What are the rules for SHOTGUN?

Go to http://www.theshotgunrules.com/ for nice HTML. Just in case that's unavailable, here's a lame cache:

The Theory

The term Shotgun refers to the front passenger seat of an automobile. Calling "Shotgun" is the act of claiming the position of Shotgun for one's self. As this position is the most coveted of all positions when riding in a car, the following list of rules has been created to ensure that Shotgun can be acquired in a fair and equitable manner by any passenger of an automobile.

The History

The history of calling "Shotgun" goes back to the days of covered wagons and the Wild West. On a trip across the plains, the driver of a wagon would hold the reins of his horse team and concentrate on driving. This left him and the occupants of his wagon susceptible to sneak attacks from Indians and the subsequent scalpings that would result. To avoid this atrocious circumstance it became necessary for one person to sit next to the driver with a shotgun and fend off the enemy.

Defending against bandits is no longer the priority of Shotgun however, but it has evolved into a pre-driving ritual that is experienced before almost every car ride across America and even the world. Because of the obvious evolution that has already occurred with Shotgun, we ask you to consider Shotgun as a living entity and be aware that it is always changing for the better good of society.

The Rules 
The following rules have been created through many years of exploring the ritual of Shotgun and are designed with the idea of fairness to all as the main priority. They are also the most complete and comprehensive listing of Shotgun rules available today.

You Must Say the Word "Shotgun" 
You must say the word "Shotgun" to stake your claim on Shotgun. This must be done clearly and loud enough so that at least one other to-be occupant of the vehicle can hear you. No variations of this word are acceptable. After you have rightfully called Shotgun, you have exclusive rights to Shotgun for that ride. However, if no one hears you call Shotgun it is still fair game for everyone.

The Deed must be done before Shotgun can be called 
For these rules to work properly, it is essential for you to understand and accept the concept of the "Deed". Shotgun may only be called after the "deed is done". Simply stated, the deed is any activity or objective that directly precedes the ride in the automobile. The deed can be anything ranging from a visit at a friend's house, to a shopping trip at the mall, to a visit to the Grand Canyon. We cannot stress how important this is because this establishes a Shotgun-calling time frame that ensures everyone has an equal chance of recognizing when to call Shotgun.

There is no crime greater than calling Shotgun on Monday in reference to the ride to the concert on Friday. Some people choose to play this way, and they are fools.

You must be Outside to call Shotgun 
The best way to establish exactly when the deed is done is to define this moment as the instance that you have left the building in which the deed took place. All passengers need not to have exited, but someone must hear you call Shotgun.

Some people choose to use a variation of this rule and 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 resorts to physical violence.

The Barefoot Rule 
Since you must be outside to call Shotgun, some people will just grab their shoes, jump outside, and call Shotgun before putting their shoes on. This has been deemed "gaping" (see below), and is not a legal procedure. You must have your shoes on, if you choose to wear any, before you may call Shotgun.

The Re-entry Rule 
If you call Shotgun and then go back inside for some reason, you must re-call Shotgun after leaving. After you have re-entered the building, Shotgun is fair game to all.

When the deed is Outdoors 
If the deed takes place outdoors, which it often does, the completion of the deed must be agreed upon when Shotgun is called. Any major disputes over the completion of the deed, as with any discrepancy, can be easily settled with a quick round of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" (see below).

The Line-of-Sight Rule 
In the situation of the deed being a hike or other extensive outdoor activity, you may not call Shotgun until the automobile is within your sight. This rule needs only to be used when the passengers are outside for a long time and have traveled long distances from the car, as with a day of snow skiing.

Miscellaneous

Hand on Door 
You do not need to call Shotgun if your hand is already on the Shotgun door. This officially stakes your claim on Shotgun and calling it at this time is just redundant.

The Balk 
This rule is applied when you have called Shotgun and are waiting for the doors to be unlocked. If you lift the handle while the doors are being unlocked and therefore cause the Shotgun door to remain locked, then you are "voided" (see below) for that ride. At this time Shotgun is available to all other passengers.

Garages 
If you are in a small garage, it is considered outside if the garage door is open or is opening. If the car is parked in a closed garage, Shotgun can be called as soon as you enter the room, regardless of the position of the garage door. Note: Larger parking garages are always considered outdoors even if they are underground.

