AIBU to overtake a hearse?

[confusedabouthormones]

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?

Never in a million years would I think this is disrespectful! It’s not like you squashed past it on a country lane, it was a dual carriageway. I actually think this is crazy, what if you had to stay behind it for miles!

@DavidBeckhamsrightfoot as I just said above I know realise it's probably an "unwritten rule".
My mistake.

No, there is no unwritten rule. It is the law that cars stop at red lights.

I wouldn't overtake a hearse or the mourners car. It just seems very disrespectful.

There you go OP. Even a funeral director says you're fine on a dual carriageway with two lanes.

Where are you from?
Some places are more set in traditions than others

…one or two definitely recognised me too as I walked past 😢

@itwasnevermine maybe - but whether people would actually get a ticket I have no idea.

If they're caught of course they would. Being in a funeral procession doesn't absolve you of all wrongdoings.

Yeah. We drove like 40 mins to get to my grandparents’ funerals, no way should people traipse behind us for that long! (Massive long A road)

Dual carriageway i’d say this is fine

I did this on a single carriageway when I was about 18 (so nearly 30 years ago) and still feel bad about it, so disrespectful. Probably less of an issue on a dual carriageway though

@itwasnevermine also in the scenario I witnessed the time it took for the horses to turn the corner the lights would have already turned back to red and the lead car would have been separated. Yes the lead car should stop - but really should they.
The whole procession then stopped further along the road for the undertaker to bow his head by the pub.
I thought the whole thing was quite emotional actually.
I have no idea who the funeral was for but moments like that do make you stop and think about life.
(It seemed to be a very traditional "cockney" funeral).

Agree. I’m surprised no-one else has mentioned it, as it’s a feature of my English upbringing in a very non-diverse area.

fine on a dual carriageway and I'd find if very peculiar if there was a massive tailback in the inside lane, with the outside lane empty!

For you, maybe, SocksRocks, have you not heard that people who pass on 'curses' for fun are so often the victims of them?

I wouldn't be you.

I think it is crazy that so many people think others must do this or that.

Funerals are for the attendees, anyone overtaking should be absolutely irrelevant.

We have a crem nearby and as others have said if we spent all our time following processions we'd never get anything done.

On a dual carriageway? You’re fine.

Is everyone expected to join the funeral procession? Would everyone drive behind a hearse on a motorway? No. It’d be daft.

It is a dual carriage way. Of course you are able to overtake.

A man's Horse drawn hearse business was ended by an impatient woman overtaking who killed his best horse, Will. {Offside}

The "oh gosh no" comments are batshit. Its a dual carriageway.

It's fine on dual carriageways. Our very busy local cemetery and crematorium is on a dual carriageway. If no one could overtake it would be a permanent 15mph for miles.

Was he on a duel carriageway.

Agree

I see hearses on motorways, honestly are people saying you should never overtake them there and just sit behind? Nuts.

As it was a dual carriageway I don’t think you did anything wrong. As for the mourners in the funeral cars personally when I’ve been in that situation I couldn’t give a shit about other road users.

Now if you’d done what Simon in the inbetweeners did and go between the hearse and cars in a funeral procession I’d agree that was rude!