Slowing down for a hearse?

[WrendaleCountryDogs]

Growing up, my mum always slowed down when driving and a hearse was coming the opposite direction. As a result, I do the same.
Do you?? I've never seena nobody else do it.

Do you often have no idea of what is going on around you when you are driving?

I wouldn’t slow down dramatically if a hearse was driving towards me on the other side of the road, but I would lift my foot off the accelerator.

Like many other PPs, I have been very touched by members of the public showing respect when I’ve been in a funeral procession. I remember on one occasion we were overtaken by a motorcyclist (we were in a normal car) and they obviously realised their mistake as soon as they pulled out, and as they drew alongside they did a sort of semi salute/wave gesture which was taken as a mix of apology/respect.

Yes.

thats very much what everyone would do where I live.

Yep, last one I went to, we were trying to drive bumper to bumper practically and we still had people losing their shit trying to push in.

Disgraces, the lot of them.

I accidentally found myself caught up in a funeral vehicle procession once. I was join a road at a junction, let tge hearse and the mourning car pass, plus another normal car then joined the traffic in the gap. As I moved into position, another car followed by a second mourners car came up on my left from behind a slight bend. I was absolutely mortified and took the first opportunity to pull over. Still makes me feel awful now

I've been to dozens of funeral. Never considered anything other than the hearse and the one, maybe 2 limousines as part of any procession.

I wouldn't expect anyone to give priority at a roundabout to an ordinary car that happened to be behind a limousine and I certainly wouldn't be driving bumper to bumper to try and force that priority against the normal rules of the road.

Nothing to feel awful about at all.

It makes sense to slow down when approaching a funeral cortege - because of the number of dickheads that tank it down the wrong side of the road to get past them.

Survivor bias.

You’re not being respectful to the dead when you’re risking the chance of more deaths.

Why do you think the funeral homes sometimes you a black flag to put on your car

I have never seen that. And never been offered it. If I did see it I don't know, I might guess they were other guests at the funeral and wanted to follow in a procession so might give way where it is actually inappropriate to do so but I wouldn't beat myself up if I didn't realise soon enough what the flag signified. Or if it meant I was holding up more traffic behind me than was reasonable.

I wouldn't overtake a hearse or limousine unless on dual carriageway. But other people in their ordinary cars are not the same.

When my
grandad died and we were following the hearse so many people stopped and bowed their head. I was quite taken a back but thought it very respectful . These were random people going about their business .

I was just reflecting on my mum's funeral last year and this is how I would have interpreted someone in the opposite lane slowing down! I'd expect people not to cut in or, if we're all stopped at traffic lights, then yes please turn down any booming music, but I'd assume a person travelling in the other lane slowing down was being a bit ghoulish and trying to gawk at our grieving family. I really wouldn't have appreciated that!

@DappledThings the funeral limousines are expensive, so if you have a large family it’s quite common, round here at least, to only have one limousine for the closest/most vulnerable/elderly family and the rest of the bereaved follow in their own cars. It’s still a procession and courtesy says those cars should be treated if they were the limousines. Just because you haven’t experienced it at the funerals you have attended, don’t mean it doesn’t happen at others. For many people they regard it as accompanying the deceased on their last journey and so it has a lot of meaning for them.

I agree about the last journey.
It is very poignant journey.Spare 5 minutes to slow down.

@DuplicateUserName still common where I live. Though the white ones are just a bit tacky.

No, there is a crematorium a bit further along the busy city road to me, it's congested enough and slowing suddenly can cause accidents. I've never witnessed drivers slow down but going the same way I'd be careful not to pull out in front of them, in ti the middle of a procession or drive too close to the back

Im surprised at the number of people (although it’s still not many) who wouldn’t slow down out of respect. No one is talking about slamming their brakes on but gently slowing in line with the other people going in your direction, a bit like you do behind a tractor. If I do need to overtake I would take it very steady so there was no need to scream past.

The question though is about going in the opposite direction to the hearse. Of course you'd slow for those going in the same direction or you'd drive in to the back of them

I can remember at my uncle's funeral a few years ago we walked behind the hearse from the church to the cemetery. It was a walk of about a mile or so and went up through the market town where he lived.

Every single car coming the opposite direction stopped and turned off their engine and waited until the procession had passed. Every pedestrian also stopped on both sides of the road. We also passed some council workers who were cutting the verges and they stopped what they were doing and took their hard hats off.

This was in Ireland and it felt a bit surreal.

The white ones are usually for children

This thread is bringing a lump to my throat.

I’ve never thought to slow down if a funeral procession was coming towards me but I will now, as long as it’s safe anyway.

Like a lot of areas it became the norm around here for people to go see off the procession from the family home during covid and people line the route to the church. I’ve done it a few times for neighbours and it’s quite emotional even for those you may not know well. My own mum died in December 2020 and we were limited to 20 for the funeral service, mum was well known in our town and under normal circumstances would have filled up the large church where the funeral was held. As it was people came and stood outside the church for the service and when the procession left for the cemetery gave a respectful round of applause. Despite a crowd of about 100 people clapping a hearse that was pulling out of a church it didn’t stop 2 cars cutting in between us and the hearse. One realised what they had done and pulled over straight away, the other bastard refused to move and stayed there halfway to the cemetery.

I don;t often see them, so no, probably wouldn't.

But when we were following my mother's hearse to the crematorium I remember being so moved to see a complete stranger stop at the roadside and bow her head. Such a small thing for her to do, but made a difference to me.

No.
I don’t overtake one on a single road though. Do on a duel carriage way though.

I slow down slightly. I always turn the radio or music off.