Behind every waving politician at a SF parade, there's a car choice

State of play: Most officials don't have a parade-ready car on standby.

• Instead, they typically rent one on car marketplace Turo or borrow a flashy ride from a community member, according to Jack Hebb, a staffer for Supervisor Steven Sherrill.
• That means plenty of Mustangs, largely because many rental companies offer them, and vintage Chevys, which are common parade picks.
• People will also sometimes volunteer their rides if they support the elected official and/or want bragging rights, Hebb told Axios.

Behind the scenes: Hebb himself volunteered to drive Supervisor Rafael Mandelman in Hebb's red Mini Cooper convertible — stick shift — during the 2022 St. Patrick's Day parade. (He was working on Mandelman's reelection campaign at the time.)

• The job required balancing crowd energy with careful driving.

• "You want to give people the energy they're giving you," Hebb told Axios. "But you're also driving about 2.5 miles per hour, and it's very start-and-stop if you're driving stick."
• Hebb compared the experience to the "Princess Diaries" rule: smile and wave — just not too hard, or you'll forget to watch the road.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to remove an incorrect reference to Turo offering rentals by the hour. Turo cars are rented by the day.