Discussions

Today I was part of a funeral precession, and I found it very disrespectful the amount that of people that passed us. We went from first street and headed west to Rosewood today and had over a dozen people pass us. There was a gentlemen on the other side going the opposite way down Victoria who stopped (I thought it was kind of dangerous) but very nice of him. Question is do people still stay back and not pass or did I miss the memo on it not mattering anymore?

with most cars having daytime lights, it used to just be the hearse who had daytime lights. I think they do put a blue light on the hearse now? Also I really don't think the younger generation new this was a sign of respect. One more thing is being in a procession and half get through a green light, the other half don't. No one is really aware of where it starts and stops.

whenever we kids were outside and a funeral passed us on 18th. street our teachers asked us to pause to show respect. teachers back then were awesome.  
 
people are in too much of a hurry now a days and manners get pushed to the back ground.

I was not sure why he was stopping at first till I saw the purple light on the funeral car.  
 
I think we have to get used to the fact that in a city people might pass u because they had no idea it was a funeral procession. I was not sure how many were in the procession either. when do you start after stopping.  
 
I am late 40's I know respect and in a small town I give it because you are aware of what is going on. Today I was surprised by it because the procession I saw was at 1 pm not a time I expect coming form small town.  
 
Sorry you were offended by drivers today. I apologize for being one who was not as respectful as I should have been.  
I do not know the answer. I do not think it is law though just a respect thing.

This is a copy/paste from the MPI handbook.  
 
Funeral processions  
Drivers of vehicles in a funeral procession with lighted headlights and  
following a lead car may, if traffic conditions and local bylaws permit,  
go through a red light or stop sign with caution. The drivers of all other  
vehicles must yield the right-of-way to the procession.  
The lead car in the funeral procession may be equipped with a flashing  
purple light.

Last week we were coming up to the cemetery heading west of Brandon and pulled over to show respect/let them travel as a group, one company van pulled over on the shoulder as well. No one else stopped from either direction but we stayed sitting there til the whole procession was finally able to continue on. respect has gone much the same way as common sense...

The last few funerals we were at had everyone in the procession put their hazard lights on. That way it's obvious to the other drivers.

Can be requested.

a lot easier for everyone to stop in a small community, in a city it's a different story.

As just having gone through the passing of a close family member, I too was astounded by the lack of respect by drivers in this city. We were in a vehicle directly behind the hearse and still people were passing us. Family members following closely behind us had their hazard lights on and still were forced to stop at an intersection by impatient drivers wanting to get through their green light.  
I do want to thank those few who did come to a complete stop as a sign of respect.

They should amend the bylaw that everyone in the procession have their 4 way flashers on so all traffic knows they are part of a sometimes very long procession.  
 
When possible & safe I've always pulled over & stopped while procession proceeds. When walking I stop & wait. the 2 min it takes gives me a moment to remember those whos funerals I've attended & reflect on names of people I miss.  
By the time I try to name them all I realize the procession is long gone but I feel better remembering them & their faces.  
 
A easy simple sign of respect & courtesy to those morning but a moment of reflection for me too. Its 2 minutes of my life I don't regret.

I was never taught that it's impolite to pass a funeral procession, or to continue driving as oncoming traffic. My apologies. I have been a part of a few processions and don't remember anyone commenting on other drivers being disrespectful when they passed us.

And I've never felt worse. But none of the vehicles had their four ways on so how was I to know? When I looked ahead to see why everybody was driving so slow and saw the hearse I immediately pulled over. I actually hid my face while the vehicles passed me, I truly felt awful. Now I am far more aware of slow moving vehicles in my small town.

xanthe100 said "Can be requested. "

but unless the deceased is someone important or wealthy you wont get a police escort.

was never aware of this until moving to Manitoba. In BC we just drove and carried on with your day. I don't ever remember any funerals where traffic stopped, processions skipped red lights or anything. I have only learned this different set of rules moving out here and will admit, I have passed processions on the highway....only to find out when I pass people and get in behind the hearse. I have also driven past on a 2 lane road (like Victoria) and do not see anything wrong with it. I have no problems waiting at stop lights, or intersections, but if its 2 lanes or even meeting on a highway I don't know why it's disrespectful to carry on with my day. Yield right of way is more for the meeting at intersections in my opinion, not shut down the entire highway.

