Ask Mike: Calling shotgun
Hey Guys,
This afternoon, I’m going on a trip. And there is one and only one thing on my mind. Securing shotgun.
For those who grew up on motorcycles, “calling shotgun” is another way of laying claim to the passenger seat before a car ride. If you call shotgun first, you get the preferred seat. If you don’t, you end up stuck in the back, where leg room is at a premium and fresh air goes to die.
But in order to properly call shotgun, one must know the rules. After all you can’t call it days in advance (people who try this are the scum of the Earth). I have always believed that one can only call shotgun after everyone who will be in the car is outdoors. That’s just how I roll. But I wanted to check the Web for other opinions on this most important of matters. Here’s what I found.
According to “The Official Shotgun Rules” website (yes, there is such a thing), not everyone needs to be outdoors before shotgun can be called. With tongue firmly in cheek, the site explains, “some people choose to…require that all occupants be out of the building before Shotgun can be called. This does not work. It leads to everyone calling Shotgun at the same time and often ends in physical violence.”
Interesting point. I have not personally witnessed any acts of violence as a result of simultaneous shouts of shotgun, but I could certainly see it happening. Especially on a hot and humid day, or when there are three people in the back seat. Is there anything so humbling as sitting in the middle of the backseat?
What are your rules for calling shotgun? If the person in the passenger seat gets out to run to the mailbox, is his or her position up for grabs? What if one of the passengers is the significant other of the driver? Do the rules still apply? Leave a comment below.
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Calling shotgun became so annoying, that my sister and I have a pact that we switch who sits in the front seat every time the car goes a respectable distance, stops, and we get out.
Needless to say, she is more honest about keeping this system than I am
Way back when, before I ended up driving alone for the most part, the rules were simple:
1. Shotgun could be called once the plan to drive somewhere was announced.
2. Parents and grandparents always won shotgun if they were not driving. When multiple parents or grandparents are involved, the eldest adult would win the seat.
3. The driver’s date always won shotgun, if they wanted to sit there and not elder over ruled them (see rule 2).
4. Medical injury clauses: Trips to the ER automaticly put the most sevrely injured in the shotgun seat. People with broken legs automaticly win shotgun, but loose calling rights for 8 weeks after the cast comes off.
In two-door cars only- anyone who may vomit during the ride and did not have a proper recepticle to do it in got the shotgun seat and control of the door.
The way it goes for my posse is that the intended ‘ride’ needs to be visible. If the significant other of the driver is in the travelling group, then ‘shotgun’ does not apply. If multiple people call shotgun simultaneously, then the driver breaks the tie.
you rock
I really don’t have a rule on this, all we do is the first one at the car gets shotgun, if it is a 2 door, the first one to get out at the stop gets shotgun, then when he/she is out, the next one gets shotgun and so on. we never really fought for it as we agreed that whoever is in the backseat controls the windows and besides, we have a/c and heat coming out from the sides of the door, I always have room because our rule is everyone should fit in the car with reasonable space
Me and my posse just play a game of rock-paper-scissors to decided. If it’s more than two people who are competing, we play odd-man-out. Once we arrive at the destination, if someone gets out of the car, we have to do the whole thing again. It makes things less complicated than someone calling shotgun. And more fair.
In my opinion, you may call “shotgun” while still indoors just before taking off. Yes, I am one of those involved in physical violence by calling “shotgun” outside. Granted my cousin and I were 10 and 9 at the time and both ended up riding in the backseat. So we started calling it on the way out the door! :}}
The rules for my family have always been:
1. You can call ‘shotgun’ when the trip is being planned. Only problem with that is that half of the people by the time the trip rolls around are arguing who called it first. So we normally wait. I prefer the vehicle to be in sight and everyone to be present before you start calling ‘shotgun.’
2. If there are two adults they automatically get the front seats. If one of them says that they don’t mind sitting the back (which almost never happens) then the first to be asked if they want to sit up front is allowed. However; if they accept they lose ‘shotgun’ calling rights for over three weeks because accepting the seat is like betraying the other people.
3. The youngest people are always banished to the back seats. Seeing as how I come from a family with five older sisters, the only way someone as young as me could get the seat was if one of my sister’s had a friend over. This rule does not apply if you’re all with in a five year age difference.
