# Those Black Trucks in Presidential Motorcades **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 20, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-black-trucks-in-presidential-motorcades/568318 "2011-01-20T14:33:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-black-trucks-in-presidential-motorcades/568318/21 "2011-01-23T00:26:13Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I’ve only seen one motorcade in person (carrying President Obama), but the black SUV that I saw had photographers pointing their cameras out of it. A Clinton motorcade in Little Rock had a black SUV for the press. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-black-trucks-in-presidential-motorcades/568318/22 "2011-01-23T00:36:16Z")
There are multiple black SUVs, both in the world and in the presidents motorcade. And IMO, the presidential motorcade has a SHITLOAD of firepower – having been caught against one in dc a few times, I’d be surprised more if they didn’t have the mini guns than if they did. The motorcade works like a scary, well oiled machine, and it’s somewhat intimidating when you think about the coordination and training that goes into it. Why not spend a few extra grand and equip a few vehicles with bfgs (big fucking guns) – it’s cheaper than hiring two more guys on the detail and it’s a much higher dollar-to-firepower return. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-black-trucks-in-presidential-motorcades/568318/23 "2011-01-23T02:19:12Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > A Clinton motorcade in Little Rock had a black SUV for the press. You mean for use in chopping them to pieces. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-black-trucks-in-presidential-motorcades/568318/24 "2011-01-23T02:46:10Z")
> [@Todderbob](#): > > There are multiple black SUVs, both in the world and in the presidents motorcade. > > And IMO, the presidential motorcade has a SHITLOAD of firepower – having been caught against one in dc a few times, I’d be surprised more if they didn’t have the mini guns than if they did. The motorcade works like a scary, well oiled machine, and it’s somewhat intimidating when you think about the coordination and training that goes into it. Why not spend a few extra grand and equip a few vehicles with bfgs (big fucking guns) – it’s cheaper than hiring two more guys on the detail and it’s a much higher dollar-to-firepower return. The same reason they wouldn’t carry rocket-propelled grenades: causing civilian casualties. Multiple highly trained Secret Service agents with assault rifles are in a much better position to neutralize a target accurately. Using that mini-gun would be like spraying the crowd with a fire hose of bullets. ---
**Author:** ![Todderbob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@Todderbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Todderbob)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-black-trucks-in-presidential-motorcades/568318/25 "2011-01-23T03:19:46Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > The same reason they wouldn’t carry rocket-propelled grenades: causing civilian casualties. Multiple highly trained Secret Service agents with assault rifles are in a much better position to neutralize a target accurately. Using that mini-gun would be like spraying the crowd with a fire hose of bullets. I’m well aware of the differences between mini guns and assault rifles, and there are situations which a mini gun will work and an AR won’t. If theres a vehicle quickly approaching the motorcade, a mini gun will destroy the engine quickly enough to stop the car where a rifle will not. Not to mention the advantages if the motorcade is actually stuck in a hostile crowd. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-black-trucks-in-presidential-motorcades/568318.md?page=1)