way regardless of any stop lights, etc. I had never heard of the pull over part until we encountered a funeral procession on a two lane highway in rural South Carolina - it took us a minute to figure out why people were pulling over.

@Wegl13 I didn't know you were in Atlanta - what suburb are you in?

labro · October 2014

blabla89 said:

When I took driver ed in Missouri, the driver's manual said that funeral processions always have the right of way regardless of any stop lights, etc. I had never heard of the pull over part until we encountered a funeral procession on a two lane highway in rural South Carolina - it took us a minute to figure out why people were pulling over.

@Wegl13 I didn't know you were in Atlanta - what suburb are you in?

I love finding more Atlanta people here!

blabla89 · October 2014

LaPeanut1018 said:

blabla89 said:

When I took driver ed in Missouri, the driver's manual said that funeral processions always have the right of way regardless of any stop lights, etc. I had never heard of the pull over part until we encountered a funeral procession on a two lane highway in rural South Carolina - it took us a minute to figure out why people were pulling over.

@Wegl13 I didn't know you were in Atlanta - what suburb are you in?

I love finding more Atlanta people here!

Me too! I think this makes 4 that I know of? A GTG will happen someday!

tammym1001 · October 2014

I live in Ohio. I also work on the same road as a cemetery so I see funeral processions almost daily. For the most part, everyone waits for them to pass. They are always escorted by a police officer who pulls into intersections to stop traffic before they come through.

ETA: this also means that I sometimes have to wait to pull out of my parking lot when I want to leave work. It has never once occurred to me to be annoyed by this. These people just lost someone that they love and that trumps my needing to leave work every time.

Fairyjen1 · October 2014

Viczaesar said:

California native here, have lived in several cities in both NorCal and SoCal. I've never in my life seen a funeral procession.

This is me exactly. I too live in NorCal and used to live in SoCal and have never seen a funeral procession. I was always told to pull over and let them pass if I did encounter one and to not cut into it.

However, Now I'm wondering if the reason I have never seen one is because I'm one of the clueless assholes who didn't realize there was one. For the record, I'm sure I would have noticed one with a police escort or a hearst in the front. I'll have to pay more attention from now on. I've only ridden in one and that was my grandmothers when I was a senior in high school. I don't remember if people cut us off or not. We only had to go about 3 blocks.

wrigleyville · October 2014

I was always told to stop and pull over or at least give the right of way, whichever is safest.

I grew up in Michigan, so I got used to seeing the little orange flags on cars. The hearse was always in the lead. Some hearses in major areas had large flags so you could really see them. Plus, every car uses their hazards for extra visibility.

Here is the Michigan traffic law: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(gsdfy1aijdduxw45ucu4j555))/documents/mcl/pdf/mcl-300-1949-VI-RIGHT-OF-WAY.pdf

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"257.654 Vehicles forming part of funeral procession; right-of-way; flags; passing through

funeral procession with vehicle as civil infraction.

Sec. 654. (1) A motor vehicle forming part of a funeral procession, when going to a place of burial, shall have the right of way over all other vehicles except fire apparatus, ambulances, and police patrol vehicles at a street or highway intersection within this state if the vehicle in the funeral procession displays a flag which shall be fluorescent orange in color, and upon which shall be printed, stamped, or stained a black cross, the star of David, or the crescent and star. The lead vehicle and the last vehicle in the funeral procession may carry an additional flag. The flags shall not contain a name embossed or printed on the flag, except the word “funeral”.

(2) A person passing through a funeral procession of motor vehicles, designated pursuant to subsection (1), with a vehicle of any kind, is responsible for a civil infraction."

-=-

So, yes, you can get ticketed in Michigan.

This is the flag I see 99% of the time.

luckysnorkel · October 2014

I grew up in NYC and was always taught to pull over for funeral processions. I live in the SF Bay Area now and while I've never seen a procession out here, I doubt people would know/respect enough to pull over for one. There are tons of entitled, clueless, and aggressive drivers here and many don't pull to the side for ambulances, stop when school buses have flashing lights, leave room at intersections that are clearly marked "keep clear", etc. Makes my damn blood boil.

Wegl13 · October 2014

I would be so scared to live there what if you got hit trying to do the right thing? And to the people that asked where I live in atl, I'm happy to PM you but probably shouldn't be broadcasting it over the internetz. For safety and stuff. Let's just say I'm NEW to the area and I live south of town. Everyone get your maps out.

lovesclimbing · October 2014

I don't think I've ever seen one. I would assume I would pull over and would NEVER cut in.

labro · October 2014

@Wegl13 Welcome to the Atlanta area then! My sister and I (@southernpeach89) are in the northern suburbs OTP (outside the perimeter) and I think @blabla89 is kind of to the east but ITP (inside the perimeter for those in the know).

acaton5 · October 2014

I have lived all over the place--Washington, New York, Iowa, Chicago, Texas. To be honest, I am seeing fewer and fewer of them. I will say though that without a police escort/flags, they are harder to recognize as a significant number of cars now have daytime running lights.

