Overtaking a Hearse?

Our man in Havana

coylemj wrote: »

I doubt that very much, every state in the US has it's own traffic regulations.

Indeed.

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

-Corkie-

If any one of ye overtake me while I am in the back of the hearse I will come back and haunt ye....:D

Harcrid

coylemj wrote: »

My brother was killed in a traffic accident a few years ago, we had to bring his coffin from the town where the post mortem was held to our home town for the funeral, the journey was along an 'M' motorway. The undertaker insisted on driving the hearse at about 40 mph all the way along the motorway, in the left lane obviously. I was bringing up the rear and got so scared watching cars roar up on to my tail and then overtake when they realised how slow I was going that I overtook the hearse and drove to our home town at what I considered a safe speed.

The alternative as far as I was concerned was that somebody would come up from behind and then get a call on the mobile or get momentarily distracted by a child in the car and rear end me at speed. There is a very good reason why slow vehicles are banned from motorways.

In towns and on minor roads down the country there is a tradition that oncoming traffic stops and pulls over to let the funeral pass and nobody would dare to overtake if going in the same direction.

At least they were in the left lane. I was attending a funeral last year and the procession went from Kildare to Dublin on the M7. The hearse driver drove the whole way up at between 60 to 80 kmph in the middle lane.

It caused mayhem especially with truck drivers having to get into the overtaking lane to pass. I was genuinely fearful there would be an accident so I just drove along in the left lane as far out of the way as I could. It was stupidity on the hearse drivers part.

cabrwab

I had to travel in a funeral travelling from ashbourne to glasnevin cemetery. We had to travel during rush hour traffic as the cemetry only allowed the burial before 10am.
We needed a garda escort to get us all in along to old n2 before the bypass in ashbourne.

The amount of inconsiderate people overtaking and cutting in to the que was unreal. Why because they knew they'd get into town quicker and it travelled at the speed limit all the way in.

Its somebody's final journey little bit of respect costs nothing to a devastated family.

January

Years ago my two cousins died at a young age and we were given a garda escort from church in Cabra to the cemetary in Mulhuddart, via the N3, it was to stop the traffic coming up off the M50 roundabout so we could travel with the hearse carrying both their coffins... Not one person overtook us

-Corkie-

cabrwab wrote: »

I had to travel in a funeral travelling from ashbourne to glasnevin cemetery. We had to travel during rush hour traffic as the cemetry only allowed the burial before 10am.
We needed a garda escort to get us all in along to old n2 before the bypass in ashbourne.

The amount of inconsiderate people overtaking and cutting in to the que was unreal. Why because they knew they'd get into town quicker and it travelled at the speed limit all the way in.

Its somebody's final journey little bit of respect costs nothing to a devastated family.

A lot of motorists dont give a toss about the living in a car not to mind the dead..

Satanta

flanzer wrote: »

Yes for sure. If it's safe to do so.

Most of the times I've met a funeral on a national road, they've quite sensibly, been in the hard shoulder. There was one time though, just outside Moneygall, the funeral was out near the middle of the road, and I was very close to blowing the horn in disgust

challengemaster wrote: »

Being dead does not give you or your family the right to obstruct an entire main road. Hearses and the brigade that insist on walking behind them at <5mph for miles.... Words cannot describe the anger I feel towards them.

Personally I'd have a bit of respect for the dead and their grieving family. Where has all these other attitutes come from? Disgust and Anger at a bereaved family? This country has gone to sh1t.

mikom

challengemaster wrote: »

Hearses and the brigade that insist on walking behind them at <5mph for miles.... Words cannot describe the anger I feel towards them.

Impotent?

AugustusMinimus

Hearse driving at 20mph for a few miles along a country road - OK

Hearse on it's own on the M50 with all other traffic banned from entering the motorway - Madness in the extreme

It BeeMee

mickob16 wrote: »

Was driving from Cork back to Waterford the other day and passed a hearse going the other way with a line of cars behind it.

