Funeral Vent

[Terk-1]

My uncle passed away and his funeral was this morning. While in the processional from the church to the cemetary, we were crossing an intersection that had lights. Just as we turned, we saw 2 cars waiting. The 2nd car had a women in her early 30's talking on the phone and honking her horn for the car in front of her to cut through the funeral procession so she could keep driving (while illegally talking on her cell phone). ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? How incredibly rude!!!! It took all that I had not to yell at her as we passed her car. I only wished there was a cop that could of seen her and slapped her with a hefty fine for talking on her cell while driving her car!

 

[Jennasis]

People suck sometimes don't they?

 

[zachnsamsmommy]

That is just awful!

I don't mean to make excuses for the woman (promise I'm not)...but I don't think they go over some of that stuff for driver training in some states anymore. I am in my mid 30's, and there was very little on the driving test about yielding/stopping for emergency vehicles and funeral processions. I'd like to think some people don't know better (as opposed to them being rude idiots). But you would think that once she realized the car in front of her wasn't going, that you SHOULDN"T go in a funeral procession...

Again, I'm so sorry for the rudeness you had to deal with!

 

[Plumeria]

UGH! OP, that is terrible! My condolences. Ironically, my own uncle died today.

 

[Serena]

I am sorry for the losses of both your uncles.


The lady was rude, some people are just selfish.

 

[Schmeck]

Since when is talking on your cellphone while driving illegal in Massachusetts?

It's not, according to this website:

http://www.hldi.org/laws/cellphonelaws.aspx

unless you were in the one town that banned it, that is, or not in MA...

Now, the honking was unexcusable - just believe in Karma...

I'm sorry about your uncle.

 

[Plumeria]

Thanks Serena!

 

[Rafiki31]

http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/2008/01/house-passes-limits-on-cell-phones.html

I am sorry that the person was so rude! She was probably completely oblivious to the funeral and wrapped up in her own rude little world.


Sorry for the loss of your uncle!

 

[SNylund]

I can almost guarantee you she probably didn't even realize that it was a funeral, she was no doubt on the phone self absorbed in her conversation like she was the only important person in the world at that time. People on cell phones in cars bugs me under any situation, one its either illegal or at the very least very dangerous, almost got in a wreck the other day for some lame brain texting while driving and almost hit me moving into my lane while driving 75mph on the highway no less.

 

[Schmeck]

http://www.lawlib.state.ma.us/2008/01/house-passes-limits-on-cell-phones.html

I am sorry that the person was so rude! She was probably completely oblivious to the funeral and wrapped up in her own rude little world.


Sorry for the loss of your uncle!

Only passed in the House - not a law, yet, but thanks for the link

 

[TnTsParty]

Its because people are rude and have no consideration for others besides themselves. Even if you aren't tought in driver's training that you shouldn't cut off a funeral procession you should have commen sense enough to know not to. Something similar happened at my brother in law's funeral procession except the person was so impatient that they went around to go around the procession and ended up hitting one of the motorcycle escorts. I didn't actually see it happen as I was in the front car with my sister and neice but wondered why an ambulance showed up at the cemetary and was told what happened by my brother in law's father. Its such a shame that people have to be in that big of a hurry. What happened to a little respect - I see at rural funerals people who don't even know the person who has passed away will pull over on the side of the road and give their respect (not saying that people need to go that far but people don't need to be honking and going around funeral processions)

My condolences for your uncle (and the other poster who just lost their uncle today)

 

[Stitch2007]

At my DBF's uncle's funeral some of the funeral procession got cut off by other cars at traffic light intersections and we had the funeral flags on our cars. I don't remember learing about it in driver's ed, but my mom always taught me not to cut off a funeral procession.

 

[disykat]

While she may generally be a rude driver - just guessing from the horn - she probably was clueless that there was a funeral procession.

I saw a funeral procession a few weeks ago and immediately thought "just like on the DIS." I'm 47 and had only seen them on television for celebrity funerals and once when I was a small girl visiting my Grandma in the midwest. It was definitely my first one in over 30 years as a driver. There were no flags. (?) I saw the front of it, with a police officer who stopped traffic at the intersection, then noticed the hearse.

My son has been driving for almost two years and had never heard of such a thing. It was definitely not mentioned in his driver's ed class.

Two of my homes (total of maybe 12 years) have meant driving daily past cemeteries and I've still never seen them.