WinstonsGirl · October 2014

Alberta here, and while I'm pretty sure you don't pull over for them here, they do have the right of way through intersections even if the light has changed back to red. The last one I was in, we had signs on top of all the hoods provided by the funeral home, the hearse in front and everyone had blinkers on. So many people didn't get the intersection rule and tried to cut us off.

Up here, I don't see a lot of them, so I think people have just forgotten what they are and how they work since we rarely see them and rarely are a part of them. Kinda like uncontrolled intersections. No one here knows how they properly work

kaitlynmichelle · October 2014

I'm in BC but from Ontario. I was taught to pull over or yield as much as possible. Having been in several, I found it horribly rude when people cut us off or even joined the procession to avoid waiting. Made me so angry, especially for my uncle's. He was a police officer and the funeral was huge (full police honours etc), and some asshole cut us off and then just drove in front of us until he got to his turnoff.

beharrington · October 2014

We still pull over in the small towns in Texas and Louisiana. On I-10 in Houston, I've at least seen people pull over to the left-most lanes and slow down somewhat.

The most amazing thing I've seen in a long time was a funeral procession in a tiny town in South Louisiana. It was a military burial for a young man who died in action. Since it's such a small town, everyone knew when the funeral procession would be happening. People not involved in the procession came out of their homes and stood silently as the procession passed by. All of these old Vets had their uniforms on and were standing at attention and saluting. I was pulled over on the side of the road with tears running down my face at the respect that was being shown.

ChellaTims · October 2014

I'm in Birmingham, AL and my office is on the main road downtown and I see processions all the time. All of the processions are lead by police officers and usually there is one or two in the front, one on the side (so no one cuts in) and there's one in the back. Everyone pulls over most of the time but if the procession is on a 4 lane there might be a few people driving the opposite way that don't stop. I was raised that no matter if the procession is going the same way I am or the other way, I am always to stop and wait until the last car. People have elaborate funerals here too with the horse drawn glass enclosed hearse and those processions last a good bit longer but I've never seen anyone pass them.

The most amazing procession I've seen was for my great uncle in a tiny town in north Alabama. The procession was only crossing the street but people still pulled over on both sides of a major state highway and all the sides streets until we crossed the street. The thing that made it so amazing to me was that the drivers had started pulling over as soon as people were leaving the chapel, before everyone was lined up in their cars to cross the highway.

I love all things Louisiana, especially New Orleans, and the processions or 2nd lines are a site to see! I've already told my family I want a 2nd line procession! Take me to the cemetery with a jazz band celebrating my life not my passing! If you've never heard of the 2nd line processions in New Orleans look up the video by the name of Dancing on His Casket, I think that's the videos name. It brought me tears it was so moving and powerful.

missxasia · October 2014

I'm from NY but now living in Atlanta. The ones I have been in/saw back home, people give the procession their lane and don't cut in. Though the last 2 funerals I've been in, there was a problem with people trying to cut in. The respect for the situation is dwindling. I've only witnessed one procession down here and everyone pulled over to let it through. Though it was on a 2 lane street so I'm not sure if that had any impact.

PS Hi everyone!

Edited for spelling.

HuckSC · October 2014

I live in South Carolina and I will not pull over for a procession. I have almost been rear-ended one too many times and just won't do it again. Here the police will not give you an escort and everyone in the procession has to follow all traffic laws. That means you can't run red lights or stop signs. I have accidentally got in the middle of one before. They had to stop at the light so when I turned onto the next road I realized everyone in front and behind be had their lights on with suits. I kinda felt bad, but it wasn't intentional.

falsara · October 2014

I've seen a few in downtown Chicago. I don't drive here but I've seen some very RUDE people honking at the cars in the funeral procession as they were going through the red lights... all the cars had their Orange Funeral stickers and everything. I felt so bad for that family.

Ndelible · October 2014

I've lived in SoCal most of my life and seen a few. Generally, they are slower and you only yield when the (private) escorts stops you. That is the only time I've yielded. I've never seen anyone cut in Traffic here is bad enough and yet people generally yield. Also for emergency vehicles. It's nice to see.

wrigleyville · October 2014

falsara said:

I've seen a few in downtown Chicago. I don't drive here but I've seen some very RUDE people honking at the cars in the funeral procession as they were going through the red lights... all the cars had their Orange Funeral stickers and everything. I felt so bad for that family.

Downtown Chicago is awful. I've seen countless people interviewed (on the news), and the journalist asks them why they didn't stop/pull over for a police car, fire truck, or ambulance, and they're always, "I had an appointment! They can go around! Other people were pulled over! There was room! I don't have time to stop!"

My favorite journalists are the ones who ask them, "So what if that fire truck or ambulance is on its way to you one day? What if they get held up in traffic because of people like you?"

falsara · October 2014

@wrigleyville Chicago is the first big city I've lived in and the way some people react to things here really makes me cringe.

It's a far cry from some of the other places I've lived.

Formerly cwradford

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