Funeral processions and traffic

Frank Black · 09-10-2013 11:45AM

PickledLime wrote: »

Reading through this thread succinctly sums up what a lot of people have become - rude, impatient, lacking in compassion for their fellow man and entirely self-important :mad:

Yes, I agree, but enough about those in the funeral procession - what are your thoughts on the other road users just trying to go about their business?

Ghost Buster · 09-10-2013 11:49AM

PickledLime wrote: »

Reading through this thread succinctly sums up what a lot of people have become - rude, impatient, lacking in compassion for their fellow man and entirely self-important :mad:

Agreed. In the last 20 years I have been involved in 4 family funerals and we instructed the undertakers not to drive slowly and hold up the entire town. Our funerals werent everybodys funerals.

crockholm · 09-10-2013 11:50AM

runawaybishop wrote: »

Coming from a farming area and a farming family i would argue that it is the norm for tractors to pull over. Even if it wasn't it is certainly not the norm to come across a convoy of 20+ tractors that drive in such as manner as to stop you overtaking them.

This isn't about tractors though, or cyclists, or animals on the road. It is about funeral processions. Deliberately stopping other road users from overtaking is unreasonable do you not think?

Can processions not be scheduled outside of rush hour, is that too much to ask?

This isn't the "Sporting events and traffic thread", that's probably why.

Ok,but since you do come from a more rural setting,may I ask,how far is the graveyard from you? Coming from a rural area,you would have some knowledge of the death of someone local,also the mass/burial times.Such knowledge could spare you the inconvenience of being kept behind the procession.You doubtless have knowledge of local roads to bypass a funeral en route.

This isn't a go at you or anyone else who gets frustrated at time lost behind a procession.

I have seen,for particularly big funerals,Gardai out diverting traffic and warning oncoming traffic about what lies ahead.

OldNotWIse · 09-10-2013 11:51AM

I'd say their problems are likely bigger than mine at the point in time, and that they'd gladly trade being late for bringing their dead loved one back.

PickledLime · 09-10-2013 11:54AM

Frank Black wrote: »

Yes, I agree, but enough about those in the funeral procession - what are your thoughts on the other road users just trying to go about their business?

They can chill the **** out for a few minutes and show a modicum of respect. If they really have to be somewhere of life or death importance (and I'm sure lots of posters here overestimate how "important" their day to do is) then yes, by all means plough on, but 999 times out of 1,000 there's no reason not to be respectful and stop being an ignorant dick for 5 minutes of your oh-so-important lives.

Frank Black · 09-10-2013 12:07PM

PickledLime wrote: »

They can chill the **** out for a few minutes and show a modicum of respect. If they really have to be somewhere of life or death importance (and I'm sure lots of posters here overestimate how "important" their day to do is) then yes, by all means plough on, but 999 times out of 1,000 there's no reason not to be respectful and stop being an ignorant dick for 5 minutes of your oh-so-important lives.

Overtaking someone doing 40mph on a national road is not disrespectful and only a self-centered, self-important little prick would consider it to be.

PickledLime · 09-10-2013 12:15PM

Frank Black wrote: »

Overtaking someone doing 40mph on a national road is not disrespectful and only a self-centered, self-important little prick would consider it to be.

Yeah, all those "self-centred pricks" on their way to bury their dead, but woe-is-you because you have to let the cat out or go to some meeting to look at a Powerpoint presentation.

Frank Black · 09-10-2013 12:19PM

PickledLime wrote: »

Yeah, all those "self-centred pricks" on their way to bury their dead, but woe-is-you because you have to let the cat out or go to some meeting to look at a Powerpoint presentation.

Don't see what difference being overtaken by a faster moving vehicle on their way to a work engagement would possibly make to anyone's ability to bury their dead - could you explain this one for me?

PickledLime · 09-10-2013 12:24PM

You stop and pay respect instead of flooring it past when you encounter a funeral cortège. Two minutes, that's all it takes, if even.

runawaybishop · 09-10-2013 12:26PM

PickledLime wrote: »

Yeah, all those "self-centred pricks" on their way to bury their dead, but woe-is-you because you have to let the cat out or go to some meeting to look at a Powerpoint presentation.

