26/11/2025
A great post from our friends at Tranquility Funerals Dumfries regarding cortège etiquette.
Funeral Cortège Etiquette
A funeral cortège represents a loved one’s final journey, a moment filled with reflection, love, and deep emotion for the families who follow behind.
The small acts of kindness shown by the public can make a meaningful difference during such a difficult time.
Here are some thoughtful ways we can all show respect when we encounter a funeral procession:
🔘 Grant the cortège right of way where possible and allow extra space for vehicles to turn or park safely.
🔘 Avoid pulling out on or cutting into the procession, helping the cortege remain together.
🔘 Remember that a funeral cortège may move at a slower pace. If you must overtake, please do so respectfully
🔘 Turn down or switch off loud in-car music as the procession passes.
🔘 If working at the roadside, consider pausing briefly as a gesture of respect.
🔘 Refrain from using your horn unless absolutely necessary.
🔘 Pedestrians (if able) may wish to pause and stand quietly as the cortège passes.
If you see a hearse approaching, a simple gesture such as stopping for a moment, standing still, removing your head wear, or bowing your head, can speak volumes. These small acts remind grieving families that their loss is noticed, understood, and shared by the community around them.
And if you see a hearse and limousines waiting at a junction, please consider stopping to allow them, and the vehicles following behind, often family and close friends to exit together.
It may delay your journey by only a minute or two, but to those experiencing heartbreak, it can mean far more than you realise.
Thank you for helping us honour each final journey with dignity, compassion, and care.
🎩❤️
