Pillion

Pillion

A pillion is a secondary pad, cushion, or seat behind the main seat or saddle on a horse, motorcycle, or moped. 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 the form a secondary seat took on horseback, and the usage was carried over to motorcycles.

Historical references

During the Second World War, the British Army introduced a requirement following the debacle in France in 1940 requiring all officers up to the rank of colonel to be proficient in the use of the motorcycle, and all officers holding the rank of brigadier were required to be able to ride pillion. These requirements came about as a result of the large number of motor cars that were lost in action. The requirement for riding pillion was quietly dropped as large numbers of jeeps came into service in the middle of the war. [cite book|author=Whitaker, Denis|title=Dieppe: Tragedy to Triumph]

Licensing and restrictions

To carry a pillion passenger in the United States or United Kingdom, one must hold an appropriate license for the vehicle and there must also be a proper seat and foot pegs for the passenger.

Pillion-riding is associated with terrorist or criminal attacks in some South Asian countries. In Pakistan, for instance, pillion riding is often banned by local authorities around sensitive times, such as the Ashura commemoration, when there have been violent attacks on worshippers. [cite news|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_18-2-2004_pg7_29|title=Pillion riding banned in Peshawar|date=February 18, 2004|accessdate=2007-11-23]

afety

Before carrying a pillion passenger on a motorbike, it is advisable to alter the suspension and adjust the headlight as the extra weight towards the back might tip the motorcycle backwards. A passenger will alter the handling characteristics of the vehicle, reducing stability at low speed as well as reducing the bike's braking and acceleration capacities.

A motorcycle's dynamics will change when there is a passenger riding on the pillion. It is the driver's responsibility to compensate for this and keep both rider and pillion safe. The driver can and should brief the pillion passenger to avoid mounting or dismounting when the driver is unprepared, use the footpegs, let the driver lean into curves instead of trying to help, relax, anticipate braking and acceleration, avoiding a clash of helmets or a lean backwards respectively. The passenger should know signals to give to the driver, which the driver should recognise. Similarly the driver should consider the passenger, as well as the changed dynamics of the motorcycle, taking curves much slower, and leaving a longer braking distance, for instance. [cite web|url=http://www.hartside.com/pillion.html|title=Be a happy pillion: Notes for pillions|other="Relax. Lean with the motorbike." and other advice.|accessdate=2007-10-31]

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pillion — Pil lion, n. [Ir. pillin, pilliun (akin to Gael. pillean, pillin), fr. Ir. & Gael. pill, peall, a skin or hide, prob. fr. L. pellis. See {Pell}, n., {Fell} skin.] A panel or cushion saddle; the under pad or cushion of saddle; esp., a pad or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • pillion — c.1500, of Celtic origin (Cf. Ir. pillin, Gael. pillin), ultimately from L. pellis skin, pelt (see FILM (Cf. film) (n.)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • pillion — ► NOUN ▪ a seat for a passenger behind a motorcyclist. ORIGIN originally denoting a woman s light saddle, or a cushion attached to a saddle for an additional passenger: from Irish pillín small cushion …   English terms dictionary

  • pillion — [pil′yən] n. [Gael pillean < peall, a hide, skin, ult. < L pellis: see FELL4] 1. a cushion attached behind a saddle for an extra rider, esp. a woman, as in medieval times 2. an extra saddle behind the driver s on a motorcycle …   English World dictionary

  • pillion — noun VERB + PILLION ▪ ride ▪ He drove his motorcycle, with me riding pillion. PILLION + NOUN ▪ seat ▪ passenger, rider …   Collocations dictionary

  • pillion — [[t]pɪ̱liən[/t]] pillions 1) ADV: ADV after v If someone rides pillion on a motorcycle or bicycle, they sit behind the person who is controlling it. She rode pillion on her son s motor bike. 2) N COUNT: oft N n On a motorcycle, the pillion is the …   English dictionary

  • pillion — /ˈpɪljən / (say pilyuhn) noun 1. a pad or cushion attached behind a saddle, especially as a seat for a woman. 2. an extra saddle behind the driver s seat on a motorcycle. –adjective 3. riding on a pillion: a pillion passenger. –adverb 4. on a… …  

  • pillion — pil|lion [ˈpıljən] n [singular] BrE [Date: 1400 1500; : Scottish Gaelic; Origin: pillean or Irish Gaelic pillin, from peall couch ] the seat behind the driver of a ↑motorcycle ▪ a pillion passenger >pillion adv ▪ Tom had never ridden pillion… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • pillion — pil|lion1 [ pıljən ] noun count a seat for a passenger behind the driver of a MOTORCYCLE pillion pil|lion 2 [ pıljən ] adverb ride pillion if someone rides pillion on a MOTORCYCLE, they sit behind the driver …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • pillion — I UK [ˈpɪljən] / US noun [countable] Word forms pillion : singular pillion plural pillions a seat for a passenger behind the driver of a motorbike II UK [ˈpɪljən] / US adverb ride pillion …   English dictionary

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