4. Having a friend with you can also banish you to the back. But the polite thing to do was always offer the seat to the friend, who usually denied it.
5. If the driver has date that does not always mean she/he got to sit up front. It mainly depended on all the rules above.
6. If you call ‘shotgun’ on a long trip you have to give it back on the ride home to the person who called it second. This usually leads to an argument on who really called it second.
Wow, I never realized how many rules there were. I don’t even know how I remember all of them seeing as how I’ve basically given up on calling ‘shotgun’ because I never win.
1. all participants must be within site of the vehicle before shotgun can be called. this can be called through a window, as long as everyone can see the car, or whatever.
2. if there is a disagreement over who called shotgun first, they can “rush” which is a race to the handle of the passenger side door. it gets physical, but still fun.
3. if there is still a disagreement, there can be a challenge. the winner of a challenge is the first one to drop his/her pants. usually only one person does this and s/he is rewarded the front simply because of the shear will to go farther then anyone else.
4. all of these rules can be overturned by the owner of the car, who has final say. if the owner is not present, the driver has the full override power. thus, a significant other of the driver can be awarded the front regardless of shotgun, simply because the driver can want him/her there.
5. dont be a child about losing. failure to comply with these rules can lead to a full ban from the front seat if the driver wants. these rules are largely for fun and settling a disagreement, its not worth your friends being mad at you if you dont comply.
The rule we had was, shotgun must be called and then you must touch the car. By saying shotgun you are entering a verbal contract that yes, you are playing the game. First to touch the car gets shotgun, if everyone gets out the game has finished and a new game can commence.
In our family, the driver got to decide. Usually we three kids were expected to take turns, if only one parent was in the car. If both were, Dad would drive and Mom would sit beside him.
Then we’d have a little fight in the back seat about who would get to sit next to the windows. But that’s another story …
In a situation where several passengers would like to sit up front, a system of equal-time rotation should rule.
As one poster mentioned, elderly passengers, or sick or disabled ones get priority seating. One time I was the car-sick one, so our child got to sit up front so I could lie down across the back seat.
When my brother & I were kids, my mom got sick of us yelling “Shotgun!” every time we went somewhere. So she told us to rotate it. My brother thought he’d be smart & keep track. He stunk at it. I took over & made sure we both got equal time in the passenger front seat. If our step-father was along, we both got back seat & would rotate who we’d sit behind. Not that it mattered space wise, but somehow, it just did then.
I don’t have that problem now with only having one kid. As soon as he was able, he started riding in front. Now he only has to ride in the back when someone else is along, which isn’t often. If it happens to be a friend of his, they ride in the back, regardless. Just my own weird rule.
Here are my rules for calling shotgun:
* If the driver’s significant other is present, that person always has precedence.
* If someone touches the car’s door handle, that person automatically gets shotgun.
* Anyone may call shotgun if they are outside with no obstructing walls between the caller and the car
* The person who calls shotgun does NOT go back indoors or in any area where their pathway to the car is blocked by a wall or door
So…
* You can call shotgun if you are in a multilevel parking lot, but if you get in an elevator, your claim becomes negated.
* If you leave a restaurant using the back door, you can call shotgun, but you can’t go back inside and then out the front door. You have to walk around the entire building with no obstructions to the car.
That’s pretty much it. It has worked well for me and my cohorts.
shotgun can only be called on the way to the car. if it is a quick stop (like running into 7-11) the person in shotgun may keep shotgun unless everyone leaves the car. this does not apply when travelling long distances. all calls are subject to the driver.
“SHOTGUN! NO BATTLES”
if you dont say no battles
and someone else says shotgun
you better get your fists up
we are some of those violent shotgunners
my boyfriend got in shotgun before me
even tho i called it
so i reached thru the (half open) window,
grabbed his hair, and smacked his hair into the window…
Grandparents always come first, then parents, then significant others.
Anyone who tries to call “shotgun” when there are elders around are just disrespectful, and i don’t let them ever have front seat.
If it’s just me and some friends its usually a simple rule of whoever rode passenger on the way there, switches on the way home. No drama, no stupid shotgun.
Generally though, I tend to find that playing shotgun is for douchebags and I try not to associate myself with those kind of people.
