Riding Shotgun
By bonnie
@bunnybon7 (50970)
Holiday, Florida
August 21, 2011 7:39pm CST
a few days ago my daughter was driving some where new, as she is having to learn her way around a lot being here for the first time in this particular area and i was telling her what the directions said and she said, "mom, i can do it myself as i have the directions in my head i wrote down".
she said for me to just be quiet so she could think on it and i said, since i was "riding shotgun" thats what i was there for. she says, that dont mean you gotta tell me every thing. just relax. you are being a back seat driver and i said no!, im shotgun, its my job. then i proceeded to tell her what riding shotgun meant and where the saying came from. like most young people, she had no idea. 
so truthfully, did you have to look it up? or did you already know yourself? she was surprised as she just thought it was something the kids made up for riding beside the driver. 
she said for me to just be quiet so she could think on it and i said, since i was "riding shotgun" thats what i was there for. she says, that dont mean you gotta tell me every thing. just relax. you are being a back seat driver and i said no!, im shotgun, its my job. then i proceeded to tell her what riding shotgun meant and where the saying came from. like most young people, she had no idea. so truthfully, did you have to look it up? or did you already know yourself? she was surprised as she just thought it was something the kids made up for riding beside the driver. 8 people like this
14 responses
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
me to. ive always loved the old westerns. most new ones arent as good plus they dont make them a lot these days
2 people like this
@scjbxz (139)
• United States
22 Aug 11
I think nowadays, a lot of people just say terms or phrases that they hear without actually understand what they truly mean. They might have a small hint at its meaning, but not exactly what.
Whenever my friends are with me, one of them always calls "Shotgun!" I then proceed to make her watch out for directions and everything else! It's really helpful because for me, I sometimes miss where I'm going! But then again, she does too! haha
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
yes, im not good with directions usually but i can read them written down and thats why i was trying to keep up with it. i also really like history so im always looking such things up. 1 person likes this
@Christmas2006 (1661)
• United States
22 Aug 11
Hi Bunnybon,
I knew what it met. I love those old westerns then and now. I think if you know the term your giving away your age!! Especially the better you know it! Even today I would rather watch an old western rerun then whats on tv. Lets see WHY did they take them off?? Oh yeah they were to VIOLENT...guess they never dreamed of days of CSI or Criminal minds, those are the two that come to mind right off! Neither one I watch. Anymore, don't have time to watch any tv.
@Christmas2006 (1661)
• United States
22 Aug 11
They don't have the actors today that made the great westerns either!!! Or the writers and producers!! Can't forget them.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
i think they dont make series of them any more because young people are more interested in those type you mentioned, plus, they'd rather watch cartoon dumb, uneducational things like The Simpsons, etc.
@Hatley (163773)
• Garden Grove, California
22 Aug 11
oh yes I did not need to look that up having grown up on John Wayne westerners and reruns of Ponderosa and a number of other westerns
I had heard all about riding shotgun as that meant they kept that shotgun handy just in case. I am surprised your daughter never caught any of those old Westerns but then again like me she might have been a tad bored as I was because I had seen all of these at least a gazillion times.lol.Yep someone had to keep one eye peeled least those varmints catch up and rob you all blind. lol
catch up and rob you all blind. lol1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
my daughter that i was discussing it with is only 37yrs, so dont think she got in to the old westerns like i did. she just figured her kids caught on from the saying. not knowing why its said. 
@hardworkinggurl (37063)
• United States
22 Aug 11
Sadly I was not aware what "Riding Shotgun" meant. 
I had to look it up. A a child I disliked western movies. I do appreciate them now, well some. lol
My understanding is that "Riding shotgun refers to the practice of sitting alongside the driver in a moving vehicle."
Okay so now does that mean the passenger is on the look out so to speak and or in charge? I am so lame.
I had to look it up. A a child I disliked western movies. I do appreciate them now, well some. lol
My understanding is that "Riding shotgun refers to the practice of sitting alongside the driver in a moving vehicle."
