Linguistics

Any linguists out there? I was crossing Chapman’s Peak pass today (see photo, taken from the cab of my microcar). It is famous for having been cut out of steep cliffs. It’s a toll road, and different fees are paid for motorbikes, cars, and various heavy vehicles. At the toll booth, an official said to me, “Is this a car or a motorbike?” He decided it was a motorbike. Another official shouted, “It’s NOT a motorbike!” A third called it a “little big truck”!