Today in my internet travels (i.e. reading my feeds), I stumbled upon a little site that may settle a long-standing contention between male friends across the globe.

This site aims to put to rest the confusion that resonates from parking lots across the nation when a guy says those two little syllables:

Shot. Gun.

Some brilliant fellows have catalogued and come to a relative conclusion on what the definitive shotgun rules are and they have published said rules both on their web site and in a handy $6 book.

The 3 main rules:

1. You must say the word “Shotgun”
2. Whatever activity you were doing previously (watching a baseball game, sitting on the couch, playing a pick-up basketball game) must be completed before you can call “Shotgun” (e.g. you cannot call Shotgun on Monday for your trip to the antique mall…errr…gun show…on Friday)
3. You must be outside to call Shotgun

These rules constitute the main rules, but there are exceptions and penalties to the rules (“the barefoot rule” – you must have your shoes on, “Hand on Door” – Shotgun cannot be called once someone’s hand is on the door, and my personal favorite, the “Significant Other Exception” – which gives full Shotgun voidability to the driver’s significant other.

In addition, the rules also state a long-standing tradition within my shotgun clique: all discrepancies will be rectified using Paper, Rock, Scissors.

I commend the authors Joshua Pearson, Thomas Reuter, and William Henderson for their visionary work on the subject. Their commitment to peace and fair car habitation will be commended for centuries to come.