Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Last week, I went to a funeral in Philadelphia. The whole drive was treacherous. It rained the entire way from Northern Virginia to Pennsylvania (and back). Hard. After the funeral, we drove to the West Laurel Hill Cemetery (burial site of Frederick Winslow Taylor, Richard Binder, Edward Julius Berwind, John Thompson Dorrance, Herman Haupt, Joseph E. Widener, Joseph N. Pew, Jr., and Louis J. Magill).
I was a bit confused about how we were proceeding from the church to the cemetery, so I ended up at the very end of the funeral procession. As soon as it began, I was appalled. Someone tried to cut off the car in front of me as it was leaving the church parking lot. I mean, really? They had waited for 20 other cars but then didn't want to let the last two go? How does that make sense?
Every single intersection was full of anxiety as Philadelphia drivers cut into the procession, honked at us for driving through a red light, or generally didn't know how to handle life in case of a funeral. By the time we arrived at the burial plot, I was a bundle of nerves.
Today, the Washington Post has a story headlined "Respect for the dead wanes when funeral processions hit insane Washington traffic." We learn that two people have been killed and 23 injured this year in funeral processions. I think they include that stat to make you think things are bad, but it's actually a remarkably low number given what I saw last Tuesday.
But the metric shouldn't really be about deaths or injuries, but rather simple respect. We are a people who view our lives as so important that we can't wait 30 seconds for a funeral procession to pass.
I've noticed the same problem in Washington, D.C., with emergency vehicles. It is almost unfathomable to me, but people here don't get out of the way for ambulances and fire trucks.
In any case, while I would hope stories such as this would cause people to reflect on their behavior, I think the more standard American response was well put by the commenter to the Washington Post story:
Yes, why not end the practice of funeral processions? What did the dead ever do for us anyway? Is there a better encapsulation of the spirit of the age?
Cemetery image via Shutterstock.
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Comments:
Jul '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
How about we just end Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia?
Mar '11
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
So you are saying that Philadelphia still has old school, led by police, ignore traffic lights, funeral processions? I live in Greenville, SC and the practice was ended about 15 years ago or so. I am really quite shocked that they would still exist in a major metro area. I had assumed we were behind the times.
Nov '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
I think this is a symptom of the growing secularization of society. People don't go to funerals or those who do don't understand anything about ceremony or ritual or how to behave at such affairs. I doubt most of the people who cut into the procession had any clue what a funeral procession was. When everyone went to church and were taught there are proper ways to behave during certain occasions, and when people attended funerals rather than perfunctory memorial ceremonies where a vase of ashes was handed off, people learned how to show respect for solemn events. What do we expect?
Jul '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
They have them both here in Seattle and in San Diego, I know. What I'm wondering is was this procession guided by police? The one I saw recently here was, as was the one I was in when my grandmother passed 12 years ago.
I think as far as emergency vehicles are concerned, since the emergency vehicle can't stop to write tickets, they should instead be occasionally tailed by motorcycle cops with crow bars empowered to smash the windows of offending vehicles. That way no time is lost, and even people with enough money to ignore a ticket are still greatly put back by the consequences of their selfishness.
Dec '11
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Lived on Fort Myer for awhile, and worked nights at the pentagon. Got held up by a lot of processions..... Of course we were still losing a few guys a day in Iraq and Afganistan back then.
http://www.army.mil/info/organization/unitsandcommands/commandstructure/theoldguard/specplt/caisson.htm
Yeah, some processions should get the right of way.
Feb '11
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Still have them here in Chicago, and they're every bit as nerve-wracking as Mollie describes. It's a particular peeve of pine when people disrespect a funeral procession and when they're so oblivious to driving rules that they apparently aren't even aware of what's happening. My typical response is to be hyper-vigilant about keeping the ranks together and I do what I can to assist the cars either directly in front of me or directly behind me which includes closing gaps as they appear, along with aggressive driving to prevent would-be line breakers . I get so depressed about the state of the world sometimes.
Sep '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Earlier this year I was in a funeral procession in Tampa, but was about the sixth vehicle back from the lead as one of the pallbearers. The Tampa police did an outstanding job of managing the procession down one of Tampa's busiest streets in the middle of the day from the funeral home to the cemetery. I saw motorcycle cops pull over motorists who cut into the line to bawl them out for their lack of courtesy. My (virtual) hat was off to them for their performance.
But the lack of respect for the dead is just symptomatic of the culture in which we live, in which so many think of themselves and meeting their own needs and desires, ahead of anyone else. We're just too selfish and self-centered.
