Rules of the road?

[PAULO]

The wife and I were coming home this morning on a 4 lane divided highway. We saw some flashing lights and a long line of cars coming towards us on the other side. It was a funeral procession. Several cars on our side of the road pulled to the side and stopped. I was under the impression that on divided highways the opposing traffic does not have to stop for anything such as school buses or fire trucks. Does anyone know what the rule is for this situation?

 

[gatoram]

The law in Florida is any median wider than 5' you do not have to stop for busses, rescue, etc. Funerals are your own descretion.....

 

[RonaldLarson]

Yup

The center divider or median strip is considered a wall which is not even to be used by emergency vehicles unless there is no other access to the scene of the incident. When I drove school bus, we had many incidents of oncoming traffic on four lane undivided, where the drivers failed to stop when the bus's stop sign was extended. A definite no no!

Ron

 

[DennyDay]

Stopping for Funeral

No law in TX about stopping for funeral on highway, just southern courtesy. Many states require stopping for school bus even on divided hwy. Alabama is one.

Denny

 

[ISBPilot]

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

On a 4-lane it may not be that big of a deal. But around here mostly 2-lane roads. I pull off, turn on my lights, take off my hat, and wait until they are passed before I proceed.



A few months back a friend of mine died from a diving accident. We had about 15 miles of 2-lane road going from one town to the next for his graveside service. I was about the 5th vehicle in the procession. Some people were not even slowing down, going 60 miles an hour. The ones who didn't slow down got run off the road. I would just happen to ease across the center line into their lane. They had the choice to stop and pull over, or to take the gravel shoulder and ditch going ever how fast they wanted. Didn't matter to me. Had two police escorts, front and back. They never said a word.



Todd

 

[Doc Tinker]

It's my understanding, that when encountering a funeral procession, you are not supposed to break the line, or try to pass the procession, unless you are on a divided highway. Funeral processions are not emergency vehilces, but they have the right of way, once the procession starts to move through an intersection. The hearse, or the lead car can not run a red light, but once they go through, it's like a long train.



Cars do not pull off the road for a funeral procession, in my area. Even if it's on a two lane highway.



I have been in processions that traveled long distances on divided highways and have never seen anyone pull off the road or refrain from passing the procession. These processions always move at the minimum posted speeds.



I have more problems with people who are in the line that don't understand the rules of the procession and either get confused when a light turns red, in the middle of the line going through, or who stops for the light. It should be the responsibility of the funeral home to instruct the drivers before departure, but I have never been instructed anything other that "Please turn on your lights and follow the car ahead of you. "



Doc

 

[Larry Willard]

That's the first I ever heard of pulling off for a funeral procession.

What Doc said is the way it has always been in this area too.

Larry

 

[fest3er]

Originally posted by GatorRam

The law in Florida is any median wider than 5' you do not have to stop for busses, rescue, etc. Funerals are your own descretion.....

In some parts, a double-yellow line counts as an uncrossable median, with the same rules as a physical median.



Fest3er

 

[Bill Lins]

Stopping for funerals is common in the South. One day two men were golfing when a funeral procession came by the golf course. One of the golfers put down his club, removed his hat, and stood quietly as the hearse drove past. The other golfer said, "That's the most respectful, gentlemanly thing I ever saw!" The first golfer told him, "It's the least I could do- we were married for 25 years!"