10 Downing Street rejects calls for formal line of succession for Prime Minister

[Admiral Yi]

In the U.S. it isn't just the size of the motorcade, but the fact that they literally shut down traffic along its entire route and clear the roadway. This happens hours before the motorcade comes through. If the President is going to ride in a car down the street then not only is that street closed to regular traffic, the Secret Service literally walks the entire route checking for any possible bombs or other devices which might have been placed on the route. They even make sure all the manholes are totally sealed so no one would be able to come out of one during the ride.

I used to work two blocks from the White House and this is a gross exaggeration.  Normal motorcade is 3 or 4 black SUVs, DC motorcycle cop blocks the intersection maybe 10-20 minutes before they drive through.

[OttoVonBismarck]

In the U.S. it isn't just the size of the motorcade, but the fact that they literally shut down traffic along its entire route and clear the roadway. This happens hours before the motorcade comes through. If the President is going to ride in a car down the street then not only is that street closed to regular traffic, the Secret Service literally walks the entire route checking for any possible bombs or other devices which might have been placed on the route. They even make sure all the manholes are totally sealed so no one would be able to come out of one during the ride.

I used to work two blocks from the White House and this is a gross exaggeration.  Normal motorcade is 3 or 4 black SUVs, DC motorcycle cop blocks the intersection maybe 10-20 minutes before they drive through.

How long ago was this? I thought you've lived out in flyover country for a long time. Motorcades are dramatically bigger now than they have ever been in the past. Clinton's motorcade was nothing compared to Bush II's after 9/11 or Obama's.

[Admiral Yi]

How long ago was this? I thought you've lived out in flyover country for a long time. Motorcades are dramatically bigger now than they have ever been in the past. Clinton's motorcade was nothing compared to Bush II's after 9/11 or Obama's.

I've lost count.  I was around for the start of GW II.

[OttoVonBismarck]

I think this configuration is present in all motorcades now:

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/mt/assets/podcasts/motorcade-1200px.jpg

And those are just the baseline, some of those cars have duplicates and it doesn't count all the motorcycle cops. It also doesn't count all the vans for the rest of the staff and press, which is a huge motorcade in its own right (but not part of the "secure package".)

[dps]

A defined succession only is needed (and makes sense) when the head of government is elected to a fixed term.