Ban funeral processions

Yesterday, I had to wait at an intersection while a funeral procession went past. This was far from the first time it had happened; I've had to wait (or pull over) for a funeral caravan on many occasions. I've even taken part in a few of them. But something really bugged me about it yesterday.

I understand that people want to honor their dearly departed. We've all lost friends and loved ones, and it seems like a trifle to hold up traffic for a short while to allow the mourners to sojourn from the funeral home to the cemetery; to ensure that everyone can have a clear, unfettered path to the burial plot and not arrive late to that part of the proceedings.

However, it seems not only unnecessary, but detrimental to the function of commuting when such a procession (particularly a long one) moves at a snail's pace down a major thoroughfare, causing considerable backups and traffic snarls.

I say it's time to outright ban this tradition; it's not just a matter of people being slightly inconvenienced or feeling entitled. Traffic jams are potentially harmful to commuters trying to get to work or pick their kids up, or get to the hospital, or any number of essential purposes. I believe respect can be shown without having to tie up the roads in this way.

After all, this tradition (like so many others) has its origins in a time when a horse-drawn carriage would tote the deceased to the small town's lone cemetery at the edge of town. This does not translate to modern cities and highways.i

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anonymous Other April 24, 2024 at 8:28 am 0 0