Police Week motorcades escort themselves!

As I biked across the 14th street bridge yesterday morning I suddenly became aware that the normally bustling bridge was completely void of cars. How unusual. Then I saw a lone policeman on his motorcycle approaching, lights flashing. He lacked the urgency of one headed to an accident scene, so I suspected the next most likely thing in D.C.- a motorcade. A motorcade! They will never cease to be exciting to me. I pulled over my bike.

 

The motocop kept looking over his shoulder, as if he were waiting for something. Indeed, he was waiting for his cronies. Two more motorcycle-police approached. Next came a whole troop of motocops, with lights and sirens wailing. I was having a blast. See, they are riding in formation! Look how, when I wave timidly, they completely ignore me! They are not on parade they are in a motorcade. It must be unprofessional to wave while you're in a motorcade. At last I could see the escortee: tour buses. I really wished that I could see the occupants of the buses but they had darkly tinted windows.  Well, that's nice, I thought. It's Police Week and I'll bet the attendees must be headed to some event in Arlington. Maybe at the Pentagon? That's great that they get escorted by their fellow policemen.

 

Other bicyclists wizzed past me and I wondered, don't they notice that an exciting motorcade is passing?? Why am I the only nerd to stop and watch this thing? The show ended and I pedaled on my way.

 

Not five minutes later, the whole scene was repeated in front of the Washington Monument. I was joined by more and more cyclists as we waited for the second tour-bus motorcade (also headed to Virginia) to clear the intersection. I could hear another cyclist explaining what Police Week was to the man next to him. As they passed in front of the sun, I looked to see the silhouettes of the people inside- but with the sun glinting through I could see that the buses were empty! No passengers. Now why would they create multiple significant traffice disruptions to escort empty tour buses a la motorcade?

 

It is so odd! But I've figured it out. All those motocops were supposed to be riding inside the buses. But of course, what cop would opt for a seat in a bus when they have the option to ride on a motorcycle and wear cool sunglasses instead? So.. they were escorting themselves. Ha, those clever cops.