Why do people yell "shotgun" when they want to sit in the front passenger seat of an automobile?

Question

What is the origin of this?

Answer 1

On stagecoaches the man who sat next to the driver was in charge of defending the coach in a robbery- his weapon, a shotgun.

Answer 2

Older folks (our age) or fans of old westerns may think this is a stupid question, assuming that the "shotgun" position, next to the driver, derives from the days of the stagecoach, when an armed guard rode next to the driver and carried a shotgun for defense against robbers, wild animals, Indians, and telemarketers. (OK, not telemarketers.) Even Partridge says the phrase "riding shotgun" is a holdover from stagecoach days. But apparently it isn't. From what we can tell, the expression didn't arise until long after the stagecoach era ended.

There is an entire article about the origin of this phrase.. I included the link to the article below :)

Answer 3

Rosa Parks? it really is quite humorous easily. i will apply that to any extent further. Shotgun replaced into from the former degree coach days the position the motive force had to have the reigns tochronic the crew of horses, so some different person had to take a seat beside him with a shot gun to shelter antagonistic to desperadoes. Shot guns were used because the large spray of shot replaced into more suitable certain to hit a objective from a transferring motor vehicle than a rifle or pistol bullet.

Answer 4

Because car manufacturers got crazy and stopped allowing the back seat windows to roll all the way down, which makes them better windows for shooting glocks out of, while the front seat passenger window rolls all the way down, allowing for the shotgun to be aimed.

Answer 5

Hello,
It is derived from the days of stagecoaches...
There was a guy armed with a shotgun who sat next to the driver of the coach.To protect the payroll and passengers on the trip across hostile territorry...
His title,Shotgun rider...

Answer 6

In 1437 B.C. Abraham Lincoln would frequently take "guests" out for rides in his Lincoln Towncar in order to go hunting. He would then jokingly surprise them by shooting them in the face with a shotgun. The "guest", or "shotgun recipient", would always be seated in the passenger seat. To this day pansy-@$$ jerks like Dick Cheney defile that fine tradition by refusing to do the shooting in a car. Wouldn't want to get blood on that BMW Porche Deluxe now would you Dickey!...wuss.

Answer 7

During the exploration of the West, a stagecoach would have two people on the top seat, the driver (who sat on the left), and a guard, usually caring a shotgun, on the right. This coined the phrase 'riding shotgun'.

Answer 8

have you ever tried to fire a shotgun while driving? its really hard, thats why people do it in the passenger seat.

Answer 9

gangsters and drive-bys......usually the "g's" with the most powerful guns sit in the front seat....thus a shotgun....pistols sit in the back seat

Answer 10

i dont know i never done that