# Why does secret service keep two fingers on the President's Car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628 "2007-12-29T20:48:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/1 "2007-12-29T20:48:52Z")
When the President’s motorcade is in route in a parade or some sort, why do the secret service agents keep two fingers on the car while running along side of it? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2007, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/2 "2007-12-29T21:27:08Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] When the President’s motorcade is in route in a parade or some sort, why do the secret service agents keep two fingers on the car while running along side of it? [/QUOTE] I am guessing that they are scanning sectors of a 360 circle, so when they are jogging along with the car watching the crowds, the fingers on the car give a tactile response that it has changed directions, speeded up , come to a crashing halt. Declan ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/3 "2007-12-30T07:03:24Z")
Two shall be the number of the counting and the number of the counting shall be two. Three shalt thou not count, neither shalt thou count one, excepting that thou then proceedeth to two. Five is right out. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/4 "2007-12-30T17:46:20Z")
Three reasons I can think of: 1. Already mentioned- to know where the car is without looking at it 2. To catch anything passing between the agent and the car, like tripwires or something. 3. It just feels good. If I’m running alongside something, I’d probably reach out to touch it, in an effort to get it to pull me along. Not that it’d work, but it’s just subconscious. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/5 "2007-12-30T17:54:24Z")
Never noticed that. I noticed they keep a hand on it, but not exactly two fingers. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/6 "2007-12-30T17:59:20Z")
My assumption has always been that it’s a simple tactile reminder of the “thing you’ve got to keep pace with while jogging”. It’s awfully easy, when you’re running, to speed up subconsciously, especially if you’re worried or otherwise stressed, so keeping a couple fingers on the car would serve to remind you to keep pace with it, without you needing to actually be looking at it, which would occupy your mind, and when you’re a Secret Service guy keeping pace with the President’s car, you want your mind to be on the crowd, not on “keeping pace with the car”. It’s also possibly related to the way a mommy can keep hold of a toddler’s hand and then dismiss the kid from the forefront of her mind while she’s shopping, whereas if she had to _watch_ the child, her mind would be on the child and not on the shopping. Or a dog on a leash. Choose your metaphor for the POTUS. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/7 "2007-12-30T21:51:30Z")
it is easier to move along with the car. holding your entire hand on the car for an extended time would be very difficult. you would be off balance very quickly. two fingers are much easier. contact kept with vehicle, and you are balanced and ready to respond to an emergency, or direction change. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/8 "2007-12-31T15:39:00Z")
The limo doesn’t have an engine in order to save on fuel costs. They are pushing it with their fingers. Secret Service agents are badasses. ---
**Author:** ![Wakinyan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wakinyan/32/352_2.png) [@Wakinyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wakinyan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/9 "2007-12-31T15:47:47Z")
“You think I’m running here because my hand is stuck on the car or something? Fuck it, I’m a secret service guy and it’s practical for me to know where the president’s car is while checking out the crowd or pulling a gun. See: I only have two fingers on it, that’s all I need. In fact, I can run in another direction if I want to. So fuck off or I will pull my secret service gun.” ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/10 "2007-12-31T15:50:05Z")
**Why does secret service keep two fingers on the President’s Car?** They’re trying to play Light as a Feather/Stiff as a Board? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/11 "2007-12-31T16:57:23Z")
The last guy to take his hand off wins the limo. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/12 "2008-01-01T02:27:54Z")
That’s probably it ^^ ---
**Author:** ![parsnip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parsnip/32/4564_2.png) [@parsnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parsnip)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/13 "2008-01-01T03:21:19Z")
[There is also the SS code tapped in 2 digits that tells the driver to clear the area, something suspicious is up. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/14 "2008-01-01T08:02:18Z")
Seriously… touching metal will discharge static that may have built up … could a static charge be used as a detonator for a bomb? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/15 "2008-01-01T08:04:37Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] Seriously… touching metal will discharge static that may have built up … could a static charge be used as a detonator for a bomb? [/QUOTE] That’s about as likely as Noam Chomsky becoming the next ambassador to Pakistan. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-secret-service-keep-two-fingers-on-the-presidents-car/431628/16 "2008-01-01T08:23:49Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] When the President’s motorcade is in route in a parade or some sort, why do the secret service agents keep two fingers on the car while running along side of it? [/QUOTE] Maybe the secret service guys just hate the President’s wax & detail guy?