Cop was wrong, you don’t have to pull over facing a funeral procession

[avengerspoilerer]

I was headed home on a two lane road when a funeral procession came up the other way. I continued heading home. I was not speeding but the cop at the end of the procession waved me down to stop. He motioned for me to roll down his window and began yelling that I “was REQUIRED to stop for a funeral procession.”

I guess he was the back up car because he head off towards the back of the procession.

After I got home and went to look up the law in my state and there is no requirement to pull over. I realize some may consider it out of respect, but I was already running late.

 

[Carol_]

I thought all the cops quit.

 

[ramee]

I remember merging into one onto the highway, once. That felt awkward.

Edit: OP, I can’t imagine stopping for one while I’m going the opposite way. Weird he said you should have stopped.

 

[Hikergirl]

Do you live in Florida?
Are you sure it was a PO and not Jeremy Dewitte?

 

[Jre1206]

i always thought you had to stop for a funeral on a two lane road

 

[Deb & Bill]

i always thought you had to stop for a funeral on a two lane road

That's for a school bus that is stopped.

From the FL State Driver Handbook:

6. Sharing the Road

• 6.1. Pedestrians
• 6.2. Bicycles
• 6.3. Motorcycle Awareness
• 6.4. Mopeds
• 6.5. School Buses
• 6.6. Public Transit
• 6.7. Funeral Processions
• 6.8. Sharing the Road with a Truck
• 6.9. Golf Carts

Pedestrians and drivers must yield the right-of-way to funeral processions. When the first vehicle in the funeral procession lawfully enters an intersection, other vehicles in the procession must have their headlights on as a signal to other drivers not to drive between or interfere with the procession while it is in motion, unless directed to do so by a law enforcement officer.

So there is no requirement to pull over on the opposite side of the road for a funeral procession in Florida.

 

[Jre1206]

That's for a school bus that is stopped.

From the FL State Driver Handbook:

So there is no requirement to pull over on the opposite side of the road for a funeral procession in Florida.

Lol yep knew that one for sure

 

[avengerspoilerer]

I guess it is something they do around here out of respect but there is no law requiring it.

 

[Kellykins1218]

I have never seen anyone pull over for a funeral procession. You are not allowed to merge into one but you can pass them.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have never seen anyone pull over for a funeral procession. You are not allowed to merge into one but you can pass them.

like @ramee I've wound up merging into a funeral procession when entering a highway. How can you avoid it? You can't just stop on the approach.

 

[unrequited23]

I've seen the opposing traffic on a divided highway pull over in KY and WV for funeral processions. It stuck out because it doesn't happen where we live.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

I've seen the opposing traffic on a divided highway pull over in KY and WV for funeral processions. It stuck out because it doesn't happen where we live.

We were in a procession in Indiana. Very small because of COVID-19. Four lane divided highest- everyone stopped in opposite direction, nobody passed on our left. Must be regional thing.

 

[ronandannette]

I have never seen anyone pull over for a funeral procession. You are not allowed to merge into one but you can pass them.

like @ramee I've wound up merging into a funeral procession when entering a highway. How can you avoid it? You can't just stop on the approach.

This must definitely be a regional thing - both legally and as a local sign of respect. I interned to be a funeral director and drove "official" vehicles in scores of funeral processions. Here there are no traffic laws governing funeral processions. The local custom would be to yield to a funeral procession, even in a merge situation. One certainly can wait on the approach, just as you would have to do if there was some other sort of obstruction in the way. As for traffic going in the opposing direction? It would only stop at an uncontrolled intersection to let the procession make a left-turn, otherwise be completely unaffected.

Driving in processing took a ton of care and attention because one never really knew how other drivers were going to react or behave. I saw a fair degree of chaos caused by other drivers and then the people in processing not knowing what to do. We would always have funeral vehicles at the front and at the rear of any procession, hoping the mourners in between would follow the cues but in really long processions it was a free for all.

 

[EACarlson]

You can't just stop on the approach.

You must not have ever been to Minneapolis. It happens all the time, driver's are very passive and will stop at the end of an entrance ramp until somebody stops on the freeway to let them in.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You must not have ever been to Minneapolis. It happens all the time, driver's are very passive and will stop at the end of an entrance ramp until somebody stops on the freeway to let them in.

Yeah, it's not like that in southern California.

 

[wildride]

I was headed home on a two lane road when a funeral procession came up the other way. I continued heading home. I was not speeding but the cop at the end of the procession waved me down to stop. He motioned for me to roll down his window and began yelling that I “was REQUIRED to stop for a funeral procession.”

I guess he was the back up car because he head off towards the back of the procession.

After I got home and went to look up the law in my state and there is no requirement to pull over. I realize some may consider it out of respect, but I was already running late.

Hey Karen so was the person in the hearse. Very very disrespectful & narcissistic.It costs you a minute of your life
Sometimes the right thing to do costs you a minute of your life.

 

[lahobbs4]

I've always wondered about this! Here, we pull over no matter what side of the road you are on until the procession has finished. I have never thought it was a law, though.

 

[karen4546]

I guess it is something they do around here out of respect but there is no law requiring it.

Yes, out of respect.

 

[jrmasm]

I have never heard of pulling over for a funeral procession.

 

[LSUmiss]

Hey Karen so was the person in the hearse. Very very disrespectful & narcissistic.It costs you a minute of your life
Sometimes the right thing to do costs you a minute of your life.

Gimme a break