I was coming up to Superstore one day on Victoria heading west and the light was green...the fellow in the south lane heading west stopped at the green and I, not knowing what was going on, headed through...I realized I was in the middle of the funeral cars as they were coming from Brockies and felt sick...  
I soo apologize to this family as HAD I KNOWN ...I would have sat at that green light.  
Maybe that is the key...had they known....

is not everybody knows the procedure of it and also some attends more funerals in small town compare to in bigger city which are proceeded differently and again not all will follow to the cemetery.  
If you just came across the end of the line and didn't realize this is the funeral procession because you are not seeing the first line up and purple light so not all know what they are doing.

On the highway if I'm on the same side I always stay behind them. Everytime I've gone to pull out to pass I've seen the hearse and just go back into the normal lane... Last time there was a line up of semi's behind me, and not a single one passed (on a 4 lane highway, so not like they couldn't).... These guys are on a time limit and they still had the respect to wait, so don't think everyone out there is disrespectful. If I'm on the opposite side of the highway (like the transcanada) I don't stop on the other side, I'm usually not paying attention to that side of the highway, so by the time id notice a hearse id have to stop pretty quickly which would be dangerous. In town it's a little harder to figure out what's going on, but if I do figure it out in time I definitely give them the right of way, don't pass, etc, but again, I'm sure I've made a few mistakes without noticing.

When you come up behind a car with hazards going your first thought likely isn''t that it''s in a funeral procession. It probably won''t be till you start passing a few that you realise it''s a funeral procession. The vehicle could be warning of a slow moving vehicle infront or it''s having issues.  
 
It seems like there are varying expectations.  
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/culture/commuting/what-should-you-do-when-you-see-funeral-procession-on-the-road/article13251247/  
 
From MPI  
https://www.mpi.mb.ca/en/Newsroom/News-Releases/Pages/NR2010Jun02.aspx  
 
From the Manitoba HTA  
Vehicles in funeral processions  
117(4) The driver of a motor vehicle in a funeral procession shall, in so far as practicable, drive his vehicle on the extreme right-hand side of the roadway.  
 
Funeral processions  
117(5) Notwithstanding anything in this Part, the council of a municipality may, by by-law, provide that, in the case of a funeral procession indicated as such by the headlamps of all the motor vehicles therein being lighted, or in such other manner as may be prescribed in the by-law,  
(a) if the driver of the leading vehicle therein has complied with sections 85 and 88, the driver of each of the other vehicles therein, upon approaching  
(i) a traffic control signal showing a red traffic control light or a "stop" or "arrêt" signal, or  
(ii) a "stop" or "arrêt" sign,  
shall cause the vehicle to slow down or stop as may be necessary for safety, but may then proceed cautiously past the traffic control signal or "stop" or "arrêt" sign: and  
(b) after passing the traffic control signal or "stop" or "arrêt" sign, the driver of each of the other vehicles in the procession shall have the right-of-way over all other vehicles upon the highway at the intersection or place where the signal or sign is situated.  
 
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/funeral-processions-flagged-82678652.html  
 
http://windsorstar.com/news/pulling-over-for-a-funeral-isnt-the-law-but-it-is-good-manners  
 
Edited by Trevor B, 2016-05-31 17:30:13

For further discussions on this topic I found these past discussions about funeral processions.  
 
Feb. 2013  
http://www.ebrandon.ca/messagethread.aspx?message_id=725639&cat_id=3  
 
2008  
http://www.ebrandon.ca/messagethread.aspx?message_id=96389&cat_id=3  
 
2007  
http://www.ebrandon.ca/messagethread.aspx?message_id=51223&cat_id=4

whats the big deal? ive been in a few myself..people never stopped. no one ever stopped for when i was in my grandpas or my mothers. don't see me crying about it.

was in one last year for my Great-Aunt, I never paid any attention to weather anyone stopped or anything else. And this was from Brockie to Rosewood. And quite frankly it did not matter to me.

I don't fully understand the talk about respect on a funeral procession I mean respect of the person that passed away well did the person got respect while he/she was alive. I find it is too late to talk good or show good things to a person after death, you do it before.  
When I am dead I'm dead it is took late for anything I would prefer to receive respect while alive then after.  
Show or talk crap of a person then show or talk feeling afterwards when it is too late. I don't quite get that.

Is towards the family, not the dead person.