I agree that funeral processions should be respected by other road users.

I also believe no one has the right to cross a red light, even police,fire and Ambulances do not have the right to cross red lights.

Afaik there are no laws on the subject ( not sure though). I think its just custom and common deceny, so hardly surprising that people are ignoring it these days.
I would like to see a return to the old days when men removed their hats, and everyone stopped and stood in reverential silence as a funeral courtege passed by. It seemed very dignified and respectful to me, but I suppose we have "progressed" from those days.

Debs. wrote on 04. Apr 2011 at 07:38:


Appropriate words indeed Deb.

I got stuck behind a bikers funeral cortege on the A303 near Yeovil a few years ago.  There had to be around 100 bikes and they proceeded up the dual carriageway at around 35mph and took up both lanes for about 6 miles or so before peeling off into Yeovil, probably to the crematorium.

I was driving an artic right behind the cortege and I was abit frustrated at being held up and there was a hell of a tail back behind.... I remember though feeling abit ashamed later and thinking what a hell of a send off that biker got.....

We're all in such a hurry these days to get things done and be places, that we all tend to forget simple things like showing abit of respect 

On a motorway of course I do overtake the possession as it would be a nonense to do otherwise

As for emergency vehicles they can, as already stated, cross a red light if safe to do so on an emergency call.  In the case of certain police officers with only basic level driving clearance they may not, nor may they use blues and two's.  Only those with standard or above levels of driving proficiency may.

Having had the misfortune of attending far too many funerals recently I've seen allsorts. One of them, in a small village, the Funeral cars, preceded by the Undertaker, followed by the Pall Bearers (which I was one of) and then the rest of the congregation, went the mile from Church to Graveyard at walking pace and I was nearly run over 2/3 times by ignorant drivers too impatient to wait a few minutes while someone was given a dignified send off

Unfortunately, that is the world we now live in

cleggy wrote on 04. Apr 2011 at 13:11:


I have to comment on this as i have experience of this

On the 4th of March 2011 i was in the main car for my fathers funeral with my elderly mum,sis ,and brother all of us in tears as you can imagine
we was traviling alone Ruislp Road in Northolt in a group of 5 Cars doing approx 20mph when suddenly a bike passed us then a car then a bloody bus forced the main car and the car behind us to pull over into the kerb