Volunteers Get License to Drive in Presidential Motorcade

[cpzilliacus]

N.Y. Times: Volunteers Get License to Drive in Presidential Motorcade

SAN FRANCISCO – Shortly after President Obama landed here one fall day for fund-raisers, his motorcade pulled out of the airport and raced at 80 miles per hour down an empty freeway to his hotel in the city.

At the front of the procession were bulletproof, black sport utility vehicles and limousines driven by Secret Service agents who had spent hundreds of hours learning how to maneuver at high speeds.

Bringing up the rear were police cars with their lights flashing and a Secret Service ambulance that follows the president wherever he travels.

And in between were several vans filled with White House staff members and journalists, being piloted by volunteers like Natalie Tyson, a 24-year-old Bay Area graduate student wearing fluorescent orange sunglasses.

"Wow,"  she exclaimed as she hit the gas and the van lurched within a few feet of the one in front of it. Then she slammed on the brake. Then she hit the gas again.

[SteveG1988]

This is both awesome and kind of interesting.

How much do they save by having the vehicles driven by voulenteers?

[cpzilliacus]

This is both awesome and kind of interesting.

How much do they save by having the vehicles driven by voulenteers?

Not enough (IMO) to justify such foolishness. 

I have seen many presidential motorcades and other dignitary (Vice President, visiting heads of state and heads of government) motorcades (pretty common when working in D.C.), and even on the arterial streets of a city with relatively few freeways and expressways, they move fast, and IMO untrained drivers have no place driving in them. I say that even though cross streets are usually blocked by the police well before the motorcade arrives (sometimes leading to epic queues of traffic on the blocked cross-streets in an often congested place like Washington, D.C.).

[The Nature Boy]

I always thought that one of the weirdest parts of being President would be riding in a motorcade. It would also suck to require a motorcade whenever you wanted to get on the road.

[Jardine]

I can hardly imagine the catastrophe that could result from that practice.

(no offense to the OP)

[cpzilliacus]

I can hardly imagine the catastrophe that could result from that practice.

(no offense to the OP)

None taken. 

[SteveG1988]

I always thought that one of the weirdest parts of being President would be riding in a motorcade. It would also suck to require a motorcade whenever you wanted to get on the road.

I think that is only required for a more formal visit. in theory he could say "just give me the body guards in a unmarked vehicle, and let me drive like a normal human being"

[andrewkbrown]

I've driven a DC ambulance in 2 presidential motorcades. I was white-knuckled each time driving 45-50mph on city streets and 70-80mph on the highways, in an urban ambulance that usually never goes faster than 30-40mph on actual emergency runs. Following a black SUV and black secret service ambulance while maintaining 10-15 foot spacing at those speeds was daunting as well.

I did like to imagine the crowds of tourists waving and picture taking were directed at me. They still wave and snap photos even though I was at the tail end, and the president was 2 blocks in front of me.