Okay so now does that mean the passenger is on the look out so to speak and or in charge? I am so lame. @bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
not in charge. just the number one helper in front as a watch out. others in back are just passengers supposedly. 1 person likes this
@inertia4 (27978)
• United States
25 Aug 11
I sympathize with your daughter. My girl friend is like that with me. When I am driving and knowing where I am going, she always tells my, make a right here, a left there, go straight. I tell her to stop and relax. I know you mean well, but it is also a distraction to the driver at times. So, the best thing to do is let her do it and if she needs help I am sure she will ask you.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
25 Aug 11
i know you are right. my daughter is used to my nervousness though and we mostly ended up jokeing around about it. this one is not touchy about things. 
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
22 Aug 11
Personally you need to remember, we had our own sayings when we were younger, and they have theirs. Many times we cannot expect them to relate with ours, just like many times we cannot relate with theirs. But at the same time since it is your daughter you do need to give her some sense of being able to find things on her own, and then asking you for help if needed.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
yes i remember and know sayings change through time. neither of us was mad at each other. in fact we laughed through the whole conversation and she was surprised at the meaning of riding shotgun. my youngest daughter is total different then the oldest. the oldest, that thank heaven is back home now, would have taken offence and got upset at me. where the youngest just laughs with me, knowing i dont mean anything about such remarks. 
@GardenGerty (162838)
• United States
22 Aug 11
My take on riding shotgun was always that it was the seat beside the driver on stagecoaches and it was his job to take care of any trouble that came up while the driver ran the team. Do I have it pretty well right. Oh, it would also be the "right hand man".
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
guess it would be. it just popped into my mind when she started saying i was a back seat driver as i was in front. and helping her navigate. so id asked her what she thought shotgun meant. 
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
2 Oct 11
I don't know the history of the phrase, but I do know what it means. I remember everyone calling shotgun when we were getting ready to go somewhere. So it is like the navigator. That's what I think of the person riding there. Have a great weekend!!!
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
22 Aug 11
U know mom's don't know anything, lol according to our kids. I have been hearing riding shotgun called all my life.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
and yes we older people know why it started with that saying huh. 
@celticeagle (172428)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Aug 11
RIding shotgun comes from when stagecoachs road through indian territory. A guy would ride on top 'riding shotgun'. THey also had highwaymen back a hundred years before that. They had some riding shotgun then as well. Anybody who grew up watching Cheyenne, Gunsmoke, Big Valley, Rifleman, etc. knows.
@celticeagle (172428)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Aug 11
I still watch them. Sitcoms are so dumb. Most anyway.
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
yes like we did. my youngest have not seen many westerns as they grew up watching things like family ties, happy days, and cheers. sitcoms like that were more popular then our beloved westerns1 person likes this
@bhanusb (5709)
• India
24 Aug 11
Hi bunny,
I guess your daughter is very confident about herself. You too is a responsible mother.
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
22 Aug 11
I thought the term, 'riding shotgun' was originally coined during the days of horse-drawn stagecoaches. Riding next to the driver was some one carrying a shotgun to protect the stage (including the mail it probably carried) from attack.
When I first moved to Oklahoma 7 years ago, it was hard learning my way around. When my husband rode with me, offering constant 'help' I usually pulled over and asked him to ride in the trunk (he never took me up on it). Everyone learns their way around differently. Some by visualizing the way like a map, others by memorizing the areas they go through. Help, however well intentioned, doesn't always help. I finally learned my way around here by leaving hubby at home. Then if (and when) I got lost, I just had to call him with where I was and he'd copilot me back to an area that I recognized.
@sender621 (14890)
• United States
22 Aug 11
I can remember going places with my dad as a kid. We all wanted to ride up front with dad. riding shotgun beside him was special. it was the place of importance and a great adventure.@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
22 Aug 11
always important starting back when stagecoaches was attacked by indians and robbers. 