Modern Vespa

Is it disrespectful to overtake a Funeral Cortege ?

And if so, why ?

If you have to ask, you probably won't understand the answer.

"It depends".

The answer is subjective.

If disrespect is taken is it from the mourners or is it on behalf of the individual who has passed ?

Or maybe its OK because the individual isn't aware of the possible transgression ?

Well, since those attending the memorial do so out of respect or regard for the deceased, I suspect some of them may find your action disrespectful. So I suppose the question becomes - do you care?

In my state, it's illegal to overtake unless it's on a road with multiple lanes in the same direction as the procession and you use a separate lane from the procession to pass carefully. Tagging on to the rear of the procession to slip through an intersection is also illegal. Yielding to a funeral procession, either by slowing or pulling over and stopping until it's passed, is highly encouraged here, both by law and practice.

It must be a struggle to have such a busy life Bill.
I'm sending you my thoughts and prayers.

I just assume the people in a funeral procession are having a much shittier day than I am, so sparing them a thought and 30-90 seconds of my time as I do my part to keep their group together seems like the least I can do.

Well put. And if you do, how will they know if you're zooming past them?

Wouldn't it depend on in which region and culture someone would do that? I can't imagine the reaction would be the same everywhere

Yes.
Have some respect.
Damn.

Bill is posting from the UK - most roads are just one lane in each direction.

However, funeral processions there tend to only go slow for the first few hundred yards and the last few hundred yards. Plus they very rarely get any sort of escort, so they get broken up by traffic lights etc anyway. So there's rarely any point in overtaking while they're in go-slow mode, as normally they'll keep to the speed limit (if possible, never in London...).


The only difference might be for an old-school 'family' funeral with horse-drawn hearse and a following float with flowers. Give that one a very wide berth...

I actually rode in a funeral procession last week for a dear old riding mate. Nobody passed the hearse but if someone had done so while popping a wheelie it would have been fine.

Yes it's a toughy isn't it.

If I was in some how connected to the deceased then I believe there would element of disrespect being shown but as I'm not and they aren't aware of my presence I didn't have a conflict with getting on with my day.

My question was probably born out of a belief that I've never really thought twice about.

Until yesterday.

No, it really isn't.

I got nothing.

Lake Wobegon Minnesota

If you do it, while pulling a wheelie, yes.

No need to overtake, particularly if your noisy exhaust is loud enough to wake the dead.

Overheard from the passing hearse:

"I think I'll go for a walk."
"Shut it, you're not fooling anyone."
"Happy!! I feel happy!"
"Look can't you just do us a favor?"
(Hearse rocks about for a few seconds)
"Ta."