Backseat Driver
When a passenger gives constant advice or orders to the person behind the wheel. The Henpecked Husband's wife or mother-in-law will do this a lot. In extreme cases, the passenger will actually grab for car controls (usually the wheel). In Real Life, there are legal consequences for this.
Not to be confused with Danger Takes a Backseat -- at least, under normal circumstances.
Examples of Backseat Driver include:
Comic Books
- A severaly injured and distressed Dwight McCarthy becomes one in the Sin City story A Dame To Kill For. Subverted in that Marv, the driver, takes his advice.
Film
- Driving Miss Daisy - Daisy starts off like this because she is angry about needing a chauffeur.
- In Broadcast News, Jane gives specific, practically turn-by-turn directions to cabbies on a regular basis as part of her "need to be in control at all times"-ness.
- Independence Day has the space ship variant where Jeff Goldblum constantly shouts orders to Will Smith who tells him not to be a backseat driver.
Live Action TV
- Very prevalent in Canada's Worst Driver. At times, the nominator needs more rehab than the driver does.
- Perhaps the epitome of a Henpecked Husband, Richard Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet") suffers this from his wife in Keeping Up Appearances.
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Hyacinth: "Mind the pedestrian, Richard." |
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- As this is a British show, "the pavement" means the sidewalk.
- Happens all the time on The Amazing Race when teams are tasked with driving themselves. As a bonus, because of the way the camera crew positions themselves in the car, the non-driving teammate is always positioned directly behind the driver.
Literature
- One troper remembers reading of a story about a wife who was constantly backseat driving, to the point that she couldn't enjoy her Sunday drives. This was in a Richard Scarry book.
- The role can occasionally be played by the Guy in Back, reminding the Ace Pilot not to burn up all of their fuel, or warning him of enemies coming up on their six. Of course, this is part of his job, but too much implies a lack of trust between them, or a certain fresh inexperienced quality about the guy in back.
Western Animation
- Master Splinter in the 2003 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles show.
- The Tex Avery cartoon Car of Tomorrow features a version specifically built for Backseat Drivers... with the steering wheel and everything else literally in the backseat!
Anime
- Yusei constantly gives this to Crow in the 2008 Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's show. Which Yusei tends to always show that Big Brother Instinct attitude of his. And that he had more experience turbo dueling than his buddy; Crow.