You can’t call shotgun unless the car is in the line of sight with everyone who will be driving in the car.
So as you are walking through the parking lot, you can’t call it until you all see the car. Then you can shout it.
You have to have line of site with the vehicle before shotgun can be called.
I don’t have any rules for shotgun, I have two sisters and neither of them like sitting in front! But if I did My rule would be:
1. Shotgun should be called when everyone is dressed and ready, no need for outdoors as long as there is no need for shower or iron or in my sister’s case 45 minutes of make-up and hair stuff, shotgun can be called.
When my daughter was young at about age 12, I used to keep my niece (also 12) when my sister worked. They were (still are at now age 30) very expressive and energetic girls. I took them shopping one day at the old Montgomery Ward store (now out of business). We were done shopping and before we could get out of the store my niece screamed in her little girl voice “shotgun”. Although it is a story we tell with humor now, it wasn’t so funny that day. People screamed “get down, get down” and the customers were in a panic. I had to quickly shout out “sorry folks- false alarm”! We made it rule on that day not scream “shotgun” in public!
I think the “calling shotgun” should start as soon as the group starts heading for the vehicles.
I haven’t had to call shotgun since 1987, I’ve had my own ride ever since. My rules of shotgun calling are everyone must be outside, and it’s good for the entire trip TO the destination, including mail stops, grocery runs, etc. ONCE at the destination, the passenger seat is again at the mercy of forfeit and anyone may call shotgun once again to get it, or to retain it. You snooze you lose, those are my rules.
Keep in mind, some cars these days have back seat TV’s so it’s not as bad as it was in the 70′s, 80′s, and 90′s.
The earliest reference I can find in print to people riding shotgun in real life is from the Utah newspaper The Ogden Examiner, May 1919 – headed “Ross Will Again Ride Shotgun on Old Stage Coach”:
The way I play “Shotgun”
1. who ever calls a weapon stronger than a shotgun, they get the front seat.
so basically you will hear shouts of “rocket launcher!!!!!!!!” “Flame thrower!!!!!!!!!” “grande launcher!!!’
2. You call only call weapons that is ment for one person to use.. so no one is allowed to call nuclear bomb or heroshima…
Once you have decided where you want to go, and are in the process of leaving, you can call shotgun. If you are talking about going to a place, and don’t have an exact location confirmed, I don’t think you should be calling shotgun. Wait until you at least decide where you are going, let alone as you are leaving (When people are grabbing their coats, cell phones, etc.).
Growing up where & when I did (50′s, Chicago suburbs) it was easy!!! As the group headed for the car, the first to yell “ShotGun” got it. I would always try & distract others with my Big Mouth & once I had their attention I got my “Shotgun” in. Now I am 61 & I still do it when I’m in the mood. Pitiful, ain”t it?
My shotgun rules:
Shotgun MUST be called outside
The Driver must be able to see the vehicle
Shotgun cannot be called in advance
Shotgun automatically goes to owner of vehicle (if not driving) out of courtesy
Shotgun automatically goes to the owner/driver ‘s significant other (if present) out of courtesy
The person riding shotgun has a short immunity period (~5mins) if leaving the vehicle, during which time no one else can call shotgun- prolonged absence is not protected however.
As a side note, I have a friend who absolutely violates most of these rules, and it is infuriating!
this is wrong in the western times passengers would ride on the right usually carrying a shotgun or rifle of somesort this is how the term riding shotgun began
I say you call shotgun when your getting to head out the door. As soon as whoever opens the door, it’s time to call it.
The rules for calling shotgun around here are:
1. You have to be able to see the car in order to call shotgun.
2. If someone calls it before you, you may challenge them by dropping your pants. If they accept the challenge and they too drop their pants, you must then race to the car with your pants around your ankles. I’ve never seen this done, but I have been challenged. I refused.
3. If a significant other is involved, they automatically get it.
These rules generally keep everyone happy and fight-free.
I heard that shot-gun used to be the rightr side back seat where americans shot the indians out of but who knows. Now me and my bro just take turns. (Our mom made us after I almost killed him once because he always got front and he is 10.
Its simple; when the car is visible, thats when you can call shotgun. Of course, this may be canceled upon a race to the passenger seat, in which the winner gets the seat, indefinetely. Whoever owns the car can choose who sits next to him, but he/she ultimately follows the shotgun rule.
