Overtaking funerals

[Owllady]

Please don't do it. You just look like a twatty twat
Overtaking a hearse reversing into the churchyard whilst the family watch on. Biggest nobber in nobsville
I'm glad that's sorted

I recognise that this is an important issue for other people. Because of that I would not overtake on a single carriageway road, and would pass respectfully on a dual carriageway/motorway.

However, I can honestly say I don't personally get it. Despite having lost close loved ones, I would rather a funeral procession I was in travelled at a normal speed and couldn't care less whether other drivers safely overtake or not. I also do not see the significance as a mourner of travelling immediately behind the coffin. I'd rather not. I'd also prefer people didn't wear black, but normal coloured smart clothing. Actually, for my own funeral, I'd rather the mourners do whatever makes them feel most comfortable. It won't matter much to me.

We were telling jokes in the car on the way to my grandma's funeral to distract each other. The last thing we wanted to do was focus on the coffin and body. She, the person we loved, remembered and were there to celebrate, was already gone.

I cross myself when I see a full hearse. Happens relatively often as school is opposite a church with a largely elderly congregation.

Our crem is just off a 70mph dual carriageway outside the town. We have a family funeral there next week (GMIL) starting from her house. I would expect them to crawl through the villages then once on the bypass get much faster. We shall see.

This was in a rural market town, by a church
Quite obvious what was happening. It wasn't an accident (we all make mistakes)
It wasn't a fast road, it was in a 20mph zone
Four/five cars overtook even though it was obvious what was happening. I doubt they all had IBS or were having heart attacks.
RIP Barbara. As my Gran would say, I doubt they'd be as quick to jump in your grave

SoapandGloryisDivine
Having IBS isn't as bad as being dead.

No, it's worse - reason being, when you're dead you don't feel anything*. I'm guessing the deceased really doesn't care if anyone overtakes or not. They're already 'late', no need for everyone else to be

*I was tempted to type "you don't feel shit".

I have a positive story. I was behind a funeral cortege when it pulled up at a busy roundabout. There were some workmen to the side and when they saw the hearse they all stopped working, removed their hard hats, and stood for the minute or so it took for the hearse to move off. I thought that was lovely.

justneedsomehandholding . Hope you are ok. Sounds really painful.

Do you get a choice about how fast the procession goes though? Or do the Funeral Directors dictate. Sometimes there is someone walking in front of the car. Hope he doesn't get mowed down by any IBS sufferers.

:o

My partner failed his driving test for not overtaking a procession and hearse!

If you're in that much pain and discomfort with urgency to get to the toilet, you should reconsider whether you are fit enough to drive.

We did it completely unintentionally at my great aunt's funeral. The family met at the house before leaving for the crematorium where the ceremony was held. The crem was about 20 miles away down a motorway. We were the last car to leave the house and unfortunately got stuck in a little traffic getting out of the town onto the motorway. My dad (who was driving) was so concerned about being late for the ceremony that he was driving down the outside lane of the motorway as fast as he could legally go. About half way there to his horror he looked to his left and saw the herse and the family cars in the middle lane! But there was nothing that he could do by this stage as he couldn't get out of the outer lane safely so he ended up overtaking them and we were the first to arrive at the crematorium.

I almost drove into a hearse before. It pulled out from between parked cars (I had right of way) & I just couldn't see it was a hearse from where I was, until I was doing my emergency stop. Really didn't expect it to pull straight out into my path, The driver was really pissed off with me but it was completely accidental!

AnnieNoMouse. In my childhood (many, many moons ago) it was always considered mark of respect to stand still (as a pedestrian) and men remove their hats when a funeral cortege passed by.

I still halt when passed by a hearse.

I remember a car getting inbetween the hearse and us int he family car behind. My Aunt was apoplectic, she was a twat but on this occasion we just let her get on with it

I remember when my Dad was buried we were travelling slowly along the road and I noticed at the side of it was what I guess you'd typically describe as a 'chav'. Track suited, baseball capped teen lad. He stopped, took off his hat and bowed his head as we went by. To this day I get a bit teary over the gesture.

With regards to the FD walking in front of the hearse it tends to only be done away from the house and up to the church/crem. Only in special circumstances is it done for the whole journey, can't say I've ever had any funerals which it had been requested that be done but then we're pretty rural and about 45 mins away from 2 crems (different directions)

Dh overtook a hearse once. We were turning right and the car coming from that direction let us pull out, the car on the left then did the same. We were inadvertently behind the hearse. As there was nowhere to pull over we overtook as soon as we could to get out of the way.

Genuine question - why do they do the whole go slow thing? Is it for attention? I pass a crematorium daily and I know they don't have to go slow as I've seen many full hearses pegging it down the dual carriageway. I assume in those cases they are not having a procession and the mourners are meeting at the crematorium with the coffin already at the front - I have been to funerals like that.

Fortunately overtaking on my route is not a big deal as there is not that much single carriageway to get held up on.

There is a really simple answer to that question silverduck
The slow hearses are driven by people with a regular, reliable bowel pattern
The fast hearses are driven by people who are unfortunate enough to suffers with IBS

I was once out running and accidentally overtook a hearse. It was going exceptionally slowly, I'm no Jessica Ennis hill. I did wonder what the etiquette should have been there

Samaritan - if the pain from your IBS is so severe you are about to pass out, it is reckless and dangerous for you to carry on driving - you should pull over and stop, so that you aren't a hazard to other road users.

And I say this as someone who has IBS, so knows exactly what you are talking about.

Owl. I will now not be able to see a hearse without thinking of bowel movements.

At my mum's funeral the hearse turned left at a T junction ( big gap in the traffic) when a car suddenly came speeding up right behind the hearse before the rest of the procession had a chance to make the turn. This was at a wide junction where the traffic on the main road can see from way back that a funeral procession is waiting to join the main carriageway!

I think I might write in my will that at my funeral I want a letter flower arrangement in the hearse back window spelling
I B S
It can be a private joke, though knowing my family they will just discuss how regular or not they are and who else has died according to the express and star

The thing I have taken from this thread is that there are a lot of fellow IBS sufferers on these threads.