Why do we say 'on a bus' but 'in a car'?

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Why do we say 'on a bus' but 'in a car'? 'On a bus' gives me a picture of being on top of a bus.

Thanks.

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[+3] - contrex - 08/09/2013"...being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned." - Doctor Johnson

You can say 'in a bus' if you want. In general we can say we are on, or in, a public transport conveyance such as a bus, train boat, or plane as we choose, but only 'in a car'.

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@tanguatlay,

I think this is an awesome question. But I don't think there's any rules. It's just usage. In a taxi, on a tram, on a bike, in a rocket ship, on an aircraft carrier, in a submarine.

English is stupid.

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@hingehead,

Quote:

I think this is an awesome question.

Yes it is. When I asked my Better Half, who is much smarter than I, she replied that we might say "on" where the passengers have more freedom to walk around. Of course that wouldn't explain "in" a sub except for the increased feeling of enclosure

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@tanguatlay,

Yes, enclosure, as Dale mentioned, has something to do with it. in a store/car/taxi/... and I'd also say that public transportation has something to do with it.

Contrex:

Quote:

You can say 'in a bus' if you want. In general we can say we are on, or in, a public transport conveyance such as a bus, train boat, or plane as we choose,

I'll suggest that this isn't an "as we choose" issue. We use 'on' when we refer to the public transportation sense. We use 'in' when we refer to a specific situation, eg.

A: Where is Jack?

B: He's in/inside the bus.

Also "He's on the bus/ferry/ship/... .

And of course, as HH mentioned, there is an element of convention involved.

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"...being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned." - Doctor Johnson

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Thinking more about it you can be both in AND on planes and rockets, in balloons (even though you're suspended below it) and, with practice, you can be in the peloton on a bike.

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@hingehead,

Quote:

Thinking more about it you can be both in AND on planes and rockets

We use 'on' when we refer to the public transportation sense. We use 'in' when we refer to a specific situation, eg.

Quote:

in balloons (even though you're suspended below it)

I'd say that the 'in' refers to the gondola, Hinge.

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and, with practice, you can be in the peloton on a bike.

Dinna know what you mean. It must be biker lingo.

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@JTT,

JTT wrote:

Dinna know what you mean. It must be biker lingo.

A peloton is a group of riders in a bicycle race. They bunch together to conserve energy, slipstream off each other, etc.

I wonder if a group of race cars is called a peloton? Probably not, as a nascar fan would want to kick you ass for talkin' that kind of ****.

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@chai2,

Thanks, Chai.

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@JTT,

JTT wrote:

Thanks, Chai.

I have written a poem in honor of the occassion....

http://able2know.org/topic/21193-31#post-5409851

1 Reply

@chai2,

Kewl!

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@contrex,

Quote:

"...being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned." - Doctor Johnson

Ain't that the truth? I took one cruise ...and that was it.

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@hingehead,

This syntax look very complex.

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@JTT,

We learned in grammar, that on is used in connection with a larger vehicle made for many people, on the bus, on the train, on the ship and on the plane.
In is used for a smaller vehicle and a smaller room on the larger one.
In the compartment, in the cabin and in the toilet. My seat in the bus was brooken - if you think about a small area. My seat on the bus was brooken if you think about the bus.

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@saab,

I'd say that that's accurate, Saab.

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@JTT,

Think about it you sit in a helicopter - for heaven´s sake don´t sit on it and you sit in a "rowboat to China"

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@saab,

Quote:

Think about it you sit in a helicopter - for heaven´s sake don´t sit on it and you sit in a "rowboat to China"

There are other considerations, Saab. There is the idea of capture/surrounding. We sit on a chair but in an armchair. One can certainly sit on both a helicopter and a rowboat, but not in their conventional uses.

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@JTT,

On a chair and on the road - usually both have open sides.
In an armchair and in the street - usually both have closed sides. (houses on both sides or the arm of the chair)

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@tanguatlay,

Because car is comfortable and sign of status.

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Why do we say 'on a bus' but 'in a car'?

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