 

[laurie31]

I am sorry for your loss.

How sad that someone's impatience added to your grief.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

http://www.cga.ct.gov/2004/rpt/2004-R-0303.htm

Not all states give a funeral procession the right of way. Washington does not but in the funerals I've gone to most drivers will yield to the procession but the procession can't just travel through stop signs or red lights - they must obey the traffic laws.

FYI Massachusetts. The law provides that a funeral procession of 10 vehicles or fewer has the right to use any public roadway subject to the same regulations and restrictions as “pleasure vehicles” (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 85 § 14A).

The driver honking was rude and I'm sorry to hear of your loss.

 

[DawnCt1]

While she may generally be a rude driver - just guessing from the horn - she probably was clueless that there was a funeral procession.

I saw a funeral procession a few weeks ago and immediately thought "just like on the DIS." I'm 47 and had only seen them on television for celebrity funerals and once when I was a small girl visiting my Grandma in the midwest. It was definitely my first one in over 30 years as a driver. There were no flags. (?) I saw the front of it, with a police officer who stopped traffic at the intersection, then noticed the hearse.

My son has been driving for almost two years and had never heard of such a thing. It was definitely not mentioned in his driver's ed class.

Two of my homes (total of maybe 12 years) have meant driving daily past cemeteries and I've still never seen them.

You have a good point. Furthermore, she was behind another car perpendicular to the funeral procession. Lots of cars have daytime running lights now, so having a line of cars with lights on isn't always clue. She was clueless for beeping. Also, in Ct. and perhaps in Massachusetts, its a courtesy to give a funeral procession the right of way but it isn't a violation if you don't.

 

[mhsjax]

Its because people are rude and have no consideration for others besides themselves. Even if you aren't tought in driver's training that you shouldn't cut off a funeral procession you should have commen sense enough to know not to. Something similar happened at my brother in law's funeral procession except the person was so impatient that they went around to go around the procession and ended up hitting one of the motorcycle escorts. I didn't actually see it happen as I was in the front car with my sister and neice but wondered why an ambulance showed up at the cemetary and was told what happened by my brother in law's father. Its such a shame that people have to be in that big of a hurry. What happened to a little respect - I see at rural funerals people who don't even know the person who has passed away will pull over on the side of the road and give their respect (not saying that people need to go that far but people don't need to be honking and going around funeral processions)

My condolences for your uncle (and the other poster who just lost their uncle today)

That happened to a friend of mine when her grandfather died. A older mand on the side of the road realized that a funeral procession was passing and he stopped bowed his head and took his hat off. It meant a lot to the family that a stranger had enough respect to do this. It all boils down to manners and up bringing. And I don't want to get started on that rant. OP Sorry for your loss.

 

[DisneyMom81]

I have to admit, I did it myself once years ago, and they were coming out of Temple!!!! I was young, and didn't realize what was going on. I don't remember if they had the flags or not, all I knew is I was driving down a little street, and someone tried to cut me off. Of course they were just trying to stay with their party, and I realized it when we all got to the end of the street and there were police directing everyone to make a left (and I wanted to make a right). I felt so bad when I realized what I had done. The woman was probably not paying attention, and coudn't figure out why no one in front of her was moving when they clearly had the light.

 

[manning]

In our state the funeral procession has the right of way at an intersection with the exception that the lead car has to obey signals. In other words if they come to a red light they have to stop. When green they proceed. All the following cars may go through the red light.

 

[aprilgail2]

That is just awful!

I don't mean to make excuses for the woman (promise I'm not)...but I don't think they go over some of that stuff for driver training in some states anymore. !

There is nothing on the test regarding this. If my most recent defensive driving class they did say that funerals are a thing to look out for because they think that they are allowed to disregard all traffic signals and they cause accidents. If you go to a funeral here the funeral home with give you a slip of paper with directions on it to the cemetary in case you get seperated by red lights etc. and it says on there to not go through red lights to keep up.
Some funerals have police escorts, like policemen, firefighters, children--anyone with a giant group going from one place to another. My 14 year old godson has a police and fire escort (he was a junior) and the motorcycle police would ride ahead and block off al streets and intersections for the funeral procession (it was miles long and headed by a bunch of fire trucks and fire vehicles). It was soon after 9/11 and I remember going down a main street and an older man stopping and saluting as we went by- I will never forget that man.