What is Motorcade?
[[Image:President George W. Bush's motorcade.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Presidential motorcade transporting then-U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] in North Carolina, July 2005]] A '''motorcade''' (or '''convoy''', '''carcade''', '''autocade''') is a number of vehicles driving in the same direction on official business. == Uses of motorcades == === VIPs === {{see|Official state car}} Motorcades can be used to transport a [[very important person]] (VIP), usually a political figure. Such a motorcade is usually accompanied by police cars and other protection. This is to make sure the people in the motorcade are safe. For instance, motorcades for presidents often have four to six [[armoured car]]s, with police [[motorcycle]]s and cars going in front and behind. Depending on the size of the motorcade and who it is carrying, streets may be completely blocked off so no-one else can use them. This is common for the security of heads of state or government. === Protests and demonstrations === Motorcades can be used as protests and demonstrations.<ref>{{cite book|title=Justice Without Violence|editor=Paul Ernest Wehr, Paul Wehr, Heidi Burgess, Guy M. Burgess|author=Doug Bound|chapter=Nonviolent Direct Action and the Diffusion of Power|publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers|date=1994|isbn=1555874657}}</ref> A large, organised, group of vehicles will travel a busy route at very slow speed. They do this to deliberately cause traffic disruption. This is often in relation to protest groups that have access to many large vehicles, such as truckers and farmers. === Funerals === {{see also|State funeral}} A ''funeral cortege'' is a group of mourners following a [[hearse]] in a motorcade of cars. <ref>{{cite book|publisher=Merriam-Webster|title=Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Synonyms|url=https://archive.org/details/webstersnewdicti0000phil|date=1984|page=[https://archive.org/details/webstersnewdicti0000phil/page/640 640]|author=Gove, Philip B}}</ref> <center><gallery> Image:Staatsbesuch Elisabeth64.jpg|Motorcade for the [[Monarchy o