Got to thinking what if the hearse had another say 30 miles to travel.Would it be disrespectable to pass it out or would you just have to be patient and wait

I find usually a hearse will travel at a "normal" speed until it nears it's destination, then will slow down. I was once in a cortege travelling a steady 120 on the M7

johndaman66 wrote: »

I'm moving a wee bit away from the specific topic under discussion but does anybody here stop yer vehicles when a funeral is coming against them on the road until the hearse passes. Obviously not on a primary road or motorway but in a built up area or local road?

I was in town the other day and witnessed people doing as such. Admittedly it was more the case the traffic going against the hearse was stop go and some people were more specifically waiting till the hearse passed to start moving again. Have never seen people do this before in all my years of driving.

I do this all the time. And turn off the radio.

flanzer wrote: »

Most of the times I've met a funeral on a national road, they've quite sensibly, been in the hard shoulder. There was one time though, just outside Moneygall, the funeral was out near the middle of the road, and I was very close to blowing the horn in disgust

Have you no respect for O'Bama's cousins?

Del2005

coylemj wrote: »

. There is a very good reason why slow vehicles are banned from motorways.

There may be a good reason but they fcuked up and never introduced a minimum speed limit. Also 51km/h is not a safe speed on a motorway at any time other then rush hour and that's all a vehicle has to be able to do but it can legally travel at 10km/h:eek:

randylonghorn

Satanta wrote: »

Personally I'd have a bit of respect for the dead and their grieving family. Where has all these other attitutes come from? Disgust and Anger at a bereaved family? This country has gone to sh1t.

This.

The Celtic Diseased Kitten did more damage to this country than just to the economy.

cyrusdvirus

I was in a cortège carrying my Nan from Navan to Limerick. Decent speed all the way along until we got close to where the family are from, then down to 'funeral' speeds.

Going from the church to the burial ground was all funeral speed along back roads, no need for a garda presence as just about anyone who would have been on that road anyway was at the funeral.

I'd never overtake a hearse unless on a motorway/major national route. No matter what you think your hurry is and how much time you are 'losing', i can guarantee that there are people in the lead car behind the hearse who would gladly give up a lot for a bit more time with their loved one.

Pull over, engine and radio off. A bit of respect costs nothing.

dr.fuzzenstein

Don't you know that being driven to their final resting place in a hearse gives the "passenger" one last chance to hold up traffic at 5mp/h.
It is also stipulated in the will that the hearse must on at least two occasions indicate the opposite way...

peasant

gatecrash wrote: »

Pull over, engine and radio off. A bit of respect costs nothing.

Hypothetical question ...what would you do if you were on your way to the hospital to catch a last glimpse of a dying relative ?

cyrusdvirus

peasant wrote: »

Hypothetical question ...what would you do if you were on your way to the hospital to catch a last glimpse of a dying relative ?

I meant if the cortege is coming towards me.

And as there would more than likely be more than me on the road i'd have to stop if a car in front of me probably has stopped.

If the way was clear ahead of me then i'd slow down a small bit but continue on my not so merry way.

If there were walkers behind the hearse i'd drive as quickly as i could bearing in mind the pedestrians.

it is an interesting question though, and to be honest i'd like to think that's how i'd behave.... but i've never been in that situation... yet

My uncle came up from Cork just before my Nan passed away, and he was pulled over for speeding. As soon as he informed the Garda of the situation he was given a blues and twos escort as far as that car could go, with a handover around each division change. He was a member at the time himself though, so the handover might not happen for the rest of us mere mortals!

Del2005

gatecrash wrote: »

Pull over, engine and radio off. A bit of respect costs nothing.

I'm all for respecting the dead, but they aren't the ones holding up the traffic.

Why are all removals at rush hour? Why can't they do it afterwards?

Orando Broom

challengemaster wrote: »

Being dead does not give you or your family the right to obstruct an entire main road. Hearses and the brigade that insist on walking behind them at <5mph for miles.... Words cannot describe the anger I feel towards them.

It might be almost certainly be at your door some day.

however funeral cortège's should be mindful when on public roads to try and allow the general public safe access to the road as best as possible. I think for the most part they do. There is the odd occasion where a road is narrow but if the cortège has only a short distance to travel ten or fifteen minutes is neither here nor there.

