Riding Shotgun: Rules, History, Duties of Riding Shotgun
Everything You’d Ever Want to Know:
Riding Shotgun
“Shotgun!”
How many car trips have begun with that memorable word? The correct answer is undoubtedly “countless” or “how many stars are in the sky?”
Calling and riding shotgun is an American original in every sense of the term.
This article concerns all things riding shotgun: definition, history, origin, rights, privileges, duties and rules.
DEFINITION
Just so there’s no disputes about the definition of ‘shotgun’, here’s a good one:
The term “Shotgun” refers to the front passenger seat of an automobile. “Calling Shotgun” is the act of claiming the position of Shotgun for one’s self. As this position is the most coveted of all positions when riding in a car, the following list of rules has been created to ensure that Shotgun can be acquired in a fair and equitable manner by any passenger of an automobile.
For readers wanting a second opinion, here’s the Wikipedia version
To ride shotgun is to sit in the front passenger seat when riding a car or other vehicle, a phrase commonly heard in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Due to the influence of American popular culture it is also heard in several European countries such as Iceland, Ireland, Denmark and the United Kingdom, as well as other countries with large English-speaking populations such as South Africa and Israel.
ORIGIN
Where did the term “riding shotgun” originate?
The first known reference to “riding shotgun” in print occurred in Western pulp fiction in the March 27, 1921 issue of the Washington Post’s “Magazine of Fiction,” in a story entitled “The Fighting Fool” by Dane Coolidge. It was used to refer to riding as an armed guard in the front of a stagecoach, next to the driver (this would usually have been on the left, as stage drivers traditionally sat on the right, near the brake).
Historians have been unable to find a use of the term “riding shotgun” in the actual time of the Old West, when the terminology actually used was riding as “shotgun messenger.” The use of the phrase in print to refer to automobiles occurred in 1954 simultaneously with the TV series Gunsmoke, which became extremely popular, and used the terminology of riding shotgun nearly weekly.
RULES
There are many local variations of the rules below. But the basic rules, like truth, beauty and hope, always remain the same. It’s good to get the ground and local rules in place before any important–or incidental–trip.
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of Calling Shotgun 1) The first person to yell “SHOTGUN” gets to ride in the front seat. |
The driver has final say in all ties and disputes. The driver has the right to suspend or remove all shotgun privileges from one or more persons.
HISTORY
The history of calling “Shotgun” goes back to the days of covered wagons and the Wild West. On a trip across the plains, the driver of a wagon would hold the reins of his horse team and concentrate on driving. This left him and the occupants of his wagon susceptible to sneak attacks from bandits and thieves. To avoid this atrocious circumstance it became necessary for one person to sit next to the driver with a shotgun and fend off the enemy.
Defending against bandits is no longer the priority of Shotgun however, but it has evolved into a pre-driving ritual that is experienced before almost every car ride across America and even the world. Because of the obvious evolution that has already occurred with Shotgun, we ask you to consider Shotgun as a living entity and be aware that it is always changing for the better good of society.
RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, DUTIES
Riding shotgun–like all positions of responsibility carries attendant duties, as well as privileges and rights.
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RIGHTS of Riding Shotgun PRIVILEGES of Riding Shotgun DUTIES of Riding Shotgun |
All things shotgun, all in one article.
Was anything left out, unclear or omitted?
Let us know, so we can add it to the next edition.
by Mondoreb
Sources:
* The Official Shotgun Rules
* Riding Shotgun
* Shotgun Guide
* The Rights, Privileges and Duties of Riding Shotgun
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Great article — never knew so much could be derived from the practice of sitting first class.
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You forgot the most important duty of riding shotgun and that is you must spot cops at great distances and behind any cover. Failure to spot the Fuzz could result in loss of Shotgun privileges forever!
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