Why do people refer to the front passenger seat of a car/van as the shotgun?

[go YANKS!]

I've heard this term a million times and just would like to know why and the origin of that term.

 

[riding lawn mower man]

because in the days of horse and wagon the person sitting next to the driver would hold a shotgun

 

[Paul]

One of the earliest references to the phrase "riding shotgun" in print occurred in the 1905 book The Sunset Trail, by Alfred Henry Lewis The expression was used to refer to riding as an armed guard in the front of a stagecoach.

 

[l3x!]

People have been known to hang out of the passenger window while shooting at someone with a shotgun

 

[normlguy]

In the olden days the sheriffs partner use to ride in the passenger seat holding a shot gun.

 

[Sam]

Because in the super old days when they drove horse and buggy's, the person sitting in the passengers seat would carry a gun to shoot anyone who tried to do something bad to the buggy.


i am not 100% sure but i was once told that.. Sounds pretty good huh?

 

[William S]

you always keep your shotgun in the front seat (assuming you own one and have it with you in your car, and plan to use it soon)

 

[Kalelyn]

Bc back in the day where people rode in the wagons the person by the driver always carried a shotgun for protection from indians and outlaws. So hence riding shotgun lol

 

[bobby joe]

in the olden days they used to hold the shotgun in the car. I guess.

 

[deljack05]

In the old days when they had stage coaches the seat to the right of the driver was where the guard rode and he always carried a shotgun, hence the phrase "I am riding shotgun".

 

[SantaBarbarian]

The expression was used to refer to riding as an armed guard in the front of a stagecoach, next to the driver (this would usually have been on the left, as stage drivers traditionally sat on the right, near the brake.