This Texas City Ordinance Upholds Respect for Funeral Processions

Respect on the Road: The Significance of Abilene’s Funeral Procession Ordinance

A Saturday Incident

This past Saturday, I had a little incident happen to me while I was driving home. This incident was during a funeral procession on South 1st Street and it reminded me of a crucial community value called: RESPECT. After broadcasting live at the Texas Gun and Knife Show at the Abilene Convention Center, I found myself alongside a solemn procession. While I pulled over to honor the passing hearse and its following vehicles, not everyone on the road shared this sentiment.

Breaking Tradition

A plumbing company truck, new and notably marked (which I'll keep to myself), along with several other vehicles, decided to break from this tradition of respect, bypassing the procession by switching lanes and continuing on their journey right next to the procession going in the opposite direction. This act, although quick and seemingly trivial to the drivers, undermines a deeply ingrained community standard.

Legal and Moral Standards

In Abilene, unlike many parts of Texas, we have a specific ordinance regarding funeral processions. According to the City of Abilene’s Code of Ordinances, no driver is to cut through a funeral or other authorized procession. This rule is not just about legal compliance but about giving respect to those who are mourning. It's a small but significant act of kindness and empathy.

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City Ordinance Code Sec. 18-145

Here’s what the City Ordinance States: Sec. 18-145 - Driving through or past a funeral procession, or any other procession: "No driver of a vehicle or motorman of a street car shall drive between the vehicles comprising a funeral or other authorized procession while they are in motion and when such vehicles are conspicuously designated as required in this chapter. This provision shall not apply to authorized emergency vehicles."

A Call for Community Respect

And this is a question that kept rolling around in my head, "How much in a hurry do you have to be to not spare a few minutes to show respect? Is the rush to get to the next appointment worth the cost of our humanity and decency? As members of the Abilene community, it's upon us to uphold these values, ensuring we are not just law-abiding citizens but also compassionate neighbors. Let’s remind each other about the importance of these moments of respect. After all, it is our actions in these small moments that define the spirit and character of our community aka The Key City, aka Abilene, Texas.

Conclusion

Let’s work together to make Abilene not only a place of legal adherence but a model of mutual respect and consideration. It’s such a small gesture to stop and wait, but it says volumes about the respect we hold near and dear for life, loss, and for each other. Remember be a good Human.