Why does this matter, the funeral procession does not know why they are being overtaken, what difference will it make really to them?

PickledLime wrote: »

You stop and pay respect instead of flooring it past when you encounter a funeral cortège. Two minutes, that's all it takes, if even.

No, it doesn't take 2 minutes

Driving slowly is respectful in what way? Its certainly not respectful to every other road user behind you.

PickledLime · 09-10-2013 12:33PM

runawaybishop wrote: »

Why does this matter, the funeral procession does not know why they are being overtaken, what difference will it make really to them?

No, it doesn't take 2 minutes Driving slowly is respectful in what way? Its certainly not respectful to every other road user behind you.

If you can't grasp the fact that someone en route to their final resting place is more important than other road users going about their day and that speeding past them is somewhat disrespectful, you are either trolling or have very little experience of death.

runawaybishop · 09-10-2013 12:44PM

PickledLime wrote: »

If you can't grasp the fact that someone en route to their final resting place is more important than other road users going about their day and that speeding past them is somewhat disrespectful, you are either trolling or have very little experience of death.

In what way are they more important - you have no idea why a road user feels the need to overtake them. In this thread already we had an example of someone who missed being with a loved one on their deathbed due to delays caused by a funeral.

Will the death of a someone somehow be trivialised because some cars are overtaken? I suggest people have more to be concerned with at that time than being overtaken.

Frank Black · 09-10-2013 12:46PM

PickledLime wrote: »

You stop and pay respect instead of flooring it past when you encounter a funeral cortège. Two minutes, that's all it takes, if even.

Gosh - we'll have to try again.
What's disrespectful about overtaking someone doing 40mph on a public road?
Or, if you prefer, what's 'respectful' about driving for 40mph behind a line of cars whose occupants you don't know.

Personally, I've far too much 'respect' for my Clients to be late for a meeting with them when I can safely overtake a slow moving bunch of vehicles and arrive in time instead.

And as for your 'two minutes' point - what thread are you reading as this obvioulsy wasn't going to be the case.

Ace2007 · 09-10-2013 01:50PM

Frank Black wrote: »

I came upon a funeral procession a few years ago, on the N52 I think it was between Tullamore and Birr. There were about 20 cars in a line doing around 40mph. I was trying to get to a meeting in Roscrea or somewhere at the time and I started to overtake the cars. A number of them started to beep at me and flash their lights. I ignored them and contintinued to overtake when I could.
You don't have the right to take over a national secondary road for a funeral and demand that everyone else drives at 40mph.
I don't see anything wrong in what I did, though some of the people I overtook seemed to consider me an enormous prick judging by their gestures and expressions. I gave the more ignorant of them the fingers/wanker sign back, which was obviously childish but also immensely satisfying.

Frank Black wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestion Pops, but I think I'll continue with my current 'overtaking slow traffic' method, which has served me well up until now.

Frank Black wrote: »

It's not so much the driving in convoy at 40mph - it's the misplaced sense of righteous anger at being overtaken that I find most amusing. Almost as if they consider they should have exclusive use of a national road to ferry a family member to a graveyard and everyone else can just suck it up.
Sorry, it doesn't work like that - I'm overtaking whether you like it or not.

Frank Black wrote: »

Gosh - we'll have to try again.
What's disrespectful about overtaking someone doing 40mph on a public road?
Or, if you prefer, what's 'respectful' about driving for 40mph behind a line of cars whose occupants you don't know.

Personally, I've far too much 'respect' for my Clients to be late for a meeting with them when I can safely overtake a slow moving bunch of vehicles and arrive in time instead.

And as for your 'two minutes' point - what thread are you reading as this obvioulsy wasn't going to be the case.

Really doesn't surprise me that road deaths have been on the increase recently with this behaviour on the roads.

How anyone manages to overtake safely 20 cars on a road baffles me. Describing is like a tractor is so bad, for example, in a queue of cars with a tractor in front, the guy at the end doesn't decide he's going to overtake them all, it's the guys at front who over take first.

Regarding your meeting, what would you have done had there been a fatal crash on the road, and the guards had it closed - would you have been late?

