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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to overtake a hearse?

409 replies

confusedabouthormones · 01/10/2024 12:10

So today on the way home from school I had just pulled onto a dual carriageway and there was a hearse with some cars behind it. They were going to a near by crematorium. I pulled into the outside lane and drove past it.

My mother was in the car and she had a right go at me for being disrespectful and how she was embarrassed to be in my car. When I looked in my mirror no one else had passed the hearse.

Is this a thing? In my 30 odd years driving I've never heard this.

Was I being unreasonable to pass the hearse?

OP posts:
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6
DappledThings · 05/10/2024 10:03

Ace56 · 05/10/2024 09:54

Wow, I’ve never heard of these rules regarding funeral processions. Is this in the Highway Code? I’ve also never encountered a hearse on the road (luckily for me as clearly I have no idea what to do!)
I wouldn’t think twice about overtaking on a dual carriageway.

Not in the HC. And you would be right not to think twice about overtaking on a dual carriageway.

It's really an unlikely scenario you could actually get it wrong. On a DC it's fine, even on a non-DC but still two lane road it's fine. On a single lane road it is considered rude but really, what are the chances you actually end up directly behind a hearse on a single lane road where you have the opportunity to overtake? There's usually at least one or 2 limos following the hearse and sometimes more people in normal cars choosing to follow it too so the chances of you finding a stretch of road that's long and straight enough that you can overtake 3-4 cars safely are minimal.

Thfrog · 05/10/2024 09:57

Needmorelego · 05/10/2024 08:57

@Thfrog Bored Panda is a website. Not as good as it used to be. Has more pointless gossipy articles that they are pinching from places like Mumsnet these days 🙁

Edited

Oh right.

Hi bored panda

Ace56 · 05/10/2024 09:54

Wow, I’ve never heard of these rules regarding funeral processions. Is this in the Highway Code? I’ve also never encountered a hearse on the road (luckily for me as clearly I have no idea what to do!)
I wouldn’t think twice about overtaking on a dual carriageway.

Musicaltheatremum · 05/10/2024 09:07

MagentaRocks · 01/10/2024 12:34

I probably wouldn’t overtake on a duel carriageway if it was very close to the cemetery but I think it is ok to. Definitely not on a single carriageway though. I was stuck behind a hearse on my street for quite a while a few weeks ago waiting for the family to get in the limo and then they had someone walking ahead of the hearse until they got to the end of my road. I could have easily squeezed past them but I felt that would be disrespectful so I just waited patiently.

When my late husband was being removed from the house my neighbour was coming out to get into his car. When he spotted what was happening he paused in his path waiting until my husband had gone before carrying on with his day. It was a very poignant moment. The family would have really appreciated your patience

jeaux90 · 05/10/2024 09:03

Well Op your post made me laugh in the dark humour way, sort of thing you'd see in a sitcom.

Original poster
confusedabouthormones · 05/10/2024 08:58

Omg. I'm famous. Just saw the bored panda article. Slow news day.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 05/10/2024 08:57

@Thfrog Bored Panda is a website. Not as good as it used to be. Has more pointless gossipy articles that they are pinching from places like Mumsnet these days 🙁

Longma · 05/10/2024 08:55

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

NotBadConsidering · 05/10/2024 08:44

Thfrog · 05/10/2024 08:22

What is bored panda???

Show quote history

It’s when a zoo truck is sat in a long queue of traffic behind a hearse.

Longma · 05/10/2024 08:32

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines. at the request of it's author.

Thfrog · 05/10/2024 08:22

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 05/10/2024 07:57

Anyway, the OP has made it into the webpages of BoredPanda 🤷🏻‍♀️

What is bored panda???

DappledThings · 05/10/2024 08:20

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 05/10/2024 07:57

Anyway, the OP has made it into the webpages of BoredPanda 🤷🏻‍♀️

70% of those who voted on the poll there agree it's fine on a dual carriageway.

Pages and pages later and still only a tiny number of the "no it's awful" crew have acknowledged it was on a dual carriageway. I still think 95% of them haven't actually considered the full situation and just seen the word overtake.

AgileGreenSeal · 05/10/2024 08:14

Yes, YABU. It’s considered an awful insult to overtake a hearse with a coffin in it.

Thfrog · 05/10/2024 08:09

Dual carriageway - fine as long as done "respectfully" eg not at super speeds or as if you're impatient they've held you up.

You could be on your way to another funeral for all anyone else knows.

NotBadConsidering · 05/10/2024 08:06

I don’t think the passenger in the hearse minded one way or another.

blackheartsgirl · 05/10/2024 08:01

It’s fine to overtake on a dual carriage way. It’s very common here. I’ve done it myself and also been in a funeral car on a dual carriage way. I think it’s safer to overtake on a dual carriageway personally

on a single lane road absolutely not. That is disrespectful

WTFMywork · 03/10/2024 19:29

ConiferBat · 01/10/2024 12:19

If you're tootling along the dual carriage way and come across a random MNer in a blue Nissan Micra at the end of the procession (because they believe nobody overtakes a funeral procession) you will naturally overtake because you don't know there's hearse 15 cars down the row.

It would be so dangerous to stop & try & drop to the back of the line & far ruder to cut in.

Just overtake in calm & sensible manner in line with the guidance.

Very wise words indeed

Bangwam1 · 03/10/2024 19:25

This is an interesting experiment on assertion

AlmondsAreGreat · 03/10/2024 19:20

I wouldn’t have done it, but I’m not going to have a go at you for doing so. It’s slightly more acceptable if it’s a dual carriageway and you’re not absolutely flooring it, but still, I’d have held back.

Oddly, I also stop walking and wait for a hearse to pass if I’m on the pavement. I think it’s because I saw my Grandad do it a couple of times. He’d take his cap off too.

Bangwam1 · 03/10/2024 19:19

confusedabouthormones · 01/10/2024 12:13

OMG! Really! Even on a dual carriage way!
Wow.
Agreed lesson learned.

Gosh feel a right douche now.

You just used common sense, on a dual carriageway. It’s not like you overtook on a normal road.

Bizarre customs (when not necessary) are just bizarre. You used your brain 👏

Bangwam1 · 03/10/2024 19:14

I agree with you. Madness to stay behind when there’s an option not to.

TheRoseBear · 03/10/2024 19:07

Yes, that's rude. Sorry OP. You always stay behind.

Gloriia · 03/10/2024 17:48

SleepToad · 03/10/2024 16:56

I work for a funeral director and occasionally drive the hearse. What you did was fine. We don't want to hold people up and the second lane on a dual carriageway is for overtaking slower vehicles.
What annoys is people who won't let us pull out or cut in between us and the family cars.

But as has been said people don't do it to annoy anyone or because they are rude or because they are disrespectful.

Many just do not see the importance of all cars being in immediate convoy.

Whammyammy · 03/10/2024 17:34

You were on a dual carriageway, so not bu.
The deceased in the hearse is deceased and won't care....as they're deceased.

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