Nov '10
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
How about we just end funerals? I mean, really, they are morose affairs that no one wants to go to. When I die, there should be a party. That appeals to the most people. There are some who don't like me, and will enjoy partying up to the fact that I'm gone. For the others, the party can be a celebration of all the wise-acre comments I've made. And for everyone else, well, heck, it's a party!
Aug '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Well, far be it from me (doommonger that I am) to dissent from the orthodoxy that Americans are disrespectful, but I'd imagine the simpler solution is correct: most drivers don't know how to act in a funeral procession. Most drivers don't even know how to convoy. I'd be astonished if they knew how to treat a procession.
May '10
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Funeral processions are anachronistic. They were conceived at a time before big city traffic was even contemplated. It is no more or less a sign of respect for the dearly departed's second cousin once removed to make hisway to the burial obeying the normal traffic laws. Every single thing does not need to be interpreted as a sign of our decaying cultural values.
Nov '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Trace, people proceed in a procession because many in it are from out of town, or even if in town don't necessarily know how to get from the funeral home to the cemetary. There is no reasons a grieving loved one should have to fumble with a map or their GPS trying to keep up and not get lost, worrying whether they will miss the burial of their loved one. Grow up.
Jan '11
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
I second Trace: funeral processions -- at least in urban centers -- are not a tradition worth preserving.
Nov '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Ken, funerals exist to allow people to show their grief. I'm assuming there will be people who will be very upset and not feeling much like partying once you're gone. Having a solemn ceremony allows people to express that grief and sorrow among loved ones without having to feel like they are being killjoys at a party.
Jun '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
I've noticed the same problem in Washignton, D.C., with emergency vehicles. It is almost unfathomable to me, but people here don't get out of the way for ambulances and fire trucks.
Cemetery image via Shutterstock. · · 32 minutes ago
Somewhat off-topic, but, you really should come spend some time in small-town flyover country.
Here where I am, just about everyone pulls over for emergency vehicles.
Aug '10
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
I've only ever been a driver in one funeral procession, so I do not know if my experience is typical, however:
One of the problems, it seems to me, is that nobody is taught what to do in the event of a funeral procession. That includes the people in the procession as well as other drivers.
In my case, the funeral director gave us all "FUNERAL" signs to place on the dashboard, but there was no instruction. I had no idea what the rules were. Am I allowed to go through red lights? Which traffic laws are suspended when one is a part of a procession, which ones aren't? It was all very confusing.
Personally, it felt WRONG to me that I was able to ignore certain traffic laws, simply because I was driving from a funeral home to a cemetary. I didn't like it at all.
As for the other drivers, I cannot blame them for being confused about how to behave when confronted by a funeral procession, as I do not remember this subject ever coming up during driver training.
Funeral processions are very uncommon. They really aren't a part of "the culture".
Jan '11
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Some funeral processions, of recent origin, are quite special and developed spontaneously without formal organization.
Aug '10
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
For the record: The procession I was in did not have a police escort. I've never seen one with a police escort. Maybe the police don't do that anymore in Ontario?
Nov '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Misthiocracy:
Funeral processions are very uncommon. They really aren't a part of "the culture".
I don't understand this comment. They most certainly are part of the culture. Funerals are part of the culture and so is burying the dead. Every funeral I've been to that involved a burial also involved a funeral procession. Saying that funeral processions are not part of the culture might as well claim that funerals and burials are not part of the culture either.
Edited on December 5, 2012 at 7:09pmSep '12
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Mollie, my condolences for the loss of your friend or relative who has passed. And heaping apologies for the ungracious drivers you and other respectful friends suffered through just to honor the deceased.
Aug '10
Re: Let's End The Practice Of Funeral Processions
Thom Williams
Misthiocracy:
Funeral processions are very uncommon. They really aren't a part of "the culture".
I don't understand this comment. They most certainlyarepart of the culture. Funerals are part of the culture and so is burying the dead. Every funeral I've been to that involved a burial also involved a funeral procession. Saying that funeral processions are not part of the culture might as well claim that funerals and burials are not part of the culture either.
I sincerely don't think that processions are really a part of the culture anymore, simply because they are so uncommon. I've been to very few funerals in my life, and only a small percentage of those had a procession.
Maybe it's because life expectancy is so much longer that people don't die as often as they used to? Maybe it's because families are more scattered around these days rather than all settling in the same area? I dunno.
All I do know is, if something isn't common, and it isn't explicitly taught, then we cannot expect people to automatically recognize its significance.