also where did this phrase come from?
2007-05-23 08:42:26 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
It refers to sitting in the passenger seat, it goes back to the pioneer days! When they would ride around in their wagons, the person not holding the reins would carry a shot gun to shoot indians or anything else that would attack the wagon!
2007-05-23 08:44:42 · answer #1 · answered by ηєvєrmorє 6 · 9⤊ 0⤋
Riding Shotgun Meaning
2016-10-19 07:47:54 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It came from the stage coaches. The driver had to watch the trail, the horses, the tilt of the coach, and whether there was difficulty with the wheels, harnesses or yolk. The man sitting on his right was responsible for watching that side, and for keeping an eye out for approaching danger, such as hostile Indians, thieves, approaching stampedes, flash floods or snowstorms.
Because of the danger of the first three, he often carried a gun, so the phrase was created, "I'm riding shotgun" to mean you're in the passenger seat, "helping" the driver drive.
2007-05-23 08:49:56 · answer #3 · answered by Jess 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Riding shotgun" in modern terms means that you are riding in the passenger seat next to the driver.
It originated in the Old West (USA) where men would literally carry a shotgun or rifle or some type of firearm and ride with the wagon's driver. The person riding shotgun was a lookout and a hired gun to keep away thieves, Indians, rustlers, etc. In other words, if you tried to ambush the wagon, the guy riding shotgun would shoot you.
2007-05-23 08:47:33 · answer #4 · answered by kenrayf 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
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.
2007-05-23 08:49:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It means you're riding in the front passenger seat. In days gone by the person that sat there, especially on a stagecoach, really had a shotgun.
2007-05-31 03:34:26 · answer #6 · answered by Tiffany T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I get the window seat. It came from the stage coach days when the guard rode up on top with the driver. He carried a shotgun.
2007-05-23 08:47:08 · answer #7 · answered by asmikeocsit 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the phrase came from the wildwest where the passanger riding next to the driver would be riding 'shotgun'. meaning it was their responsibility to shoot at the indians, cowboys, protect the passangers.
so next time you ride shotgun, don't forget the gun.
2007-05-30 23:03:24 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
at one time there was three to a seat up front , no one liked riding in the middle so the tradition of calling shotgun was born which meant you had dibs on the window passenger seat up front .who ever called it first got it .
2007-05-23 08:54:30 · answer #9 · answered by opinionated 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Front seat next to driver. And it came from in the old days with wagons the person sitting next to the driver always carried a shot gun.
2007-05-23 08:44:45 · answer #10 · answered by Ginger (: 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