back-seat driver

back-seat driver

See also: backseat driver

English

Alternative forms

• backseat driver

Noun

back-seat driver (plural back-seat drivers)

1. (dated) An occupant of a large vehicle, such as a firetruck, who helps steer the vehicle from far in the back.
   • 1914, Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine, USA:

     When New York pitcher Vernon Gomez retires as a smokeballer he wants to become a smoke eater. Here he gets a tryout as a back-seat driver on a hook and ladder truck at St. Petersburg […]

2. A person sitting (typically) in the back seat of a car issuing (unsolicited and usually unwanted) instructions to the driver.
3. (figuratively) An opinionated person who offers (unsolicited and often unwanted) advice on the best way to handle a situation.

Usage notes

• The figurative definition is far more common.

Translations

advising passenger

Finnish: takapenkkikuljettaja, takapenkkikuski French: mouche du coche (fr) Icelandic: aftursætisbílstjóri m Russian: поме́ха спра́ва f (poméxa správa) /lit:hindrance from the right/ Swedish: baksätesförare c

unwanted advocate

Hungarian: fogadatlan prókátor (hu)

See also

• armchair quarterback, armchair general, back-seat gamer, gatecrasher, interloper, peeping tom, persona non grata, encroacher, kibitzer, meddler, nosy parker, marplot, buttinsky, busybody