New research has shed light on the rules surrounding the coveted front passenger seat, commonly known as ‘riding shotgun.’ A recent survey of 2,000 adults has clarified these guidelines, even challenging the long-held belief that the driver’s spouse should always claim the spot. The phrase ‘riding shotgun’ traces its origins to the American Wild West, when an armed guard would sit beside the stagecoach driver to protect against bandits.
Today, it simply means calling dibs on the front seat. With four in ten adults preparing for summer road trips, the competition for the front seat is fiercer than ever, especially on long journeys with crowded cars and overflowing luggage, where no one wants to end up in the dreaded middle seat.
Before the game even starts, the rules stipulate that any individual with physical needs takes precedence over all other claims. Beyond this, it’s simply a matter of who calls ‘shotgun’ first.
However, according to the rules, once you’ve secured the front seat, it only lasts for one leg of the journey. Nine per cent also insist that you must be within sight of the car to win.
In case of a deadlock, 12 per cent suggested that the driver resolves the tie, while one in 20 (five per cent) determine the winner through a quiz question.
The study was commissioned by Tempcover, which has disclosed the Official Rules of Shotgun and collaborated with JLS star JB Gill ahead of the band’s reunion tour, which will see him embarking on road trip adventures across the UK.
JB, who is encouraging Brits to use the official shotgun rules to avoid any potential car squabbles, said: “Calling shotgun before a car journey has sparked friendly competition over who gets to ride in the highly prized front seat for generations.
“Ever since I first started driving, the front seat was always the one that every passenger wanted and as you can imagine, it’s led to MANY heated debates.
“Every driver has their own shotgun rules so having official rules in place means there’s now a neutral way to make the decision and (hopefully) help the journey start smoothly from the off”.
The light-hearted game can frequently result in arguments with 26 per cent confessing they have become embroiled in heated disputes over seating arrangements.
Siblings were the ones most likely to argue about who gets to sit where however, a third of parents admit they have even had disputes with their children.
Four in ten also admitted they have refused to get in the car if they weren’t in the front seat.
The study, conducted via OnePoll.com, revealed 30 per cent have resorted to concocting excuses to secure the front seat – with the most popular being offering to assist the driver with navigation.
Meanwhile, 28 per cent have exploited travel sickness as a strategy to escape the rear seats.
Marc Pell, managing director at Tempcover, which offers temporary car insurance so people can borrow a bigger car and take turns behind the wheel, added: “With summer here, more people are taking to the road with friends and family.
“We asked people to share their ultimate shotgun wisdom to keep the rules simple and the process fair – helping car journeys start with fewer disputes over who gets the coveted front passenger seat with its better view and extra legroom.
“And if you share the driving, you can all take it in turns to ride shotgun too.”