What if there were road works - would you have been late?
What if you crashed into an oncoming car - would it have been worth it cause you were trying to get to your meeting?

People getting worked up cause they miss a meeting, or they missed a flight, or they were late to a date, really have to take a chill pill. The number of deaths on our roads are increasing for the first time in a good while - with the mentality of some people on here I can see why - and it's sad that people don't just slow down and take it easy on the roads.

Ultra Classic · 09-10-2013 01:51PM

Frank Black wrote: »

It's not so much the driving in convoy at 40mph - it's the misplaced sense of righteous anger at being overtaken that I find most amusing. Almost as if they consider they should have exclusive use of a national road to ferry a family member to a graveyard and everyone else can just suck it up.
Sorry, it doesn't work like that - I'm overtaking whether you like it or not.

runawaybishop wrote: »

Tractors dont drive in convoys and they usually pull over to let you pass. They definitely do not deliberately try to stop you overtaking them and beep at you when you do. Have your procession if you want but it is unreasonable to take over the road.
Bollocks. Adding an additional 2 hours to a 30 minute drive in case you meet a funeral is unreasonable, just like the expectation that people will shelve their own lives so someone can tootle about to a graveyard.
edit: all this is ignoring the fact that a funeral procession at rush hour is just fecking stupid.

The reason for a funeral cortege driving slower than normal is a mark of respect to the deceased and that there is no "hurry" to bury them.

Overtaking a funeral on a National Road (one lane in either direction) is considered to be disrespectful and the height of bad manners.
The overtaking of a funeral on a Dual Carriageway or double lane road is deemed to be ok.

Just remember that it is the grieving family who take notice of the "overtaker" and this can add to their anguish that a little respect was not shown to their late Mum/Dad/Brother/Sister/Son/Daughter.

Also under the ROAD TRAFFIC GENERAL BYE-LAWS, 1964. a "slow moving vehicle" is (a) a vehicle which is not mechanically propelled (b) a mechanically propelled vehicle to which an ordinary speed limit of not more than twenty miles per hour applies, and (c) a mechanically propelled vehicle so constructed or adapted as to be incapable of exceeding 24 miles per hour on a level road.

Ergo hearses,limousines and family cars in a funeral cortege are not considered "slow moving vehicles"

Eight Ball · 09-10-2013 02:07PM

Wow just wow. Genuinely stunned by some of the responses on here.

Knight who says Meh · 09-10-2013 02:13PM

But wouldnt it also be a laudable thing for people to realise that their funeral is a personal, private matter and that inconveniencing people who are utterly oblivious, anonymous and possibly indifferent to them is possibly a bad thing?
Just a thought.

Menas · 09-10-2013 02:14PM

If there is one time to cut some people some slack it is when they are burying a loved one.

I cannot imagine the horror of sitting in the chief mourners car getting over taken by someone making a wanker sign.

OldNotWIse · 09-10-2013 02:19PM

I have made my peace with the idea that most people become wánkers when they get behind the wheel but I am still shocked by some of the responses here. It's not all about you! God sake people.

runawaybishop · 09-10-2013 02:25PM

Ace2007 wrote: »

Really doesn't surprise me that road deaths have been on the increase recently with this behaviour on the roads.

Overtaking cars is legal, blocking people from overtaking isn't. You assume he overtook them all at once incorrectly.

Ultra Classic wrote: »

The reason for a funeral cortege driving slower than normal is a mark of respect to the deceased and that there is no "hurry" to bury them.

Grand so, no need to block other traffic and force them to obey your customs though.

Ace2007 · 09-10-2013 02:32PM

runawaybishop wrote: »

Overtaking cars is legal, blocking people from overtaking isn't. You assume he overtook them all at once incorrectly.

No I didn't assume that, but if you read the thread, and indeed follow any funerals, you will know most cars drive close together, therefore to be able to over take, there must be sufficient distance between the cars for it to be done safely.

While nit - picking please go back and answer the other questions, about weather he would be late, if the road was closed, or if there was road works or if he crash into an oncoming car who was going about his journey in the opposite direction.

