Attending a hearse passing 'funeral'

I attended a funeral like this last year. The family had asked friends to gather outside the church, at that time churches were shut. The newly widowed man got out of the funeral car with his 3 young adult daughters and said a few words about his lovely wife. The vicar said a prayer and yes, as the cars pulled away, we all clapped as a gesture of our support and an appreciation of their courage at such a difficult time. Knowing the family it felt completely the right thing to do.

Slightly off topic but I attended a funeral where my friend had been an accordion player for the local Lady Morris dancers. After the church service the Lady Morris dancers lined up behind the hearse and danced along the road to the cemetery. All the traffic stopped and waited, and as I thought I will never see this again! This was in rural Suffolk.

When someone widely known in our village has died during the pandemic, people have lined the main street quietly to watch the funeral cortege pass by. Many of them would normally have attended such funerals but that hasn't been possible of late so this is another way of acknowledging the death respectfully.

Applause at a funeral? Good heaven's! Whatever for? The deceased can't hear you and would probably wonder why his demise is being applauded as though he'd done something remarkable. And if I was one of the bereaved family, I'd be most uncomfortable with it. Seems inappropriate to me but... it takes all sorts....

Absolutely right tiredoldwoman do what makes you feel comfortable.
I marvel and was very grateful that so many turned out for DH's funeral in December despite the heavy snow under foot and constant rain.
I don't think anyone clapped but I waved to my DGC who watched the cortege from other DGP garden gate.

silence with a bow of the head has always been the way of funerals in my experience.

clapping? No.