Why is riding in the front passenger seat called "riding shotgun?"?

Answer 1

I always thought it was from the days of Bonnie and Clyde, Baby Face Nelson, and Al Capone. To "ride shotgun" meant sitting in the passenger seat with your gun.

Answer 2

Goes back to the early west and the stage coach. The non driver carried a shotgun to defend against robbers and Native Americans.

Answer 3

It goes back to the stage coach days when the guy sitting up front with the driver had the job of shooting would be robbers bandits Indians allowing the driver to control the reins with both hands.
Have a look at an old western movie

Answer 4

Because that's where the guy with the shotgun sat on the Wells Fargo stagecoaches that carried the money and silver from the mines to the mints to the banks.

Answer 5

Probably comes from the days of stagecoaches, there was a driver and the guy that rode shotgun and carried a shot gun!

Answer 6

On a stage coach one would hold the reins to the horses and the other carried the shotgun to stop robbers.

Answer 7

Dates back to the wild west, when the non-driving crew member on a stagecoach carried a shotgun to deal with varmints -- human or animal.

Answer 8

I would assume it's because on American stagecoaches the driver would sit on one side while the guy next to him would have a shotgun handy for protection.

Answer 9

during the days of the "old west", when ever a stage coach or wagon would be traveling cross country, there would be an extra rider up front. he would usually be carrying a shot gun for protection. that eventually became the shot gun position.