Here are the rules that me and my gang play by:
1) Everyone has to be outside before shotgun is called.
2) Car has to be in site of the person calling shotgun. This way, you can’t lolly gag and call it when you see it, considering you are the only one that knows if you can see it.
3) Significant other always gets shotgun privilege, if he/she wants it.
4) Relation to the driver is important also: family member vs. non family member usually wins shotgun.
5) If it is a competition between a very close friend and a new member of the pack, the friend gets it because of pack order.
6) Long rides: The person that gets shotgun first, does not get a chance on the way home.
7) Chinese Sneak Attack: If the door handle is touched before everybody is outside or before shotgun is shouted, shotgun goes to the sneaky individual.
9) All ties are decided by Rock Paper Scissors-Best two out of three.
10) Shotgunner must be efficient at climate control, radio control, and pass out food correctly, and quickly. Also must put the search for napkins above their own personal problems. If duties arent performed, shotgun title is revoked for an undetermined amount of time.
11) Older family members get choice over younger family members.
12) If there is a significant age difference, the elder wins.
I’m pretty sure the rules for calling shotgun is when you’re in eye shot of the vehicle you’re about to go in.
As long as I can remember, no matter what movie, or in real life, that’s how it went down.
Well,me and my brother take the whole “shotgun” thing VERY seriously. We simply take turn in the front because if there is any shouting “SHOTGUN!” we will start to phisically fight as you said in your blog. So we tend to do it that way but somtimes the other person will lie about being in the front last time and it becomes a dirty game of “shotgun”. Nice question </3
me and my friends wait untill were leaving, we call shotgun, no race (to assure no races), no blitz (so no violence), and no rock paper scissors this usually takes care of it
My family doesn’t really have “shotgun” rules, it basically goes like this:
1. If there are two adults in the car and everyone’s getting in at the same time, adult gets the seat.
2. If you arrive somewhere to pick someone up, that person takes the backseat and whoever was already in shotgun keeps it-even if shotgun is a child and passenger is an adult. If you get out of the car, stay somewhere for a few minutes, then all get back in car w/ new person, if they’re an adult they get shotgun unless they say otherwise.
3. If driver has a significant other – wife, husband, etc., they get shotgun automatically.
4. If it is a 2-door car, you don’t put more than two people in it unless absolutely necessary, and 1 is maximum in the back
5. If it is a smartcar, you only put one person in it, or one regular and one abnormally small person(child, anyone under 5’5”)
6. Shotgun must be called when car is in full view of ALL PASSENGERS(example: everyone is in the garage)
I always forget, and being an only child, it doesn’t really matter, since if it’s me and both my parents-parents get shotgun, I get whole backseat(which is actually really comfy and big), if there’s just me and one parents, I get passenger, if there’s a parent and a parent’s friend, see rule #2
All shot gun rules are different but the one I (and all my amigos) will always abide by is that the driver is supreme. They make and break the rules and can kick someone out of the seat for interference or bad music choice. Generally you must be in sight of the vehicle to call it.
I would probably just go and sit in the front seat, letting others acting crazy shouting “shotgun, shotgun at each other”
The term shotgun came from the passenger of a vehicle carrying a shotgun as protection during olden times, such as the wild west. As for the violence over shotgun thing, my brother and I have no rules. It seems that no matter who calls shotgun first, someone always winds up injured, and it never neccessarily means you get the front seat. It is more of a battle cry for us, and the signal to start a wild rush towards the vehicle, no holds barred. Even when you are in the front seat, you are not safe. You can crawl through the back, unlock the door, and drag the other person out. The winner of shotgun, is, whoever is in the seat as the car pulls away. Unfortunately, the loser just sits in the back, and tortures the winner by poking, hitting, and obssesively annoying them into a rage. This always leads to another shotgun battle on the trip back home. It’s a vicious circle.
BTW, none of this applies if my dad is riding with us. He just gives us the staredown, and says he would hate to have to kill us in front of our mother.
Shotgun can be called wherever in the house. I’m 20 and my sister is 15 and we still get into it over shot gun as our mom yells at us telling us we’re children…I have even received a text message from my younger sister proclaiming shotgun….This instated the rule that Cell phones can’t be used to call Shotgun.