Shotgun Abandonment 
If the Shotgun occupant exits the car to accomplish a deed, Shotgun becomes eligible to the remaining passengers in the back seat(s). Once Shotgun is available, you must call Shotgun before the other occupants. Often times there is discrepancy regarding when Shotgun actually becomes available. Several attempts have been made to clearly define this point, yet no truly fair rule can be applied here. For this reason, one game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" (see below) is usually the easiest way to solve the problem. Exception: If the Shotgun rider abandoned the seat to do a deed for the driver, i.e. purchasing cigarettes or pumping gas, that person retains Shotgun.

Remain Seated 
If you choose to remain in the automobile while the other passengers accomplish their deed, you may retain full rights to Shotgun. Often times not everyone needs to go inside when doing menial deeds so this can be a good rule. It can be abused however when a certain person is willing to wait in the car for extensive periods of time in order to retain the rights to Shotgun. This type of person is considered to be a "Shotgun Gaper" (see below).

The Shotgun Gaper 
Gapers (gay-pers) are people who prioritize Shotgun much more than a normal human being. These people will alter their usual behavior and even undermine their own ethics in order to gain the rights to Shotgun. They do this through legal means however, such as sprinting for doors, so they cannot be "voided" (see below). The term gaper was originally given to Will Henderson who once got Shotgun for 2 months straight. The advantage to being a Shotgun Gaper, of course, is you always get Shotgun. Being a Shotgun Gaper, however, is frowned upon.

Voiding 
Whenever you break a Shotgun rule as stated in this guide, you may be voided from receiving Shotgun privileges for that ride. Although somewhat discretionary, voiding automatically applies if you call Shotgun while indoors, or if you do not have your shoes on and call Shotgun, or if you display any other blatant disregard for Shotgun protocol. In circumstances of minor Shotgun rules infractions, voiding may not need to be exercised. Being void only applies for the ride directly after the voiding has occurred and after that ride you may regain full Shotgun privileges.

Discrepancies 
If a discrepancy ever occurs, and they commonly do, over who rightfully gets Shotgun, it is usually settled with a single game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors". A common application of this procedure takes place after two people call Shotgun at the same time. Click here to play the game against the computer.

New Rules 
Because Shotgun is a living entity and constantly changing, new rules always need to be created. Any group of people is welcome to implement their own rule if the situation arises. A new rule will often be created following a major discrepancy. The important rule regarding this however, is that the new rule does not take effect until the next car ride.

Exceptions 
Although the Shotgun rules have been created with ultimate fairness in mind, there are situations where exceptions need to be implemented.

The Opposite Sex 
This is the most important exception. If a girl is included in the group of male automobile passengers and she is the girlfriend or potential girlfriend of the driver, then she gets automatic Shotgun privileges. This rule serves the dual purpose of giving the driver the chance to be a "nice guy," while at the same time keeping the other male occupants of the car from trying anything funny. (We understand that this rule is somewhat sexist, so you do not have to adopt it as your own.)

This rule does not apply to girls who are just friends. In this situation the girls must abide by the same Shotgun rules as the men.

If a woman is driving then it is her discretion as to whether her boyfriend or potential boyfriend automatically gets Shotgun or not. Often times girls opt to make their boyfriend play by the normal rules as to not seem too eager.

Owner-Driver Switch 
If someone is driving an automobile other than its owner and the owner becomes a passenger, then the owner automatically gets Shotgun. When applied, this rule shows respect to the owner of the car.

The Long Haul 
The rules listed above have been designed around the shorter trip (less than 1 hour). For longer journeys it is best not to use these rules because the incentives to be a gaper are too great. Rather, you should divide Shotgun equally among those who want it.

Would you like to have your site featured on the Official Shotgun Rules? Go to this page to find out more.

Tell a friend about this page.

This website was written and created by Hanuman Technologies. Any duplication, redistribution, or other copying of this site is strictly prohibitied without written consent from Hanuman Technologies. Send questions and comments to the Webmaster. All rights reserved.
© 1996 Joshua Pearson, Thomas Reuter, William Henderson