William Barrett and Sons’ bizarre plea to motorists during funeral processions
Funeral home directors are angry and are calling on motorists to show respect and dignity when driving past a procession.
William Barrett and Sons, in Bunbury in Western Australia’s south-west, took to social media this week to challenge impatient drivers after a series of disrespectful incidents.
The salon’s “important appeal” urged drivers to “slow down and … be mindful of the life” they are honoring during a funeral procession.
The funeral directors say they encounter “frustrating expressions of impatience on our roads” every day.
“Too often, cars drive faster, overtake, drive away or merge between the hearse and the funeral carriage,” the Facebook post said.
‘(And) disrupting the solemnity of the funeral procession and breaking the important line of sight between the deceased and his loved ones.
‘This is a social trend that is far removed from the traditions of the past and that we must address!’
The message also urged motorists to slow down and allow grieving relatives to travel together in a procession “in peace.”
Western Australian funeral home William Barrett and Sons (pictured) has urged motorists to be more respectful towards funeral processions following a number of disrespectful incidents
William Barrett and Sons also called on those teaching motoring to convey ‘respect for the tradition of a procession’.
Taryn Barrett, the salon’s community relations manager, said impatient drivers were becoming a growing problem and it was not uncommon to encounter them several times a week.
Last Saturday a procession was interrupted by a rude driver who drove between the hearse and funeral cars while honking.
“We notice it more in bigger cities, people in rural villages tend to slow down and wait for the procession,” Ms Barrett told the Western Australian.
“Older residents still take off their hats as we drive by. As our city grows and people become busier, society may forget how important a funeral is and should be.”
She added that being stuck behind a funeral procession would only add 2-3 minutes to the journey time.
The salon’s “important appeal” urged motorists to “slow down and … be mindful of the life” they are honoring and their families during a procession (stock image)
Although there are no traffic laws in Western Australia against disrupting a funeral procession, the disrespectful act was still condemned by Facebook users.
“Respect for grieving families is not being respected,” someone noted.
Another added: ‘Back in the day, when there were no car headlights, everyone in the procession had their lights on and everyone had to give way to all vehicles.’
‘That is old-fashioned respect, which absolutely must be restored and strengthened.’
A third asked: ‘I can’t believe this even needs to be asked. Where have the manners and respect gone?’
“If someone thinks it’s okay to do this, then the chemical balance in their brain is not right.”
Victoria and the ACT impose fines of $91 and $205 respectively for disrupting a funeral procession. In NSW the act can go as high as $2,200 and in Queensland as much as $2,660.
