AIBU to overtake a hearse?

a) at least where I live it's not practical, particularly on residential roads- people parking either side means it's not doable, plus hard to overtake at 20mph which is the speed limit now
b) even if it's technically do-able (e.g. more of an A road) it's rarely going to be safe to overtake a hearse (already longer and wider than the average car) plus several following cars - that's a long time to be on the 'wrong' side of the road. It's not like funerals are held late at night or in the middle of nowhere - most funeral processions are in built up areas because that's where most people live

I drive on A roads a LOT and have got stuck trawling behind tractors more times than I can count, because the roads are so busy it's very rarely quiet enough to overtake safely these days, particularly if more than 1 car. Also many aren't very straight so you don't have good visibility.

I am wondering how many of the don't overtake camp are also drivers (on UK dual carriageways).

It’s amazing how many UK drivers don’t even know what a DC is!

I would never, but where I live all other traffic pulls over and waits. If that’s not the convention where you are I think it was probably fine on a dual road.

I am wondering how many of the don't overtake camp are also drivers (on UK dual carriageways). As a few have said, at the time you commit to over take you can't know what the slow vehicle is. Then what happens as you notice the hearse? Drive slowly alongside it? Drive even more slowly so the funeral procession undertakes?
Bonkers.

of course you can overtake on single carriageway roads if it’s safe to do so

but you're not supposed to overtake on single lane/residential roads anyway (usually there's not enough space to overtake safely given you'd have to drive on the 'wrong side' for several cars width) so of course it applies to dual carriages!

On a dual carriageway i do not see the issue - plus once the queue got a certain length no-one at the back would have a clue so you would start overtaking and come up to the hearse to find out it is a funeral

This is complete nonsense. If you’re on a motorway or dual carriageway, you absolutely should overtake.

It's respectful not to overtake a hearse in any circumstances. If you weren't in an emergency or a desperate rush then your mum was right. Modern life is so rushed and busy I think it's only right to be mindful of the recently deceased and indeed their grieving loved ones.

I think it's very disrespectful, there we are.

I would never do this on any road. Poor form and disrespectful to the deceased and their relatives and other mourners.

And only about 1% of those acknowledge it was a dual carriageway and say they still think it's wrong. The others are, I suspect, all knee-jerk reactions to the word overtaking without any comprehension of the situation.

No it isn't and more comments disagree with you than agree.

Why? They were on a dual carriageway!

I've seen hearses and funeral processions on trunk roads (dual carriageway) and even the motorway (M11) near here and the traffic certainly doesn't just slow down drastically for them any more than it must. They are overtaken. They have to be or there could be a dangerous build-up of traffic behind. They keep to the left where there is a special lane leading off to near the crematorium.

Lots of comments agree with me, very disrespectful.

They were on a dual carriageway!!!!

How disrespectful.

Absolutely fine and normal on a dual carraigeway.

I certainly wouldn't be too impressed if they walked the entire way but most places I drive to there's normally a different route I could take if this happened so I would just take that.
But as PP said normally it's just to the end of their road or similar.

@Gloriia I completely agree

It's so bizarre to expect random people who have never interacted with the deceased to "show their respect". They have no respect for the person beyond an initial thought of "oh, that's sad".

@Gloriia the walking bit is usually done at the start of the journey as the deceased leaves home for the last time.
They usually only walk a couple of minutes and then get in the car.
Very unusual to walk all the way.

Yes I see your point there are many social etiquette things that aren't necessary but we all observe.

Imo funeral processions are different as they are of course slow and disruptive. I was behind one the other day with a funeral director walking, on a public road with a massive tail back. It is a bit much to expect others to be inconvenienced like this.

I of course have every sympathy for those bereaved but I've been to a few funerals and do not expect others to be inconvenienced for the sake of a few cars travelling very slowly.

It probably doesn't actually matter and for me personally if I was in one of the mourners cars I couldn't care less and probably wouldn't notice however it matters to a lot of people and etiquette says it's appropriate much like there's no law about letting a door bang on somebody but social etiquette says to hold it open and if one little act can help somebody on one of the worse days it's something I'm willing to do.

It is odd. I've been to about 25 funerals, many involving a drive between church and crematorium. Some have been close family so I've been in a limo, many I've just been in my own car. I've never considered anyone not in the family limo to be travelling in any kind of procession. Had never heard the idea at all until a similar thread on here a couple of years ago.

Even being in the first limo I don't necessarily expect to follow the hearse with nobody between us. It's getting from A to B. Same as a wedding going from church to hotel. It's a lot of people making the same journey, it isn't a convoy.

But what does it actually matter? They all pull into the venue and people then make their way in together. If another car accidentally ends up in the middle of the procession I wouldn't be bothered.

If people want to have processions etc fine, but they really shouldn't expect the general public to adhere to any so called etiquette.

I would overtake anyone going slowly on single or dual carriageways.