I look forward to you making some sort of comment about the road deaths in my comment. or is it just a case of picking up some small little comment I made?

elfy4eva · 09-10-2013 02:32PM

Just want to cut in here as I haven't posted on this in a while. I don't believe that anybody who chooses to overtake a procession means any disrespect as long as it's done safely. It's not like they're honking their horn at it. In my opinion it's an extremely petty thing to get touchy about, especially on a day where you should have more on your mind than a few passing cars.

runawaybishop · 09-10-2013 02:34PM

Ace2007 wrote: »

No I didn't assume that, but if you read the thread, and indeed follow any funerals, you will know most cars drive close together, therefore to be able to over take, there must be sufficient distance between the cars for it to be done safely.

While nit - picking please go back and answer the other questions, about weather he would be late, if the road was closed, or if there was road works or if he crash into an oncoming car who was going about his journey in the opposite direction.

I look forward to you making some sort of comment about the road deaths in my comment. or is it just a case of picking up some small little comment I made?

If the cars are not leaving sufficient room for another car to overtake them safely then they are breaking the law.

All those other issues are irrelevant, this is about funeral processions and in this specific example about funeral procession who block cars from overtaking them. That behaviour is illegal and dangerous.

meemeemee · 09-10-2013 02:39PM

I appreciate the irritation of some. But some simple human empathy would go a long way. One day we will all find ourselves in a situation where we might re-consider our previous views on the matter.

Frank Black · 09-10-2013 02:39PM

Ultra Classic wrote: »

Overtaking a funeral on a National Road (one lane in either direction) is considered to be disrespectful and the height of bad manners.
The overtaking of a funeral on a Dual Carriageway or double lane road is deemed to be ok.

Who's doing the 'considering' and the 'deeming'?
Sounds like your just making up the rules to suit your argument.

Trigger Happy wrote: »

I cannot imagine the horror of sitting in the chief mourners car getting over taken by someone making a wanker sign.

Try to imagine the horror I felt at getting beeped at and wanker signed while going about my normal business on a public road.

People like that are arseholes - put them in a funeral procession and guess what? - they're still arseholes.
Love to be able to wind these people up a bit more and if flashing them the wanker sign out the back window achieves this, then that's what I'll be doing.

Fred Swanson · 09-10-2013 02:44PM

This post has been deleted.

Ace2007 · 09-10-2013 02:45PM

runawaybishop wrote: »

If the cars are not leaving sufficient room for another car to overtake them safely then they are breaking the law.

All those other issues are irrelevant, this is about funeral processions and in this specific example about funeral procession who block cars from overtaking them. That behaviour is illegal and dangerous.

Well if your example, then any one trying to overtake when this type of behaviour is occurring is taking their lives and those coming in the opposite direction into their own hands.

But sure please continue to drive recklessly - no doubt we'll wake up next weekend to find someone else that has died on the roads.

Respect the roads and everyone else and lives are saved.

Ace2007 · 09-10-2013 02:46PM

Frank Black wrote: »

Try to imagine the horror I felt at getting beeped at and wanker signed while going about my normal business on a public road.

People like that are arseholes - put them in a funeral procession and guess what? - they're still arseholes.
Love to be able to wind these people up a bit more and if flashing them the wanker sign out the back window achieves this, then that's what I'll be doing.

I wonder if your "clients" would still be your "clients" if they knew how you behaved in these situations....

runawaybishop · 09-10-2013 02:48PM

Ace2007 wrote: »

Well if your example, then any one trying to overtake when this type of behaviour is occurring is taking their lives and those coming in the opposite direction into their own hands.

But sure please continue to drive recklessly - no doubt we'll wake up next weekend to find someone else that has died on the roads.

Respect the roads and everyone else and lives are saved.

So we should accept illegal behaviour and suck it up because its a funeral?

Ace2007 wrote: »

I wonder if your "clients" would still be your "clients" if they knew how you behaved in these situations....

Yes?

Ace2007 · 09-10-2013 02:52PM

runawaybishop wrote: »

So we should accept illegal behaviour and suck it up because its a funeral?

19.—(1) A driver shall not overtake (or attempt to overtake) if to do so would endanger, or cause inconvenience to, any other person.

Road Traffic Laws 1997.

Funeral processions and traffic

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