My life is more Important then ANYONES..ew

[EricKei]

'Twas meant in the sense of the EMT telling the EW on the phone just where she could stick it...

Apologies for any confusion.

[Merriweather]

Pulling over for funeral processions is an act of respect for the deceased, not because funeral processions have the right-of-way. However, in some areas this seems to be a forgotten tradition. Some funerals do get a police escort.

When my father was buried in Tallahassee, FL, my wife was impressed at how all of the traffic pulled over when the funeral procession passed. Street construction workers even stopped working and took off their hats. We don't see that in the DC area.

I don't recall what it was, but something made me think of that the other day. You used to see funeral processions often, all the cars going slowly, with headlights on, and no one would pass them or get in the middle, and you let the entire procession go thru, even if lights changed, etc. I can't recall the last time I saw that. Maybe nowadays everyone doesn't go from the funeral to the cemetary all at once, people just go more singly? I've no idea, the only funerals I've been to in decades were my parents funerals, and both their funerals were in the tiny country church my Dad grew up in, and then they were buried there in the old graveyard around the church. So no procession.

[downforit2008]

Is THIS the excuse she gives when she tries to cut in line wherever she goes or trying to have an excuse to NOT pay for something she ordered? "My life is more important right now." Her life isn't worth shit if she can justify her LIFE as an excuse. We all have problems in our own personal lives, but don't freaking use it as a security blanket and expect red-carpet treatment!

[Jetfire]

I don't recall what it was, but something made me think of that the other day. You used to see funeral processions often, all the cars going slowly, with headlights on, and no one would pass them or get in the middle, and you let the entire procession go thru, even if lights changed, etc. I can't recall the last time I saw that. Maybe nowadays everyone doesn't go from the funeral to the cemetary all at once, people just go more singly? I've no idea, the only funerals I've been to in decades were my parents funerals, and both their funerals were in the tiny country church my Dad grew up in, and then they were buried there in the old graveyard around the church. So no procession.

It may have been on TV. One of the last House episodes (House's road trip) had a funeral scene with police escort and such. As for if that's a usual thing, it probably depends on the community. I can't remember for certain, but when my great aunt passed away, at the funeral in Quebec, cars would pull over for the procession; but it was a smaller community. I wouldn't necessarily expect it in a big city unless the deceased was a major name.

As for pulling over for emergency vehicles, for me (as it is for most/all of us), it's a no brainer. But the thing to remember is that you need to be able to get out of the way SAFELY. In other words, don't stop in the middle of entrance/exit ramps, on bridges, across intersections, on thin shoulders, etc... but continue driving safely until you can stop or the vehicle(s) pass you. There's no point in causing an incident when they're already on their way towards one after all.

[Argus]

Funeral processions are still part of the law here in Indiana; I don't know about other states. From Chapter 5 of the Driver's Manual:

Official processions, such as a funeral procession, have the right of way
regardless of a traffic signal that indicates otherwise.

[Lovecats]

In NC you're supposed to pull over for a funeral procession. And when my father-in-law passed away in 2008 in FL we had a police escort from the funeral home to just as we turned off the main highway to the cemetary.

[dragon_wings]

As for pulling over for emergency vehicles, for me (as it is for most/all of us), it's a no brainer. But the thing to remember is that you need to be able to get out of the way SAFELY. In other words, don't stop in the middle of entrance/exit ramps, on bridges, across intersections, on thin shoulders, etc... but continue driving safely until you can stop or the vehicle(s) pass you. There's no point in causing an incident when they're already on their way towards one after all.

A few weeks ago I was driving in the left lane (a bit over the speed limit) and all of a sudden I see blue lights in my rear view mirror. The police car came up the middle turn lane so fast and the person behind me merged into the right lane so I couldn't move. I ended up watching the police car blaze by me in the turn lane. I had no time between the initial sighting of the car to when I was passed to move. Thankfully it was after 9 at night and the street wasn't busy.

[Merriweather]

As for pulling over for emergency vehicles, for me (as it is for most/all of us), it's a no brainer. But the thing to remember is that you need to be able to get out of the way SAFELY. In other words, don't stop in the middle of entrance/exit ramps, on bridges, across intersections, on thin shoulders, etc... but continue driving safely until you can stop or the vehicle(s) pass you. There's no point in causing an incident when they're already on their way towards one after all.

Also, if you are sitting in the right hand lane, waiting for a traffic light to change, and you hear a siren coming up behind you, and you have no shoulder or anyway to get over, do NOT make a right turn and pull over in order to get out of their way. Cause you never know when an emergency vehicle might also be planning to turn that way On the day I did that without thinking, I am so grateful that the policeman driving was paying close attention and had great reflexes in order to turn a bit short, but still manage to smoothly go around me without ploughing into me

[Kristev]

Somebody needs a needle. We've got to pop this creature's ego like the baloon that it is.

[Shalom]

We've got to pop this creature's ego like the baloon that it is.

Not a good idea, Kristev. Do you want to be the one to have to clean up all the muck and slime that will inevitably come spewing out...?

[lobo65]

I don't recall what it was, but something made me think of that the other day. You used to see funeral processions often, all the cars going slowly, with headlights on, and no one would pass them or get in the middle, and you let the entire procession go thru, even if lights changed, etc. I can't recall the last time I saw that. Maybe nowadays everyone doesn't go from the funeral to the cemetary all at once, people just go more singly? I've no idea, the only funerals I've been to in decades were my parents funerals, and both their funerals were in the tiny country church my Dad grew up in, and then they were buried there in the old graveyard around the church. So no procession.

I live in Mississippi, and that kind of thing still happens often here.

[Zoom]

You used to see funeral processions often, all the cars going slowly, with headlights on, and no one would pass them or get in the middle, and you let the entire procession go thru, even if lights changed, etc. I can't recall the last time I saw that.

Had one late last year. It helps that the street I cross to get to work is near a good funeral home.

[Geek King]

In Ohio, they still have those kind of processions for cemetary burials. In my younger days, the name, famous or not, didn't matter. You showed a funeral procession respect because it carried the remains of a human being with enough people who cared about them in life to need a procession. It was just the decent thing to do.

Police escorts were usually hired for large processions, or those needing to take a freeway, so traffic could be managed as needed. Someone well known in the community could have a procession that lasted several turnings of the traffic lights.

[depechemodefan]

[OT] One day I stupidly went my usual route, which passes by 2 schools, on the first day of school. So traffic was going 5 miles an hour. A school police car was driving behind me and it flashed it's lights so I pulled over. It kept on going (or tried to keep on going, people in front won't pull over). I tried to get back in lane but the bunch of assholes driving won't let me get back in.