The rules for shotgun with my friends is you can call it once you’re outside and can see the car. Whoever is first outside (usually the person that runs to the door) can call it and he will get shotgun. Granted you better be at the car or you will get hit.
At our house, you had to be outside and within view of the car to call shotgun.
with my friends, same thing..but you can challenge by racing with your pants down to the car.
weird I know
well your all wrong it goes back to the days of the stagecoach there was the driver and the person sitting next to the driver and carrying a shotgun as protection that is where the phrase “riding shotgun” came from
I always thought you had to be in eye sight of the car to call shotgun, but it there are multiple shotgun calls it is up to the driver to decide. I myself have many guy friends so for my own entertainment I usually have them race to the car or whoever is physically sitting in the seat 1st wins. Brawls are usually minimal. But the decision is ultimately up to the driver, I have vetoed shotgun and have been denied shotgun. And the driver can just choose shotgun if they want (which encapsulates dates and significant others). Oh and I forgot if it is your car but you are not driving you automatically get shotgun no questions asked. And I think move your feet lose your seat still applies to shotgun, to answer one of your questions. But ultimately shotgun is a dictatorship ran by the driver; nothing can guarantee you shotgun.
You can call shotgun if you actually HAVE a shotgun and are prepared to USE it if the car is attacked. The term originally refered to the person that sat beside the stagecoach driver for that purpose.
Well i say if the drive was for that day and once it is said u can call it unless however there is a significant other is going too or the eldery
Shotgun Rules:
You can’t call shotgun until you see the car, it doesn’t matter if no one else sees it.
If someone who you called shotgun before touches the passenger seat door-handle before you do, they get the seat, i forgot the name of that rule.
If everyone leaves the car, you must recall shotgun to get back the seat.
Driver can say who gets shotgun if there is a dispute or if he doesn’t want a certain person next to him.
If the driver’s gf/bf is there, they most times automatically get shotgun unless they don’t really care about where they sit.
If there is someone who just can’t fit on the backseat or will make everyone back there very uncomfortable, we give that person shotgun for the better of everyone else.
If you didn’t get shotgun you can call “shotty not bitch”, which means you won’t have to ride in the middle around the back, so you at least get a window. Two people can call this since they’re two windows in the back.
If it’s a coupe then good luck. I could see a fight breaking out on a hot summer day because no-one wants to ride in the back of a tiny car especially if it’s packed, the driver doesn’t use ac, or the person who got shotgun is always getting it.
if you dont call seat check when you get outta the front seat your seat is up for grabs
Here’s my rules: you must see the car before calling shotgun, people try to call it as soon as they’re out the door and heading for the car. Second, you must say it loud enough for everyone whos getting in to hear, if not everyone hears you it doesn’t count. Third: pushing is optional, but not against the rules
never heard of calling shotgun but it sounds stupid can’t believe yahoo thought this would actually interest people
The rules as i know them are that you must be outside, and the car must be in your view.
The term “shotgun” originated during the days of horse drawn stages where the driver and one other man sat on the top of the stage, one man controlling the horses, his partner “the shotgun” carrying a rifle or shotgun to defend against hi-jacking indians or criminals.
When I’m driving, whoever I want to talk to the most gets shotgun. When I’m not driving, I site the fact that, out of my friends, I’m the only one that actually knows how to operate a shotgun.
1. When the driver enters the room and all shotgun players are there you can start to call shotgun.
2.When the car stops the second oldest to the person in the passenger seat swap places (if the youngest was in the passenger seat the oldest goes in)
that is simply the rules that i use
Rule 1:
Never call “Shotgun” in a Cumbrian taxi.
Actually, it doesn’t come from Western Times, that I know of. I watched a documentary about Prohibition. The Rum-Runners in the south had very dangerous jobs, driving their cars at break-neck speeds to avoid the “Revenuers” (cops). The person in the passenger seat literally had a shotgun to shoot at any persuers. I love the History Channel…
In my circle, the person driving has vedo over everything. So, if they want a specific person(or do not want a specific person) in shotgun then that’s settled. Other than that, any claim to shotgun is valid so long as everybody can hear it.
HOWEVER- in a trip when there are several stops, everyone is entitled to getting the front seat at some point. If there are not enough divisions for everyone to get a turn, it’s okay so long as nobody goes more than once.
