Sorry for the off-topic post, but I'm curious. Down south here we have a practice of everyone stopping in the road out of respect for a funeral procession. While it is not a law, (I don't think) you will be considered a inconsiderate lout if you don't observe the practice.
In fact, one day I was in a big hurry, and sitting at an stop light when a procession came through. I was meeting it.. A cop had his car in the middle of the intersection to hold the traffic coming from the side streets when the light was red... when the light turned green I started creeping through the intersection and he shot his car ahead, right in front of mine with some unkind hand gestures for moving during the procession...
Is this practice observed nationwide? Or just in the South? What do you think of it?
Posted by George Perkins (Member # 156) on :
I've seen that done in Kentucky but never in the parts of Tennessee, Arkansas or Mississippi that I frequent. What do I think about it? Nice jesture but since it's not done everywhere it's dangerous, especially when people who aren't familiar with the custom stumble upon it. I was almost caught up in a wreck the first time I came across it. Was the cop you encountered a real cop or a rent a cop? I've seen some rent a cops act like strom troopers:(
Posted by Jon Jantz (Member # 6137) on :
It was a Sheriff's Deputy, George... one step above the rent-a-cop...
Posted by Lotti Prokott (Member # 2684) on :
It's done up here too. I think it is a respectful thing to do. That one time when a family died there were five hearses and the entire town and surrounding people following in the procession. Some people must have waited a long time for the whole procession to go by, but that's just what you do.
Posted by Patrick Whatley (Member # 2008) on :
Jon, it's a state law in Alabama that you have to yield for a funeral procession. You don't have to stop but you do have to get out of the way.
I never thought it was out of respect, if you repescted them you would have been at the funeral.
Posted by Bill Lynch (Member # 3815) on :
I don't know if it's law here either, but I doubt it. Courtesy is to yield to a funeral procession sometimes they do have police escorts. I think it's out of respect also.
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
It's done here in North Florida, but not a law.
Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
Hey Jon,
I grew up with the practice when I lived in Missouri so it's normal to me, and it seems people out here in Arizona do the same. Yielding right of way to a Funeral Procession is in fact the law in some states although they vary in the requirements for the procession to gain right of way.
so correct me if i'm wrong...if a line of cars with their lights on is going in the other direction, i'm suppose to stop???? personally i think its dangerous and wreckless...thankfully us rude northerners don't practice it. if the line of cars was trying to turn into my lane to enter the cementery or church then of course i would stop to let the whole line go thru but to just stop because its going by, no.
Posted by jack wills (Member # 521) on :
Try that S#(T in LA, sometime on the freeway!
Jack
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
We just had a family funeral last week. Justis' grandpap passed away after a long illness. The funeral director told us all to turn on our 4-ways and he put a little magnetic flag on all the cars. We drove down the highway in a line, only one car cut in front of us, but it was pretty much uninterrupted. Nobody else stops, like opposing traffic stops for a schoolbus dropping off kids, but nobody will pull out in front of a funeral either. If it was at an intersection without a stop light, the funeral would be given the right-of-way by all the other cars.
I remember my dad's 1991 funeral with pride. He had a big police escort consisting of the local cops, motorcycle cops from the city of Pittsburgh, and even the county sheriff. The main highway was closed for 5 miles one way until the procession of cars reached the church. There were about 300 cars...not that I counted, for it's bad luck to count the cars in a funeral. I know how it feels to be angry at paparazzi too, all the news channels were filming. (Daddy was well-known and loved, a former magistrate for 20 years and the director of Special Courts. He was killed by accidental drowning) Sorry for bragging.
But I have never seen cars just stop for a funeral. I think that might be rather touching. Love....Jill
Posted by Deri Russell (Member # 119) on :
Depends on who died. No just kidding, we do it here too.
Posted by Jon Jantz (Member # 6137) on :
Karyn, in that picture, I'm on a major 4-lane highway going into Pensacola. The funeral procession was on the other side, going the opposite direction.
