What’s your take on (civilian) Funeral Processions?

[Guest]

Living in mt pleasant, we have a many cemeteries and I see a few funeral processions per week. Today I saw a funeral procession exit off the sprain northbound at grasslands rd. I saw a few typical losers that are oblivious to the world around them and are trying to cut off or cut into the procession, which that in itself if just wrong.

But, then the hearse make a left at the intersection and the limo following it make a left as the light went from yellow to red. The procession was about a dozen cars long and every car went through the red light, inching into the intersection until people got the hint they were apart of the funeral procession, then all cars stopped until everyone with their hazard lights on had passed through the intersection. . My vac’s ems district has a vast section of the cemeteries in mt pleasant, we’ve had a few roll-overs in the cemetery of people driving too fast when leaving a burial, but that’s it.

Like I said the procession came from the sprain northbound, so im guessing they might not know the area to the cemetery. But do funeral processions have any LEGAL right of way??

Have any of you cops ticketed or heard of someone ticketing the driver of a car in a funeral procession that “runs a red light?†Is the purple light, like the green and blue lights…meaning it is only a curiosity?

I ask these questions because like I’ve said I see quite a few processions a week and it seems that driving in a funeral procession can be VERY DANGEROUS.

Edited December 10, 2007 by vacguy

[INIT915 1,119]

§ 1129© Motor vehicles being driven upon any roadway outside of a business

or residence district in a caravan or motorcade whether or not towing

other vehicles shall be so operated as to allow sufficient space between

each such vehicle or combination of vehicles so as to enable any other

vehicle to enter and occupy such space without danger. This provision

shall not apply to funeral processions.

[Guest]

I think the real danger is that someone who is 21-24 years old can not even form sentences or spell correctly! :-)

[x242Steve 1]

Has anyone else seen the Funeral Home escort vehicles with purple lightbars mounted on the roof? I have seen one at Coxe and Graziano in Mamaroneck... I hope they are not trying to replace having a police escort.

Also, it used to be that if you saw a line of cars with their headlights on during the day, it was probably a funeral procession... but now so many cars have daytime running lamps that you can't tell the difference.

[Guest]

I think the real danger is that someone who is 21-24 years old can not even form sentences or spell correctly! :-)

lol thanks! i wrote this in between school and work so forgive me in my sentance format is improper, blah, blah!...

you can consider these unfinished thoughts!

Edited December 10, 2007 by vacguy

[jfmuller 23]

Always thought Funerals processions had the right of way, (typically the Lead/Hearst will wait for the right of way then proceed), well according to this Bill that is not the case.

NYS Assembly Bill A04972

[IzzyEng4 427]

In CT, funeral processions have the right of way through intersection and should have a police escort if available. A lot of funeral homes in CT have the purple flashing lights installed and or use the purple flags to denote which POVs are in the procession, along with hazard flashers and headlights / hi-beam lights on.

[Guest bibbles10504]

All the laws i've seen on this give right of way to the funeral processions, however I have not seen where anything is stated as to what has priority, an emergency vehicle responding or en route to the hospital, or a funeral procession.

[TheBuff376 8]

Legally they do not have the right of way, but it is more of "Do the Right Thing" As far as Cox/Graziano they use the Purple lightbar to let other drivers know and by no means is it to replace an escort. A lot of police agencies will assist with escorts if manpower permits and most departments with devoted traffic units will take care of escorts when called. I remember as a kid my parents (and others) pulling over and letting the procession go.

[Goose 188]

In all honesty, this is a non-issue. Funeral processions have been going on for decades with few problems as far as I'm aware. Unfortunately, i have been in a number of processions, all with PD escort, and have never felt unsafe. Likewise, i have been on the road as they approach or pass me, i just pull over as i would for PD, FD, EMS.

[gpdexplorer 46]

I remember my dad was taking a patient to White Plains ER lights and sirens and was forced to stop to allow a funeral procession to cross the roadway by a WPPD motorcycle unit.

[Guest]

In all honesty, this is a non-issue. Funeral processions have been going on for decades with few problems as far as I'm aware. Unfortunately, i have been in a number of processions, all with PD escort, and have never felt unsafe. Likewise, i have been on the road as they approach or pass me, i just pull over as i would for PD, FD, EMS.

You’re right, and thankfully its not an issue…but it could be

an ambulance, engine or cop car can proceed through red lights and we think of it as a dangerous part of what we do, right?

If a hearse proceeds through a red light with no lights, no sirens, wouldn’t you consider that (at least) just as dangerous?

[Guest]

I remember my dad was taking a patient to White Plains ER lights and sirens and was forced to stop to allow a funeral procession to cross the roadway by a WPPD motorcycle unit.

wow, ok.

i understand out of respect for the dead and their family, but what's more important a dead person or someone who might be dying...unbelievable.

[IzzyEng4 427]

I remember my dad was taking a patient to White Plains ER lights and sirens and was forced to stop to allow a funeral procession to cross the roadway by a WPPD motorcycle unit.

That doesn't sound right, not saying that it didn't happen. But funeral processions still have yield the right of way to emergency apparatus with warning devices on.

[Ging599 13]

Having driven a hearse in many a procession, regardless of what the law says, I never violated any traffic safety device for one simple reason, liability. If anyone following me was ever involved in an accident, I am sure the lawsuit would include my name in it and it's just not worth it. As far as I know, any lights on a funeral vehicle are courtesy lights only but I am not in law enforcement and do not know the VTL.

Never expected this type of question on this site.

On a separate note, if there are an Yonkers PD members on here, keep an eye out for one stolen limo, stolen from the front of my family's funeral home. Black Lincoln, no joke.