Do people over the age of 25 actually still do this?
I was recently shocked by some girl I just met (30 friggen years old) who called shotgun when she asked to ride w. me and my male best friend from the restaurant we were at to the party we were going to.
I am like 8 inches taller than her and was there as my best friends guest. She did not get front seat btw
lol. That was really annoying.
For the record, I think that shotgun should be restricted to family and close friends.
I am tall, so admittedly get the shotgun advantage purely out of common courtesy for leg room comfort from my friends. I however am fine w. sitting in the back and am fair, so I honestly find the whole thing beyond childish. When w. other than close friends, I will defer to sitting in the back, unless asked to sit in the front by the driver or if the other passengers insist that I sit in the front.
I have one sister (twin) and two brothers, one who is now 16 and one is now 21. Nowadays, the oldest obviously gets the front because we understand that he deserves it.
But back in the day, it was horrid. As you said, if we all called it at once, there was a fight that surely ensued.
And, asking my mother, there were days when there was no one sitting in front, simply because we were so vicious about it.
Ah, the good ol’ days…
if the driver is male “shotgun” automatically defaults to his significant other. if the owner has yielded control of his vehicle to the said driver , “shotgun” defaults to his significant if present. elderly passengers automatically get “shotgun”, the indivdual who argues this point may be banned from the vehicle and subsequent attempt to argue this rule will result in bodily harm of unknown severity. important passengers such the dude who always says he’ll buy the beer has permanent “shotgun” status but must make a respectful gesture to the signifcant other before taking his seat. injured persons do not automatically get shotgun but can kick the occupant out of shotgun if getting in the back seat is to diffucult.
im very g8tful
I am still in high school but I am the oldest plus we have a van, so the pilot seats are good to.
Me and my sister switch between the front and pilot seats.
You must clearly be able to see the vehicle to call shotgun.
As for leaving the seat: if you leave shotgun, you should call “Fives”. Then you have five minutes of immunity while you do whatever, and you can resume your seat. After the five minutes, the seat is up for grabs.
In our family, it didn’t much matter, as we kids always sat in the second row (of station wagon) when we all went somewhere. Since it was a four-door, the only person who didn’t get a door was the youngest sibling…but then again, he was in a car seat for a few years.
Otherwise, if it was a two-door, then whomever was getting out first at an intermediate destination got shotgun, then the next person would get shotgun… sort of a ‘cascading shotgun.’
My rules are:
1. Shotgun may be called when driving plans are made.
2. Grandparents, Parents, and Signifigant Others get automatic shotgun.
3. If more than one adult is present, shotgun is determined by age. (oldest)
4. If it is a short ride, shotgun may be retained only if the driver and caller get out of the vehicle. If everyone gets out, shotgun is up.
5. On long trips, shotgun is retained until the destination is reached. Then, shotgun is up for grabs.
6. No one can have shotgun two times in a row, unless they are elders.
7. Drivers ALWAYS get the final say. If the driver doesn’t want a certian person to have shotgun, it will be revoked and the driver will pick.
8. There will be no pouting, whining, or physical violence if someone loses shotgun.
9. If there is a dispute, rushing is allowed, but if results in physical violence both parties are stripped of shotgun privilages and the driver chooses.
for my family there was no shotgun whoever got to the passenger door first won the seat. the race would start as soon as we got outside and we lived in apartments…so yeah -.-
i’m glad you brought up this subject over the years there has been many fights over the rules i have always used the outdoor rule. I think its fair because the shotgun person could always call it for the next time as soon as they leave his or her seat. Yes this causes a rush for the door at times and maybe some pushes and shoves happen but i have never witnessed anything major. As for leaving the vehicle for a short period of time, I say no you can’t call it its wrong.
On a side note when i was in the military we would actually go one further then shotgun we would call driver if shotgun was taken even if the car wasn’t your own.
In the U.K if you shout shotgun, the police will surround you in minutes. serious
Our rule is once the driver announces she/he is going some where, potential occupants are able to call shot gun.
my shotgun rules are simple. I as the driver choose who sits where, don’t like it, you’re walking. when I’m riding in someone else’s car, I sit where I’m told
I just wish it could be like the stagecoach days and actually carry a shotgun, because the one with the gun always calls the shots.
