Policies on funeral processionals

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hey_poolboy

hey_poolboy

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Illinois
I don't travel from different jobs for work, but the other day I was driving on a two lane road and pulled over for an approaching funeral.

As I sat on the side a HVAC service co. van went right on by and I started thinking about that. Do any of you guys have policies on whether your men should pull over for such things. I realize it is law in a lot (if not all) states, but I very seldom see anyone show such respect any more.
 
I can't answer for contractor's vans. But I grew up an "Army Brat," and I served in the Navy. I was taught to not only stop, but also to get out of the car and stand at attention, and furthermore, if in uniform, to salute.
 
I do not recall ever seeing anyone stop for an oncoming funeral procession around here, unless they are blocking the road. Now and then the cops will stop traffic for funeral processions, but it is not common. Perhaps a regional thing.

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Just cause I was curious I went and checked. The Illinois rules of the road do not require one to stop for a funeral procession, only to give them the right of way once the front of the procession has entered an intersection. Perhaps that is why I have never seen anyone do that here. In fact, the rules of the road specifically allow you to pass a funeral procession if it can be done safely.
 
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I see that I had interpreted the question differently. I was not thinking of passing (overtaking) a funeral procession or letting one pass me in the same direction I was travelling. My answer had to do with a funeral approaching from the opposite direction (i.e., the left side of the road, as viewed from my driver's seat). We would pull over to the far right side of the road and stop, until the procession had passed.

If a funeral procession approaches me from behind, I will pull over and let them pass. However, it might not be safe to open the door and step out, so I would just pull over and wait for them to go by.
 
I'm with Charlie on this. It's not a matter of law but of upbringing and respect. If there is a funeral procession we should all have respect, not only for the dead , but for the procession itself. It is awefully difficult to arrange for all the cars in a procession to get through traffic lights, intersections, the Pearly Gates of the cemetary, etc without some south end of a north-bound horse cutting in and getting in the way. Show some respect !!! We're all gonna be in that hearse someday !!! No one wants to be in a funeral procession and have a postal worker plowing through the intersection (just because the mail has to go through) and giving us the fickle finger of fait award. (And that's from the voice of experience !!!)
 
Ah Charlie, I wsa also an Army Brat, with the same upbring.

The other day I was going to the Redskins game and was stopped in traffic for a funeral President Ford's. Seems the Secret Service makes EVERYONE stop.
 
Thanks guys.

I am with Charlie on this one. ( and I was talking about oncomming) I pull over and stop any time one goes by from behind or in front.

Nicely put Phil.
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I agree. Maybe it's all in the upbringin'
 
Since everyone is not on the same page - you may be causing an accident - especially if on a freeway or other non-stopping road. If your going to stop - take care in doing so.

In California funerals have right of way in the "Handbook" (Can't find anything in the vehical code) - but if everyone pulled over or stopped for everyone of them then there would just be more funerals.... And right of way doesnt extend to the otherside of the road unless it is an emergency vehical. If you're stopped by a cop at a crossing thats another story. One of few referances in the vehical code here.

2817. Any person who disregards any traffic signal or direction given by a peace officer authorized pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 70 of the Penal Code to escort funeral processions, if the peace officer is in a peace officer's uniform, and is in the process of escorting a funeral procession, shall be guilty of an infraction and subject to the penalties provided in subdivision (a) of Section 42001.
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Not to show disrespect to the dead - but if one is on the other side of the road - I'm going... If one is behind me, then I may never know. (Big blind spot, and they'll be moving a lot slower than I would be - or should be) And if there's a cop at a crossing to stop traffic thats a no brainer. (Sometimes there hasnt been a cop, and I've seen some near accidents due to that.) And I know well enough to not pass through them. Unless they are ubruptly cutting off 6-7 lanes of freeway traffic - notorious happening at the 101/280/Colma exits. At which point you need to save your own life.

Colma is perhaps best known for its 17 cemeteries which comprise approximately 73% of the town's land area.
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http://www.colma.ca.gov/profile.html
 
iwire said:
BTW....a mail-person in a hurry? Must have been off duty.
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Not really Bob. It happened in mid-day, he didn't show any courtesy, blew his postal truck horn, shouted an obscenity and indicated the "digit". I wrote a letter to the postmaster of the town but never got a response back. Just as well though. Don't want a postal worker retaliating (if you know what I mean).
 
I am in favor of driving in a polite and safe way. I just don't see pulling over for an oncoming funeral procession as necessarily being either (unless it is turning across the road in front of me in which case it clearly has the right of way, at least in Illinois).
 
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