sitting on a motorcycle

[English4everyone]

How do you talk about this picture?
Do you say "the man in blue is sitting in the back of the man in white on a motorcycle"? Or do you say it another way?
Thanks.

 

[charliedeut]

Hi,

Actually, it looks as if he's just there as a paperweight so the carpets he's sitting pon won't fall :-D!

Greetings,

charliedeut

PS: I guess "paperweight" does not apply in this case, but I doubt "carpetweight" exists

PS2: Note that, whatever that is called, he's a reckless b*****d for not wearing a helmet :bad-word:. Even if the law allows you not to use it, it can still save your life! (Off-topic, I know)

 

[Rover_KE]

He's riding pillion.

Rover

 

[JMurray]

The man in blue is riding pillion on the motorbike. He is called a pillion passenger.

not a teacher

 

[BobK]

:up: 'riding pillion' is an interesting expression - I think it seems to apply only to motorcycles. When someone rides behind someone on a horse, 'riding pillion' would sound strange to me. And those kiddy-carrier seats that can be mounted behind a pedal cyclist surely arren't pillion seats :-?

b

 

[emsr2d2]

:up: 'riding pillion' is an interesting expression - I think it seems to apply only to motorcycles. When someone rides behind someone on a horse, 'riding pillion' would sound strange to me. And those kiddy-carrier seats that can be mounted behind a pedal cyclist surely arren't pillion seats :-?

b

Interestingly, according to Wikipedia (yes, I know it's not infallible):

A pillion is a mostly British English term for a secondary pad, cushion, or seat behind the main seat or saddle on a horse, motorcycle, bicycle or moped.[SUP][1][/SUP] A passenger in this seat is said to "ride pillion" or may themselves be referred to as a "pillion." The word is derived from the Gaelic for "little rug," pillean, which is itself from the Latin pellis for "animal skin." One or more pelts would often have been used as a secondary seat on horseback; the usage has carried over to motorcycles.

 

[bhaisahab]

This sort of thing is a fairly common sight in India.
Google Image Result for http://lh4.ggpht.com/_la_KMdDTtSI/Sq0Dsq2YmVI/AAAAAAAAAeI/5BuNnhzvdKs/Bikefor59.jpg

 

[Barb_D]

How do you talk about this picture?
Do you say "the man in blue is sitting in the back of the man in white on a motorcycle"? Or do you say it another way?
Thanks.

The man in blue is sitting behind the man in white.
The man in blue is sitting in back of the man in white

But not: In the back of, at least not in my dialect.

I'd never head the "pillion" phrase before to describe riding on a motorcycle.

 

[SoothingDave]

I would say "sitting behind."

"Pillion" is not used in AmE.

 

[emsr2d2]

The man in blue is sitting behind the man in white.
The man in blue is sitting in back of the man in white

But not: In the back of, at least not in my dialect.

I'd never head the "pillion" phrase before to describe riding on a motorcycle.

As Wikipedia suggested, "pillion" is a BrE phrase. On the same lines, in BrE, you won't hear "in back of" to mean "behind".

 

[BobK]

... The word is derived from the Gaelic for "little rug," pillean, which is itself from the Latin pellis for "animal skin." One or more pelts would often have been used as a secondary seat on horseback; the usage has carried over to motorcycles.[/B][/FONT]

This derivation for 'pillion' shows how near the mark charliedeut was!

b