backseat driver

A passenger who gives unasked-for and usually unwanted advice to the driver of a vehicle; by extension, anyone who inter- feres without having real responsibility or authority. The term originated in the United States during the 1920s, when many automobiles were chauffeur- driven and their passengers sat in the backseat, often quite legitimately telling the chauffeur where to go. Today the passenger’s location is irrele- vant, the term being principally figurative. It has largely replaced the older ARMCHAIR GENERAL. See also MONDAY-MORNING QUARTERBACK and the very different TAKE A BACKSEAT.