Most funeral cortèges should travel at a reasonable rate on main road and keep left where possible to allow safe over taking. Again I think they do for the most part.

Akrasia

I accidentally overtook a funeral cortege once.

I was travelling to dublin on a motorbike and was coming up to traffic lights so I filtered through the traffic on the outside. when I got to the red lights I looked over and it was a load of people in black suits with a hearse at the front. It was the most awkward 30 seconds ever while I waited for the lights to turn green

keithclancy

Got overtaken by a Hearse once, I was doing around 160, he was doing around 180 - 200 at a best guess.

dr.fuzzenstein

keithclancy wrote: »

Got overtaken by a Hearse once, I was doing around 160, he was doing around 180 - 200 at a best guess.

Now THAT'S the way to go!
I think I will add into my will that the Hearse should recklessly and exceedingly speed while I'm in it.:D

witchgirl26

challengemaster wrote: »

Being dead does not give you or your family the right to obstruct an entire main road. Hearses and the brigade that insist on walking behind them at <5mph for miles.... Words cannot describe the anger I feel towards them.

Why the intense anger? Seriously I mean the family have more to be upset about then you. Show some respect to grieving people. So they want to walk behind the hearse - it's a mark of respect to the dead person. Boo hoo that it slows your journey a bit.

I do agree that a funeral should keep as left as possible to try and not obstruct traffic completely. But that isn't always possible. It's a person's last journey.

We walked my dad's hearse from our house down to the church. Took about 30 mins and involved using the Malahide Road. We got in touch with the local Garda station & two lovely Gardaí came out to make sure that traffic was stopped to let us exit onto the Malahide Road from the estate & also go accross the junction at Collins Avenue. We stayed in the bus lane the whole way. Took about 10 mins of the Gardaí's time (the main walk was out of the estate).

Orando Broom

witchgirl26 wrote: »

Why the intense anger? Seriously I mean the family have more to be upset about then you. Show some respect to grieving people. So they want to walk behind the hearse - it's a mark of respect to the dead person. Boo hoo that it slows your journey a bit.

I do agree that a funeral should keep as left as possible to try and not obstruct traffic completely. But that isn't always possible. It's a person's last journey.

We walked my dad's hearse from our house down to the church. Took about 30 mins and involved using the Malahide Road. We got in touch with the local Garda station & two lovely Gardaí came out to make sure that traffic was stopped to let us exit onto the Malahide Road from the estate & also go accross the junction at Collins Avenue. We stayed in the bus lane the whole way. Took about 10 mins of the Gardaí's time (the main walk was out of the estate).

Once it's done right, no one minds. It's a journey everyone will take someday.

In the age of PS bashing it is easy to overlook but the guards are fantastic in their considerations for such occasions. It is never forgotten by families.

witchgirl26

Orando Broom wrote: »

Once it's done right, no one minds. It's a journey everyone will take someday.

In the age of PS bashing it is easy to overlook but the guards are fantastic in their considerations for such occasions. It is never forgotten by families.

It seemed to me that challengmaster minded no matter done right or not.

Definately never forgotten - although don't ask me to point out the specific Gardaí who were there as had other things on my mind.

opinion guy

Celtxx wrote: »

At least they were in the left lane. I was attending a funeral last year and the procession went from Kildare to Dublin on the M7. The hearse driver drove the whole way up at between 60 to 80 kmph in the middle lane.

It caused mayhem especially with truck drivers having to get into the overtaking lane to pass. I was genuinely fearful there would be an accident so I just drove along in the left lane as far out of the way as I could. It was stupidity on the hearse drivers part.

Seriously ?
I think I would actually report that to the cops even if I was part of the funeral procession myself. That's idiotic and dangerous in the extreme.


Got stuck in a funreal going from Cavan to Vriginia recently. At leat I think it was a funeral - there was such a tailback I could not see. And there were definitely soem tractors caught up in it. Whole thing was a mess to be honest. I was surpirsed though - any funeral I've attended would always travel at a fair clip once outside of the town (normalish speeds) and slow down when in the town. This one seemed to do 30kph the whole way. Overtaking didn't come into it as traffic was too heavy the other way.