I know in a truck forum, most everyone knows what I mean. For those who don't, calling 'shotgun' solidfies your spot as the front seat passenger. For me, it comes with responsibility, being the navigator for instance and being radio/music controller until you make us listen to something stupid and I overrule you.

I know my friends all have different rules, and they usually change to the one that benefits them the most at the time. And from there, we argue like 5th graders until I pick shotgun, or make everyone sit in the back.

How do you determine who gets to sit shotgun?

 

whenever someones says, "hey, lets go........." we call it.

 

Normally, I'm driving, so, I'm not too worried about who rides shotgun.
(As long as they don't mess with my radio station, CD, etc.)

Kids in the back.

 

The rules listed below apply to the calling of Shotgun (the passenger seat) in an automobile.
These rules are definitive and binding.

Section I: The Basic Rules

1. In order to call Shotgun, the caller must pronounce the word "Shotgun" in a clear voice.
This call must be heard and acknowledged by the driver. The other occupants of the vehicle need
not hear the call as long as the driver verifies the call, most of the time a nod will be suffice

2. Shotgun may only be called if all occupants of the vehicle are outside and on the way to said
vehicle.

3. Early calls are strictly prohibited. Shotgun may only be called while walking toward the
vehicle and only applies to the drive immediately forthcoming. Shotgun can never be called while
inside a vehicle or still technically on the way to the first location. For example, one can not
get out of a vehicle and call Shotgun for the return journey.

4. The driver has final say in all ties and disputes. The driver has the right to suspend or
remove all shotgun privileges from one or more persons.

Section II: Special Cases

These special exceptions to the rules above should be considered in the order presented; the
case listed first will take precedence over any of the cases beneath it, when applicable.

1. In the instance that the normal driver of a vehicle is drunk or otherwise unable to perform
their duties as driver, then he/she is automatically given Shotgun.

2. If the instance that the person who actually owns the vehicle is not driving, then he/she is
automatically given Shotgun, unless they decline.

3. In the instance that the driver's spouse, lover, partner, or hired escort for the evening is
going to accompany the group, she is automatically given Shotgun, unless she declines.

4. In the instance that one of the passengers may become so ill during the course of the journey
that the other occupants feel he/she will toss their cookies, then the ill person should be given Shotgun to make appropriate use of the window.

5. In the instance that only one person knows how to get to a given location and this person is
not the driver, then as the designated navigator for the group they automatically get Shotgun,
unless they decline.

6. In the instance that one of the occupants is too wide or tall to fit comfortably in the back
seat, then the driver may show mercy and award Shotgun to the genetic misfit. Alternatively, the
driver and other passengers may continually taunt the poor fellow as they make a three-hour trip
with him crammed in the back.

Section III: The Survival-of-the-Fittest Rule

1. If the driver so wishes, he/she may institute the Survival of the Fittest Rule on the process
of calling Shotgun. In this case all rules, except I-4, are suspended, and the passenger seat is
occupied by whomever can take it by force.

2. The driver must announce the institution of the Survival of the Fittest Rule with reasonable
warning to all passengers. This clause reduces the amount of blood lost by passengers and the
damage done to the vehicle.

Please follow the above rules to the best of your ability. If there are any arguments or
exceptions not covered in these rules, please refer to rule I-4.

 

A rulebook for Shotgun??? I'll have to memorize it as I'm almost always the driver

 

9 time out of ten we are taking my truck so I get it if I am not driving. If they don't like it, they can walk. When I am going in somebody elses vehicle, it all depends on the situation.

 

Thats good.
I also usually drive therefor all others fight for the honors, if your really drunk you ride in the bed cuz you aint gonna blow chunks inside.And if so needed for me a designated driver, in my truck im always shotgun.

 

I usually drive, but if I'm not, I only want to be in the position closest to the beer. BTW, this is not for travel on public highways, only in the woods.

Ernie

 

Heck, tbirdscott pretty much said it all. Nothin' more to add there.

 

we go by the idea that, you have to be outside to call it. for example-

4 of you leave a restaurant. it doesnt matter which order you step out the door, the 3rd man can call shotgun even if the 4th guy is still inside, as long as the 3rd guy has his foot out the door he can call it.

so if the first guy out the door slips up and doesnt call it, its HIS fault. he should have been quicker to the gun ( pun intended ) if he really wanted to ride shotgun

 

Calling Shotgun? Haven't done that since...oh, about puberty, I guess! (And nowadays I almost always drive anyway!) -TD

 

In addition to what tbirdscott said, here are some following rules that must be abided by in my group of friends:

1. The call must be made from behind the driver (facing the car), otherwise the caller is "Off-side" and that persons shotgun rights are automatically suspended for that trip.

2. Other posistions may be called for, assuming that the desirable shotgun call is taken, these include:
Left Uzi (left rear seat)
Right Uzi (right rear seat)
Back-seat middle (self explanitory)
Front Gunner (If you have a front bench seat, the middle seat, if not, on the bonnet)
Rear Gunner (In the trunk)

3. Every person gets one "Grenade" call in a 365 day period, which overides all shotgun calls previous to it, and original shotgun call is immediately null and void, and the "Grenade" caller gets the front passenger seat (subject to driver verification). Especially useful if you are on a 10hr trip, with 5 people in my 63 Mini.

 

We usual take my buddy Josh's pickup, in which case it's kind of a unwritten rule that I ride shotgun. If we're not in his, there's usually no more than 2 of us, in which case there isn't really a problem.

That's how I role...

 

If we are going in my truck and my dog is coming along, she is gonna ride shotgun. She really does not care who "calls it".

 

99.95% of the time there are enough of us wanting to go that if someone else calls shotty i will jump in my truck and say who wants to go with me .. at which point the group splits relatively in half (i've got a regular cab 79 f100) and we get wherever we're going. so i'm either driving or shotty just on principle. when it comes to wanting to cruise around in the bed, everyone's welcome as long as they stay on their butts! and are over 18 cuz i'm not sure what the laws are and aint gonna chance it. when that happens, shotty don't mean nothing. i have to say hey who's gonna ride up here??? *rolling eyes*

we don't have the outside rule .. you call it when we get up from whereever we're going that way everyone has a chance... someone says ok guys lets go "shotgun!" aw hell .. 20 mins later when we leave, it still stands in effect unless the driver's said bull! at the time of the call.

if the drivers not in the room or doesn't hear the call they can elect to honor it or not... if the dufus said shotty and the drivers outta the room, they are to be informed so the driver can laugh and say bull! or selectively say .. eh .. alright..

the drivers other half (significant other) also has the ability to laugh and say bull if shotty's called by anyone else when they (the couple) are not taking seperate vehicles. they also have the right to tell their hubby hey so and so tried to call shotty in our car so the driver can proceed to say are you stupid and do you have a death wish... the wife then is allowed to give the look and shrink the dufus back to a corner

*i only say hubby and wife as driver and wife here becuz that's typically how it goes once you get married, we're not allowed to drive anymore becuz our hubby's think we can't... and we allow it so that when they get lost and won't ask for directions, we can fix the problem by saying "shud'a let me drive"*

that's pretty much it as far as around here goes ....