First railway train in Germany

Perhaps this picture can explain the special use of "on" + vehicle. In the beginning locomotives, train wagons, motor-cars had no closed cabin, they were open like open horse-drawn coaches and "on" would be normal. It may well be that this way of expression got so strongly fixed in the minds of the speakers, that it didn't change anymore, though things changed completely.

I don't know whether this explanation holds water, but at least it can help those who have difficulty with this special use of 'on'. It could make this use plausible.

Thanks, I didn't find the suitable pictures of English trains, motor-cars, and buses at short notice. A picture of an early open motor-car would be fine in this thread.

Wow! - That's actually an early snowmobile - a classic photo of a classic car.
This is the earliest design I can find (American).



However, one rides in a car, not on it - I guess this is because, before cars became available to the general public with the first Fords, they were covered (even if it was just an oiled canvas top.)

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Though lovers be lost, love shall not, and Death shall have no dominion. - Dylan Thomas

Ah, yes; the old on/in/by conundrum.

We get on the bus, but we get in the car We get on the airplane and the train, but we get in bed.

Most types of transport can be referred to as going by: I'll be going by plane to the meeting. As we get in line to board the plane we call it getting on the plane all the while entering the door and going into the plane, yet we never refer to it as getting in the plane: Hurry, the doors are closing; we have to get on that plane!

Drag0nspeaker, I can never resist asking for clarification. Is "Going for a ride on/by .........?' correct?

Ravindra, as far as I know either on or by is correct when referring to transportation.

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Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. -Oscar Wilde

You go in a boat,but on a ship.

I've often thought that which word is used depends also on the ability to control the conveyance, or proximity to the one who is in control.

With a boat, carriage or car, one rides "in"; notice that one can control, or is close to the one who controls it.

A bus, a train or plane is "on"; notice that one neither controls, nor is close to the controller.

I really don't know if that is the influence, but it is an odd coincidence if not.

Btw, I don't recall ever hearing anyone say sit on a chair. That may just be a regional thing, however.

It's always sit in a chair. We do sit on a stool or couch, however. That one is odd also. It may have something to do with the number of people that can sit on or in a piece of furniture.

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A great many people will think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices. ~ William James ~

DragOnspeaker wrote: we sit in a car

Thank you, Dragon, I've totally overlooked that 'car' isn't one of those 'on-vehicles', only train and bus (and some others as plane etc) are used with 'on'.

I was thinking about this today and thought of old historical horsedrawn coaches where you really had steps to climb
on the coach. And as trains and buses have steps even today and you have to climb to enter these vehicles on is somehow understandable.

The same is true for a plane. For entering a plane you need a special gangway to climb onboard.