This is used to describe someone who sits as a 2nd passenger in a vehicle and tells the driver how to navigate his directions before he can. Is there any information on who first used this and around what year ?
2006-06-07 07:31:38 · 9 answers · asked by elthe3rd 4 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
The front seat driver!
2006-06-07 07:34:06 · answer #1 · answered by kelbel 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From: The Phrase Finder
Back-seat driver
Meaning
Someone who criticizes from the sidelines.
Origin
From the habit of some people of giving unwanted advice to car drivers. This emerged in the USA in early 20th century, as motoring was becoming widespread. The first reference I can find is from the Daily Kennebec Journal (Augusta, USA), May 1914:
"When New York pitcher Vernon Gomez retires as a smokeballer he wants to become a smoke eater. Here he gets a tryout as a back-seat driver."
The meaning isn't explicit in that reference. Perhaps the meaning there is a reference to fire engines, many of which have a second row of seats behind the driver. The meaning is unambiguous in this from The Bismarck Tribune a few years later though (Dec. 1921):
"A back-seat driver is the pest who sits on the rear cushions of a motor car and tells the driver what to do. He issues a lot of instructions, gives a lot of advice, offers no end of criticism. And doesn't do a bit of work."
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There is a picture of Gomez as a "back-seat driver and what this web site missed is that Gomez is operating the steering wheel of a ladder truck for a fire department. The ladder truck is so long, it requires a steering wheel in the back to get it around corners. The Gomez comment is possibly an early use of the phrase, as he was literally "driving in the back seat." This phrase probably went to the more modern meaning from this.
2006-06-07 09:54:24 · answer #2 · answered by Seikilos 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In 1931, Alice Rosman published a book entitled, "The Back Seat Driver", which may have made the term popular in the English-speaking world.
The first use, however, apparently dates from 1926 - no record on the source.
2006-06-07 07:40:05 · answer #3 · answered by TJ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I thought I heard once that in some old cars, the driver was actually sitting in the back of the vehicle. Not sure if it's true or not.....
2006-06-07 07:35:07 · answer #4 · answered by Rock Goddess 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Henry Ford's brother
2006-06-13 17:45:58 · answer #5 · answered by Tressie 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Henry Ford's mother-in-law prompted henry to coin that phrase.
2006-06-14 06:02:21 · answer #6 · answered by pressedone 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
um, a front seat driver?
2006-06-07 15:21:01 · answer #7 · answered by jimbob 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have no idea who coined it, but if you look it up in the dictionary, you'll see my Mom's picture there beside it.....lol
2006-06-07 07:34:57 · answer #8 · answered by GAgirl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
im almost positive it was someones mother-in-law.
2006-06-07 07:34:22 · answer #9 · answered by SigmundS of Yew 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