DA: Funeral processions should be banned

The Monitor ^ | 12/23/2010 | Naxiley Lopez

[Responsibility2nd]

My first reaction? Banning processions is a stupid idea.

But I got to thinking about the processions I've been in - and let me tell you... there is NO WAY on God's green earth I would ever be a motorcycle escort in any procession.

Not with all the oblivious idiots who zip in and out of them and who don't see them going through an intersection.

Thoughts?

[jim_trent]

> A Hidalgo County Precinct 2 constable’s deputy hit and killed an Alamo woman Wednesday when the deputy’s cruiser “t-boned” the vehicle she was traveling in.

Sounds like the deputy was at fault, not the woman nor the general public. Also sounds like this guy was looking for a reason to be a pr*ck and he just found one. Never let a crisis go to waste.

[IbJensen]

Get rid of Rene Guerra.

[Hardastarboard]

I think that part of the issue is that there aren't a lot of funeral processions any more, especially in modern urban America. That leads to people not being aware of what's going on and violating the procession because they often aren't clearly marked.

I was guilty of that within the last year. I thought I had gotten in behind a bunch of slow moving morons and passed a couple of them before I saw the tiny little funeral procession signs in their cars. They were p!ssed at me, understandably, but I didn't realize they were in a funeral procession, either.

From my experience, there needs to be a better way of identifying them.

[An Old Man]

It would apear to me that we have one DA who is about to join the unemployment line. Who was it that tipped the whole $#&**! world upside down?

[DManA]

I would not complain if they outlawed these processions. You see them, but you don’t know who is being honored so, what’s the point?

[NoGrayZone]

I’ve never actually seen one of these (except after 9/11). Usually I see a hearse w/ everyone following behind with their lights on.

I ALWAYS give them the right of way and I sometimes cry for their loss. Well, okay, I usually do cry when I see one, it breaks my heart.

[mewzilla]

Thoughts?

That personal bereavement doesn't give one the right to break traffic laws.

[Beowulf9]

“Even with escorts … some people out there are just in a rush,” he said. “They won’t slow down or they’ll try to beat the procession.”

So everyone else should be punished.

[Responsibility2nd]

Locally, processions have the drivers turn on their headlights AND the emergency flashers.

But so what? When a 20 car procession is travelling down a busy city street or roadway... it just don’t work.

[Mad Dawgg]

We don't use Motorcycles in our neck of the woods, we use Police Cars and almost everyone pulls over when a Funeral Procession comes along.

But then small town folks are more prone to honor traditions and show respect for the bereaved family.

[null and void]

Would it be safer to have few dozens of grief-stricken mourners make their own individual ways (often on unfamiliar streets) from the church to the cemetery?

[momtothree]

“Thoughts?”

Sign of the times. Use to be that people had respect for the dead and their grieving families. Our family would see a procession and say a prayer for the deceased. Today, it’s all “about me”. Zig zag here or there, cut people off, flip them off so you can get to the dry cleaners four minutes earlier than you would if you didn’t. Today’s view: I don’t know any of them so why should I care? I have seen great public respect for processions in smaller towns. Men would take off their hats as the hearse drives by. Processions are to get people there at the same time, as a group, to finish an extremely traumatic day. Just a thought.

[ridesthemiles]

IIRC from my youth- the last car in the line had a magnetic sign attached to the left rear side that clearly stated this group was a funeral procession.

[Ramonne]

My Texas is nuts...let 1st time dwi go free, but stop the
loved ones from on orderly trip to the funeral...way to go.. this world gets more crazy by the second.

[NoGrayZone]

"But then small town folks are more prone to honor traditions and show respect for the bereaved family."

Amen.

[w1andsodidwe]

Sounds like the deputy was at fault, not the woman nor the general public. Also sounds like this guy was looking for a reason to be a pr*ck and he just found one. Never let a crisis go to waste.

My thoughts exactly. Ban processions because a deputy causes an accident? What parallel world does this fool live in?

[huldah1776]

The flags that go on windows would be easy to spot. Like the ones for football teams or put something on an antenna (if there is one) or put a light on the roof-green, small. Start a new tradition. Just make it apparent.

[libh8er]

Never blame the individual. Always blame the freedom.

[Responsibility2nd]

I think a better idea is to have the service. Then announce there will be NO PROCESSION to the cemetary.

Everyone who wants to will meet at the cemetary at XX:00 o’clock for graveside services. And please take your time and obey all traffic laws en route to the cemetary.