Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

We're so upset about this. If we had stopped for the light we would have gotten lost and possibly not made it to the funeral. We just made it through the light as it was changing, and saw the flash as our picture was taken. Several other people that were part of the procession had their picture taken too on the way to the church. It was so hard to keep up with the hearse. In my opinion it was going way to fast and not slowing down after it went through lights. We all complained afterwards, and the funeral director said that if we got a ticket, not to worry because they had "been told by the county that it's ok for cars that are part of a funeral procession." She told us to just bring the citation to the funeral home and they "would take care of it."

So today we get the citation in the mail, and in the picture of DH's car you can clearly see the hearse and limo that we were following. I just called the funeral home and the man I spoke to almost sounded annoyed, like what did I expect them to do about it, even though we were told to call the funeral home if we got a ticket. So he said he'd put together a letter for us, but it looks like we're going to have to go to court to fight it. I guess we can bring the letter and show the judge the picture with the hearse. It's just such a hassle. It's bad enough DH lost his grandmother, now he has to go to court over it.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Sorry you are going through this. What about speaking with the funeral director herself who told you to just bring them any ticket? They really should've slowed down and stopped at the light if everyone couldn't make it through.

Honestly though, I'd probably just pay the ticket rather than deal with all the hassle of court.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

I know you're not going to like my answer...but...you should have stopped for the light, processional or not. You would have been able to catch up. Unless the funeral home/cemetary were in a completely foreign area (as in state), you likely would have been able to make it there with little to no delay or interruption. I don't think the funeral home is at fault; but they shouldn't have told you they'd take care of it either if they couldn't or don't. I'd just pay for it.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Most likely you wont have to pay it since you were part of a procession

Message edited 2/18/2012 5:14:23 PM.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

This is why those light cameras are NOT the answer to the problem: they are a hassle and I would imagine they COST more money than they MAKE.

Hope you win!!

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

that stinksssss
you have a chance that if you fight the ticket they will dismiss on grounds for justification. BUT i do know that if you fight one of these red light camera tickets, and you ARE found guilty - not only do you have the fine, but you get the points added to your license. whereas, if you just pay it by mail, you don't get any points. it's up to you how you want to proceed, but it's just some food for thought.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

I was just in a funeral procession this week, and i made sure i told everyone, not to blow any lights, just put the address in the navigation and meet at the cemetery because there is no fighting these tickets, the amount of aggrivation its going to be to fight it is not worth it.

Its dangerous to go through lights and i dont think they should have funeral processions anymore because its costing people a lot of money in tickets

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Because the funeral home told you they would take care of it, I would call them again and ask them to pay for it. If you fight it and lose, you'll get the points. I wouldn't chance that.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

I will likely be flamed for this.

I'm sorry to hear about your grandmothers passing but I think it's dangerous to go through a red light for any reason. Drivers have sound notice if an ambulance or cop are going to blow a light and that's dangerous as it is. I don't think the funeral would have been delayed much if at all if people stopped at a red light. It's also your responsibility to know the address or location of the funeral site.

All in all, better safe than sorry and better to be running a few miles or minutes behind than cause an accident where someone may have gotten injured or died.

For other services, widely known ones, cops can be on notice to assist traffic and stand at red lights. As this funeral didn't seem to be one of those, I feel no one should have went through the red light.

Red lights aren't longer than 3 minutes generally.

Message edited 2/18/2012 6:11:15 PM.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

We were just in funeral procession today & our funeral director actually got out & stopped all traffic to allow us through. Our procession was at least 100 cars.

I would call the funeral director directly & tell them. I'm sure you can send proof of your dhs grandma's death with the ticket especially if the hearse is in clear view. I have a feeling that the funeral homes deal with this daily

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Down south you get an escort to the cemetery so this doesn't happen. Maybe NY should think about that.

Sorry for your loss hopefully you wont have to pay.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

I am a funeral director.....and I am SURE if you stop into the funeral home, they will issue a letter to you. We do it frequently as we have a lot of cameras around

As for the rude person who answered the phone likelyhood is he was NOT a funeral director just a guy answering the phone who doesn't realize places do that!

FM if you want with the funeral home & I will see if I can direct you to someone nice to speak with

And I HOPE it wasn't me

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

We got a police escort last month at DH's grandmothers funeral but I thought it was law that you are allowed to go through red lights during a funeral procession and that others had to yield to the procession...I could be wrong though.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

wow.
here people stop for funerals. even if its a red light the whole procession goes through and people wait.
people walking or riding bikes stop...take off their hats.
the lead car travel approx 18mph during a procession here.

amazing how different things are in large cities as compared to smaller ones (like where i live)

I would def. go in and talk to someone, i cannot believe you would be ticketed for being in a funeral procession.

Message edited 2/18/2012 9:00:02 PM.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Posted by MrsKelly

that stinksssss
you have a chance that if you fight the ticket they will dismiss on grounds for justification. BUT i do know that if you fight one of these red light camera tickets, and you ARE found guilty - not only do you have the fine, but you get the points added to your license. whereas, if you just pay it by mail, you don't get any points. it's up to you how you want to proceed, but it's just some food for thought.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Posted by Goobster

Posted by MrsKelly

that stinksssss
you have a chance that if you fight the ticket they will dismiss on grounds for justification. BUT i do know that if you fight one of these red light camera tickets, and you ARE found guilty - not only do you have the fine, but you get the points added to your license. whereas, if you just pay it by mail, you don't get any points. it's up to you how you want to proceed, but it's just some food for thought.

HMMM!! Interesting! If this is true, I guess it's b/c you are admitting YOU were the driver! That's not good to get points!! Hard choice.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Honestly, I would just pay the fine. I get the fact that the director told you otherwise, but in my experience, I've always stopped at red lights for funeral processions except for the one instance where there was a police escort.
In any case, I'm sorry for your loss

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

When we were at the funeral home getting ready to go to the cemetery, the funeral director warned us not to run the light because there is a camera and we will get a ticket and they are not responsible.

Were you caught at the light by Holy Rood by any chance? I think they put that light camera up on purpose over there to catch funeral processions

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

I'm so sorry about DH's grandmother and a red light ticket isn't a great reminder, but there is no law in NYS for funeral processions. I would just pay it.


As for the cameras, they make $2-3million per year per intersection! That's less taxes they have to collect from me! PLUS they make the intersections MUCH safer.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession

Wow I didn't expect to get do many responses! I completely get what some posters are saying about it being dangerous to go through the light. DH made sure no one was coming from the other direction. The other cars that had the green light actually were curtious and had waited to let all the cars in the procession through. We even saw it in the video posted online. And we felt we had to keep up because before we left the funeral home the director emphasized that we needed to try to stay together because the hearse would be taking a detour past the deceased's home. So even though we had the church in the gps we would have gotten lost from the procession and also caused everyone behind us to become disconnected as well.

I didn't know about the points if we fight it. I would hope that the judge would be understanding but I guess we'll have to think about it first before we decide to fight it. We're going to contact the funeral director we spoke to that day.

Re: Got a red light ticket trying to keep up with DH's grandmother's funeral procession