First time I heard the term Shot Gun when I work at a company during late 1970s. Some body explain that to me and some stories too.
Here calling shotgun isn’t much of an issue. Especially if it’s three occupants.
I mainly take the front passenger’s seat due to calling shotgun also means you play shotgun to help the driver drive.
So calling shotgun is bit of a duty thing than ” I want the best view.”
My friends and I call shotgun when we are heading toward the car. Driver always has final say over who sits in front to break up arguments, and owner of the car always gets shotgun if they are not driving. SO of driver gets priority.
We have one friend who always gets shotgun when he rides along because he has issues with claustrophobia. On the rare occasions he sits in back, he is always by a window.
When two or more people call it at the same time, it turns into a race of who can touch the car first, although we have had times where someone would open the door and then we would slide in the front seat before they got to it. At that point, the loser would get it on the way back, or after the first stop.
Restroom breaks and quick stops created a new game of shotgun. However, going back into the building to grab a forgotten item, or to do someone a favor saved your seat.
Any guest of honor got shotgun automatically. *Friends we only see rarely, or relatives from out of town.*
My step son always sits in the back due to his age and weight, so I have yet to deal with that issue.
I must be a real redneck! In my world, the one with the shotgun gets shotgun, because none of the rest of us are willing to argue with him!
When calling shotgun
you can say no blitz which means you for sure get it
if someone else calls shotgun
you can call blitz which means first to get to the door gets it
there is also another factor in shotgun.
NOT EVERYONE HAS TO BE OUTSIDE
My dad is the designated driver so that will be my example,
right before meeting at the car I text my dad or call him and say shotgun no blitz
that insures that unless someone else already called it, that I get it.
If I’m walking out to the car with him and no one else is there yet, I can call shotgun or just get in
AS LONG AS EITHER THE DRIVER HEARS IT OR someone else from the car hears it and wont lie saying you didn’t then it counts.
or y’all could just agree that it’s the drivers choice, or take turns
it really doesnt matter if you get shotgun or not
Aww haha this is cool (:
For my sister and me, we never had to call shotgun to get the front seat. I was born on the first day of the month, she was born on the eighth. Any time the date of the month is divisible by two (an “even” day), as eight is, she gets the front seat. Any time the date of the month is not divisible by two, I get the front seat. Yes, sometimes I do get two days in a row (the thirty-first of a month and the first day of the next month).
“this is wrong in the western times passengers would ride on the right usually carrying a shotgun or rifle of somesort this is how the term riding shotgun began”
Um, Mike never addressed the origins of the term. But thanks for playing.
awesome. You answered all my doubs about when and how to call shotgun.
I remember the shotgun days back in 1970 and the key was to call it quick and first. Those were the “Good & Plenty days and still I wonder why they were Pink and White…lol
The rule in our house is if there is another adult besides the driver he gets shotgun. If not, the oldest kid going gets shotgun. This rule works well, but then the youngest, Ali, has to mess with the order of things.
Rules, as I have practiced them:
1. Shotgun seat MUST be available (significant others, seniors/mature adults, are given deference and seat must be yielded if situation occurs, regardless of point in the process).
2. The earliest know point in time that the car-loading process is STARTED, and all passengers of a particular vehicle are identified/accounted for. This can be when the drivers says “Let’s go!” or when everyone collectively heads for the cars.
3. The seat become open for reservation at the beginning of a trip, and at the beginning of each day (multi-day trip). Sometimes, switching may be allowed after each major destintation (open to interpretation).
4. Special situation: Shotgun may require map reading and driver support tasks, so those are taken into consideration in some instances.
5. Special situation: Equity is not sought, but may be imposed by regning adult/driver.
well whenever my older brother sees that im about to call shotgun, he pushes me and covers my mouth. THEN calls shotgun. thats how I roll.
We always played that the order goes like this:
Parent or Grandparent gets first choice
If no parents/grandparents, significant other gets first choice
If no significant others are present then the following applies:
1) everyone must be outside
2) everyone must be able to see the car (this rule came to be when I was in college and we often had to find the car in very large crowded parking lots and we would split up to make the search more effective and eliminated the scream of “shot gun” through the parking lot because too many people never found the car and we wasted time having to find them.)
