# Where was the hearse? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924 "2012-07-01T18:26:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/1 "2012-07-01T18:26:54Z")
Yesterday, I saw a string of cars that said “funeral”. Up front there were two cops on motorcycles. But there was no hearse? I’ve never seen such thing. Where was the body? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/2 "2012-07-01T18:44:48Z")
Cremated, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/3 "2012-07-01T19:04:41Z")
Maybe the person had been cremated and the urn was being buried; no need for a hearse then. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/4 "2012-07-01T19:06:52Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > Maybe the person had been cremated and the urn was being buried; no need for a hearse then. Is there an echo in here? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/5 "2012-07-01T19:40:05Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Is there an echo in here? 😃 Nah, the first time was just a rehearsal. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/6 "2012-07-01T21:20:58Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > Nah, the first time was just a rehearsal. You’ve urned ten demerits for that terrible pun. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/7 "2012-07-01T21:41:45Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > You’ve urned ten demerits for that terrible pun. Wait, it gets worse! The first time wasn’t the rehearsal, it was merely the hearsal. The second time was the rehearsal. (What do I urn for that?) ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/8 "2012-07-02T02:07:01Z")
Cremation probably. And if the deceased was cremated there may have been no need for a funeral home and the services may have been at a church. Therefore, no hearse available. Even if a funeral home was utilized a hearse is not necessary to take the ashes to the graveyard (yes, some people bury ashes). Hearses cost extra and if they’re not needed, why pay for one? Or maybe it was a mob funeral and the body was in the trunk of one of the cars.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/9 "2012-07-02T02:59:52Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Cremation probably. And if the deceased was cremated there may have been no need for a funeral home and the services may have been at a church. Therefore, no hearse available. Even if a funeral home was utilized a hearse is not necessary to take the ashes to the graveyard (yes, some people bury ashes). Hearses cost extra and if they’re not needed, why pay for one? Somehow, picturing a big, black hearse with an urn sitting in the back just made me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/10 "2012-07-02T05:41:09Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Wait, it gets worse! The first time wasn’t the rehearsal, it was merely the hearsal. The second time was the rehearsal. (What do I urn for that?) Now, this is a grave situation. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/11 "2012-07-02T05:54:33Z")
A hearse is a hearse, of course, of course… ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/12 "2012-07-02T18:24:14Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > Somehow, picturing a big, black hearse with an urn sitting in the back just made me laugh. As traditional as some people are around here, I could see some people doing it. We did not when my aunt died–but that was because her cremation was entirely a practical concern, and she didn’t want us spending anything on it. They even wound up burying her between two plots we already owned. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/13 "2012-07-03T01:23:36Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > Somehow, picturing a big, black hearse with an urn sitting in the back just made me laugh. Start laffin’. My father’s “cremains” were transported to the National Cemetery in a hearse. (the funeral director called it a “coach.”) ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/14 "2012-07-03T01:58:32Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > A hearse is a hearse, of course, of course… I’m dyin’ to hear more! ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-the-hearse/626924/15 "2012-07-03T02:14:53Z")
Was “Rio” by Duran Duran played at the graveside?