To think this is a bit OTT?

[chocolatesaltyballs22]

Posting this more as I'm a bit flabbergasted that this is a 'thing'!

So we had a neighbour knock on the door the other night to ask us to leave the side street clear of our cars today for an hour at lunchtime, as one of the neighbours had passed away and their funeral procession (horse & cart plus hearse) would be coming up the street and it's a bit tight if there are cars parked. Fair enough, we duly complied. Worth saying at this point that we don't know this neighbour.

So today we're both on conference calls and we hear this banging at the door so we ignore it. We're used to randoms knocking in the middle of our working day. Or if it's a parcel they just knock and leave it. But said person didn't give up til we answered so my husband had to break off from his conference call to answer the door, at which point the neighbour who had knocked before said there was going to be a procession behind the funeral car of all the neighbours and please could we come and join it?!

He like 'err I'm working and I don't even know the person so sorry, no!'

Seems a bit odd to me.

A bit strange. I certainly wouldn’t. Especially for someone I didn’t know.

If they had asked you when they asked about the cars I would have done it but springing it on you like that was a bit OTT

Yes a bit strange but your DH could have been a bit more gracious in his response.

Maybe they remember when the whole street would come out to pay respects in the event of a funeral procession?

If I was free I would have said yes.

Your husband could of been a bit more empathetic in his refusal

I think he was feeling less than gracious having been pulled away from an important meeting that he was chairing!

A lot of our neighbours seem to have been furloughed for the whole summer and there is little consideration of the fact that people are working from home pretty much on constant conference calls all day. It's annoying!

PS I'm paraphrasing. Those weren't his exact words but you get the gist.

YANBU to not join, but the response wasn't exactly empathetic

I would have reacted the same as your husband. He did nothing wrong. Unknown person has died. Nothing to do with either of you. Even if I was not working from home I would have done the same.

When you don’t answer it means your busy. The neighbor should of got the hint.

I wouldn’t of wanted to go out either.

Odd and overkill for someone you don’t know. Those who are commenting negatively about your husbands response clearly forgot he was busy and at work. I wonder if they would march into someone’s workplace and start hammering on his office door during a meeting

I would have responded in the same way to your husband and asked them not to hammer on the door

How odd. I have heard about people coming out of their houses to lower heads as a funeral procession passes, especially for a well-known local figure.

But following the procession for a randomer you don't know? Weird.

Was the deceased a member of the travelling community?
I have heard of this happening before.

Yanbu and I probably wouldn’t have been particularly polite wither

I'm really confused as to why you'd be expected to join a funeral procession for someone you don't know? Completely bizarre.

Very odd. They sound like the kind of people that need everything to be a big show. But I wouldn't join the funeral procession of someone I didn't know, especially if I was working. The living need to pay bills!

Not as far as I know @1Morewineplease, but I've never even met the guy!

Voted YABU in error. They were being extraordinarily U

Very strange to be asked to join a funeral procession of some unknown person. But would have just said No thank you, if asked. But odd for people to knock on your door regarding this.

Totally ott. YANBU to say no.

YANBU - weird

Joining a procession is unusual but going to stand on the street as the coffin goes by is a common courtesy.

I think times have changed @Polnm

I wouldn’t do that.