The other morning I was getting ready to turn right at a stoplight when a funeral procession crossed in front of me. When my light turned green, the people in the procession stopped, and I was pretty sure they were supposed to keep going, even through a red light. My problem was, the procession was going down a four lane road, completely taking up one lane, but leaving the other empty.
I turned.
But it felt really weird driving next to the people with their flashing lights the policeman up front. Oncoming traffic was stopping, even though their was a middle lane. The police car did stop at several red lights, and it seemed to be following me for miles. I almost wanted to roll my window down when I was stopped next to the cop to ask what I was supposed to do. I do not remember from driver's ed what the rules are, and I don't come across them very often.
I think I should have let the whole procession go and stayed at the light, from what I can gather from the internet. Each state has different laws and talks about what people IN the procession should do: proceed through lights until the police car stops. Nothing told me what I should have done.
One person said that it is the last way we can pay respect to the dead and their families, and I get that. I do. And in the moment I was thinking about getting to where I was going. It did feel weird to pass the hearse, but there was a car behind me that was going really fast and I didn't want to stop in front of them. I feel bad about it, but wondered if anyone really knew the rules, or if there were laws governing it.
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3 comments:
I do believe that the procession should have kept going... but at the same time, there should have been a police escort to stop the traffic (generally a motorcycle riding officer) who would stop, stand, and direct by hand. Strange that they didn't have one. You are right in your thinking.
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I don't know what I would have done but agree with the previous commenter. I think that's what I've experienced in the past. The police usually stop traffic til the funeral procession is all through.
Hmm, I'm not sure what the actual rules are. I think I've only been near a funeral procession while going the opposite direction. I'm surprised that there wasn't a uniformed cop directing traffic.
It's amazing how many driving rules I've forgotten over the years, not that they even covered funeral processions in drivers ed. It seems like I drive on auto pilot these days. Kinda scary.
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