No respect for the dead. What changed?

[foggood11]

Rant ON.

Something happened earlier this morning and it's been bothering me all day.

Was driving home from work at lunchtime (well-traveled unrestricted access road, 2 lanes each direction; no center divider; no shoulders), when up ahead I noticed a string of motorcycle sheriff's deputies on the other side of the road, each one about two hundred yards or so ahead of the next. There were probably 5 or 6 of them in all. I considered two options: 1) some huge political big-wig, like the governor or something, or 2) funeral procession.

Going my direction up the hill, there we no other cars near, but there was a big pack coming up behind me, about 1/2 mile back. Traffic against me had been completely stopped, and I saw the hearse make a slow left turn. When it was near, I slowed and stopped in the right hand lane to show respect to the deceased and family vehicles. This is what I was taught.

By now, the pack had closed the gap behind me, and one by one, they FLEW BY me (and right alongside the hearse) at the speed limit (50) or better.

At the next light a mile or so up the road, I caught up to one of the cars that had flown by me while I was stopped - a minivan driven by a young mother with a couple of kids inside.

I couldn't help asking myself, what lesson did THOSE KIDS learn today?

Is it just me? Maybe so. I guess I expected more from the next generation.

Rant OFF.

 

[toddimusnimski]

I'm in Pierce County. Where was this?

 

[foggood11]

I'm in Pierce County. Where was this?

Snohomish County on SR9, between the City of Snohomish and Clearview.

 

[kozmic]

What scares me even more than the lack of respect for the dead is the lack of respect for life.

Please excuse me for hijacking your thread, but it's is frightening that someone will kill you for your Nikes or your "bling" or for any number of trivial, non-consequencial reasons.

Back to your point, manners and common decency seem to have gone the way of the doo doo bird! You see it every day.

 

[toddimusnimski]

I don't get to that neck of the woods often, but I suppose no place is safe from either the clueless or the disrespectful. I'd like to think that everyone was just focused on the guy in front of them and not being intentionally disrespectful, but these days you wonder. Go to a ballgame and see what % of people remember to remove their hats for the national anthem. The clueless would probably remove it once reminded. I believe the disrespectful who still wouldn't remove their hats are a small percentage. Lets hope that's the case.

 

[DaGOOSExyz]

Manners and respect for others are slowly disapearing in this country.
That we can't give five mins to a deceased person and thier family
is just one example. People don't pull over for ambulances like they
once did. Don't say excuse me as much and don't care who they bump
or knock down to get to something first. Part of it may be that rudeness and fights are now considered entertainment on many of
the reality type shows. Watch shows that feature people falling off
something or running into something full force and see how the
camera focuses on the person doubled up in pain. Watch enough of
that or grow up watching it and some will lose their ability to
feel the persons pain, it's just become something else to laugh at.
Sad.

 

[4506517]

Whenever we do escorts you would not believe the number of people that will not yield the right of way to a funeral.....or the marked escorts.

 

[rwsmith]

I don't know if it.....

I don't know it it is lack of respect for the dead as much as lack of respect for anything.

 

[Volunteer0886]

I lost my grandmother at the age of 8 (1989). As part of the funeral procession, I noticed people pulled over as we drove down an old two lane. I even remember some were outside their vehicles. I specifically recall a few men with their hats off and at breast. It made a lasting impression that will never leave me. To this day I slow down and pull over.

 

[the ringo kid]

People dont show respect because also, they were never used to showing it. I make it a point if im walking, driving or riding a bus and if I see a funeral procession--I pull over and take my cap off till the last car passes. If im walking, I stop, take cap off till last car passes my position. I pass a flying flag, cap comes off till I pass it. If walking past a flying flag, hat comes off, and I stop to pay homage to it. Sure it takes some time, but the deceased and the flag, are worthy of that time.

 

[coltle6920]

Whenever we do escorts you would not believe the number of people that will not yield the right of way to a funeral.....or the marked escorts.

It's not that hard to believe because they're the same people that don't stop or pull over for firetrucks,ambulances or police cars.

 

[jimmib]

I was taught to respect certain things by my parents and passed these on to our children...I don't think we can blame all of the problem on the younger generation...part of the problem is that there are a lot more people on the road today...not to long ago I pull over for a funeral procession and almost got hit getting back out...I also see many people that don't pull over for an ambulance...getting scary out there

 

[RaceBannon]

I think it's just a symptom of our increasing population. People get more callous as the population gets denser and western Washington seems to be filling up awfully fast.

 

[jimmib]

I think it's just a symptom of our increasing population. People get more callous as the population gets denser and western Washington seems to be filling up awfully fast.

you noticed that too huh....

 

[the ringo kid]

I think it's just a symptom of our increasing population. People get more callous as the population gets denser and western Washington seems to be filling up awfully fast.

That's no excuse.

 

[RaceBannon]

That's no excuse.

Not an excuse, just an explanation.

 

[the ringo kid]

Not an excuse, just an explanation.

I know and it wasnt meant against the Messenger.

 

[Vegetaman]

Whenever we do escorts you would not believe the number of people that will not yield the right of way to a funeral.....or the marked escorts.

I think some drivers are just oblivious to the world around them. I was at a 4 way stop light intersection waiting to turn left and I heard police sirens. So I waited, even after our light turned green, as I could tell they were close but didn't know where -- but couldn't see anything behind me. Guy on my right starts moving out into the intersection. I finally notice the ambulance is coming from the right. This guy keeps creeping out into the intersection. The ambulance stops and this guy just glides on across, oblivious. Typical for people to just drive through the reds around here too. Everybody's so busy they aren't paying attention to the world around them at the moment. Which leads to them doing stupid things.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

I am sure if the situation were different (in a different setting) a certain degree of respect would have been shown.

Some people simply do not know to pull over. My ancestors are from the country and when we would go to their funerals I asked my parents why do drivers pull over. I always pull over because I was taught.
This does not mean everybody but I asked younger co-workers in the past and they said they never heard about it.

 

[finesse_r]

It is not the lack of respect surrounding dying that bothers me. It is the expense. Gone forever are the days we could just dig a hole and bury Uncle Jim in a pine box made for little or nothing. The last funerals I paid for cost about ten grand each and that was 8 years ago.

When they buried Elvis in his Cady it did not cost much more than a modern day coffin.

I am reminded of the old joke, about not being able to afford to die.