3) the person who is most likely going to fulfill all the necessary duties of “shotgun.” These duties include A/C or heat, radio and navigational responsibilities, least likely to fall asleep, most likely to be able to quickly swipe a road sign, and if the need arise, actually have a shotgun on them for any reason.
This last was never put to use but is said tongue-in-cheek because the origin of the term riding shot gun has to do with stage coaches needing someone next to the driver carrying a shot gun to protect the stage coach from attacks.
We also never had a rule about how many times you could ride shotgun unless you abdicated your duties and fell asleep.
Anyone who knows where the car is going (giving directions) gets shotgun regardless of any other rule, including the presence of older relatives due to the nature of giving directions. If the driver knows where he/she is going then this rule is void.
If the owner of the car is not driving, the owner gets to sit shot gun unless the owner has a traffic violation prior to the road trip at hand, if the owner had previously come close to injuring any of the passengers of the car during a traffic violation, the owner had to sit in the middle in back, even if there was no one else in the back.
Lastly, the driver has the right to veto any shotgun choice unless the driver is younger than the person who called shotgun in the first place. This was nice because I was always the oldest.
call it! rules: car must be in full sight, call shotgun, end of story.
unless there is someone important like a guest, or elder person, i usually sit at the front anyway. my siblings dont care and they trust me with the radio =P
As my friends and I were leaving a bar one night, I decided to call shotgun. The girl we were hanging out yelled shotgun at the same time and the race was on. Unluckily to me there was a short 1 foot (maybe a lttle higher) wall next to the parking lot. As I thought that I could clear it I proceeded to jump it only to fall flat on my knees. I was okay but, a lttle embarassed. After checking to see if I was okay, we had a good laugh about it. I don’t think I have called shotgun since.
Is that anything like seat back? And even though I am almost 48, I still play door knob abd slug bug! LMAO!!
Once the majority of the group starts moving shotgun can be called by anyone who is moving. This also speeds up the process of motivating to leave.
Exceptions:
1: Injuries always take priority
2: Elderly always sit in front seat starting with person who aged the worst
3: after injured and elderly comes adults over 30 who have the choice
anyone under 30 may call shotgun at this point
i believe when it comes to the time where its ‘okay lets go’ or ‘whos coming with me?’ pretty much just mentioning there will be a car ride.. that is when SHOTGUN can be called.
if there is a simultaneous call of SHOTGUN then a race to the car must be made.
although exceptions to these rules may be made.
one can always PULL RANK.
as in, the significant other can demand the seat. or the sibling can demand the significant other move and give them the seat.
AND if its a two door car then whoever is getting dropped off last is in the back. first gets the passenger seat.
OVERALL the driver has VETO right and can invoke it at any time.
thats how i roll.
My siter gets the front seat if she is in the car because she is older. If she isn’t in the car I get the front seat because I’m older than my brother who is 8 so its illegal for him to sit in the front seat anyway we don’t call shotgun but me and my brother do fight over who sits in the seat behind the passenger’s seat because for some strange reason we have decided that it is better than the other seat
I think everyone forgot to mention the most awful “shotgun rule” i’ve ever heard. When someone says shot gun first and the other person yells “Blitz”, if he/she beats you there, they get the spot.
You also have to think about who you’re up against. If you call shotgun and the other guy could beat you to a pulp…., just go ahead and sit in the backseat.
driver can call “jedi run” in which case whoever touches the door first gets shotgun. if the person who won shotgun attempts to open the door it is being unlocked, causing the door to remain locked, they lose the seat. shot gun is not played with the honor that is show in the game of “knobs”.
We didn’t have, “calling shotgun.” The owner of the car would drive and then the eldest member of the group would drive and then sitting in the middle of the back was the role of the youngest member of the group. Yeah, me! If the ride was going to have more than just family members, it would still depend on their age and respect according to whose car it was. For example the eldest of the other party’s group would sit in front and we would humble ourselves. However this all happened subconsciously due to the fact the human swarm has a sort of “group mind,” that any person in the world will be unaware of at the time.
You can only call shotgun after you see the car. If someone calls shotgun while inside and the vehicle is not in view, it is not counted and is just a reminder to everyone else that said person will try to call shotgun when the car is in view.