All the cars ahead of me are stopped as well as the truck beside me and a bunch behind me. The intersection I tried easing through a few months ago is up about a mile and on the 4-lane too...
Posted by Dusty Campbell (Member # 4601) on :
We do it here, but I noticed last time there were a few that took the opportunity to jump ahead of the traffic and just went on. I guess as more foreigners that don't know the custom show up and as people get more self involved we'll lose it unless it becomes or already is a law. I don't know if it's law here or not but it's been the custom as long as I can remember.
Now a divided highway is a different story. We have divided highways here where you can't see the other direction, so that could get into some nitpicking rules.
Do you hold your breath when you go by a cemetery? I remember that from being a kid.
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
We don't stop on the oposite side of a divided highway in northern Michigan. We do not ever pass a funeral procession (law) and the procession haas the right of way through any intersection. By law in Michigan, all cars in the procession must have an orange funeral flag on the car.
Posted by Bill Dirkes (Member # 1000) on :
I think it's a dying custom here in northern Ky. No pun intended. Some do, some don't; and that can be dangerous. Never seen it on a major divided highway, or interstate. But it's pretty common in small towns & rural places 'round here. Some of the roads 'round here are narrow enough ya gotta pull over and stop to let them pass.
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
pensacola a lot of military people live here. its more of a military respect thing then anything else. my neighbor is the deputy who drives the camero for these processions. now when i lived in sarasota, if you stopped for every procession there.....TRAFFIC WOULD NEVER MOVE.....i used to be outside sales for NAPA store and one of my clients was the graveyard. so i was in there 1-2 a week to make sure his stock was up to date. and i always had to go around 1 or 2 funerals in progress to get to the maintenance area.
[ March 08, 2007, 06:18 PM: Message edited by: old paint ]
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
I always remember doing that in NJ. I can honestly say I've never seen a funeral procession out here in CA.
Dusty...of course I remember that!
Posted by Lynda Yoder (Member # 7340) on :
We stop out of respect in lower Mich. but I've noticed a lot have "forgotten" or just don't know. I will always stop.
Lynda
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
In respect of a RURAL funeral, in these parts, as the funeral procession goes by, there are individuals who actually get out of their vehicles and stand quietly, with their hat off, as the procession goes by. Irregardless of whether they knew the person being buried or not.
They just figure it might be them some day.
In town somewhere, it's a miracle there is not a wreck somewhere. Too many people in a hurry for all that slow stuff.
Posted by James Donahue (Member # 3624) on :
Even when I lived in California, I knew about the practice, because of that great cultural epic "Smoky and the Bandit". Remember?? Burt Reynolds, Jackie Gleason?
So when I moved here to East Tennessee, I knew what it was. At first, I was irritated, because of my religeous beliefs. (Say what!?!) Really. If you cared about 'em, shoulda said so when they were still alive. Now though, their soul is still alive, but it aint here no mo'. Just a dead person, get outa my way.
But after awhile, I got to where I figured I'd give them their space, not like it's really costing me anything, and if I had some meaningful tradition, I would hope for the same. Guess you mellow out with age. Too bad, I was looking foward to being a grouchy old dude.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
I never knew of this practice. I was raised in Los Angeles. But if I see a funeral going by, I will stay out of their way. And if need be, I'll pull over to the side, out of respect.
Posted by Mike Clayton (Member # 723) on :
When I lived in NJ it was like that. Processions would get the right of way, or even pass through red light at a slow speed so as not to get broken up on the way to the cemetary. Usually the funeral homes had local police escort the procession. This was on the state and local roads, not on the Turnpike or Parkway.
MC
Posted by Curtis hammond (Member # 2170) on :
We stop in LA, in fact they use motor cops to block intersections just in case..
Posted by William DeBekker (Member # 3848) on :
They Police Escort all the funerals here so I figure its the law to Stop since the Police have the intersections Blocked for the processions.
Posted by bruce ward (Member # 1289) on :
if its on a 4 lane as jon stated above, and they are in the other side of the road I dont stop. If they are in the same lane as me Ill pull over.
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No just kidding, we do it here too.