Jan 1, 2013 Traffic Law Amendments

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Originally Posted by ChinaV

Too often we blame the drivers, but at least half the problem is poor city planning and traffic light management. 4 way intersections with 180 second light cycles is bound to cause road rage in any society.

The sad part to all this is that it's not going to get better before it gets much, much worse. I've been out to dinner twice in the last 6 months as I simply can't stomach the 30 minutes it now takes to drive downtown and finding a parking spot. Routine 10 minute trips 5 years ago now exceed half an hour and sometimes can take over an hour at peak times.

2005 Trip to my favourite noodle restaurant = 7 kilometres / 3 traffic lights / 10-15 minutes
2013 Trip to my favourite noodle restaurant = 7 kilometres / 11 traffic lights / 30-45 minutes + mandatory parking fees since there are only 2000 parking spots for the 162,000 cars in my city. People walk in the middle of the street through the gridlocked traffic because all the sidewalks are filled with parked cars.

:taz:

A friend of mine bought a car 3 years ago and never put the plates on it. 85,000 kilometres later he has never been stopped and has no tickets :eek2:

Cheers!
ChinaV

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Same deal in my ex small town in China.It used to take me 15-20 minutes(a few years ago) to visit mother in law now it is a good half hour then you have to find somewhere to park which can take another 10-15 minutes.I say to all the people who are going for their car license and hit there goal of car ownership where are you going to park your new found so called freedom I am met with a look of disbelief when I ask them how many other people where going for there license and were they going to buy a car.

Funny enough in my small town in OZ the council provide free parking for motorcycles and charge for cars.They are extremely motorcycle friendly here at least once a night I will see the advertisement on TV for car drivers to watch out for motorcycles on the roads.

10% of the population here would own a motorcycle of some description.

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Originally Posted by Damo

I say to all the people who are going for their car license and hit there goal of car ownership where are you going to park your new found so called freedom I am met with a look of disbelief when I ask them how many other people where going for there license and were they going to buy a car.

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A Chinese friend told me that their father had a new car, A BYD. She said it stood for "Buy Your Dream". I said I had also thought it stood for "Bury Your Dreams".:icon10:

Attachment 9755

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

A Chinese friend told me that their father had a new car, A BYD. She said it stood for "Buy Your Dream". I said I had also thought it stood for "Bury Your Dreams".:icon10:

Attachment 9755

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Most Chinese I know just can't stomach buying a Chinese car.Now they won't buy a Japanese car.I asked some about American cars nope no go there too.

I said your running out of options.

Trying to buy my wife a car here.I said how about VW tiagun(I/we drove one in China seemed alright to me)She said someone told her VW are not very good.I said things have changed.AHH that saving face thing still haunts me on the other side of the world.

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Originally Posted by Damo

Trying to buy my wife a car here.I said how about VW tiagun(I/we drove one in China seemed alright to me)She said someone told her VW are not very good.I said things have changed.AHH that saving face thing still haunts me on the other side of the world.

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I love 'what someone else thinks' crap.:eek2:

'Other Chinese person' -Driven cars for likely 5 at most 10 years, -Has access to speculative biased opinions in a culture that has only been on wheels for 10 years.

'Me'-Driven cars, motorcycles and trucks for over 15-20 years, driven on 3 continents and 20 countries. -Has access to entire western free press and a culture of driving cars for over 100 years.

Weight of opinion in mind of Chinese spouse, about equal. :rolleyes1:

Driving schools raise tuitions due to tougher rules
2013-1-11 | Shanghai Daily Newspaper
________________________________


Students of driving institutions in Shanghai complained that they have to pay more money for the training as the schools had raised the tuition for both the new and the enrolled due to a rising cost since a new traffic law was launched this year.


With more rigorous rules, the passing rate of the driving examination had plunged to a record low level this year, which extended the learning process of each student as well as raising the cost of every institution.


Since yesterday, many driving schools had raised their tuition from around 4,500 yuan to around 7,000 yuan. Some schools even asked the students who had already paid and enrolled last year to pay more money to cover their raised cost.


Students from Hongyuan driving institution in Hongkou District, complained that they were asked to pay extra 500 to 1500 yuan for their courses otherwise the school would just refund the original tuition, which was just "outrageous and unacceptable."


"I think there should be another way and it's not right to ask us to pay more since we've already paid," a student told Shanghai Daily.


"We're still negotiating with the students. For us we didn't want the tuition to rise either, it's a market reflection," an employee of the institution on Kuizhao Road surnamed Zheng confirmed to Shanghai Daily.


"Before the new regulation, each teacher of us could recruit 36 to 40 students a year but right now each one of us can only cultivate less than 20."


Hongyuan was not the only school to charge extra tuition in the city, some schools in Minhang, Pudong and Baoshan districts had also started to charge the enrolled students as an underlying rule.


"Some of us had already been told to add money while most of us are still waiting for a better solution," said a student surnamed Shao in Jinlong driving school in Baoshan.


Local pricing authority had previously claimed that they would monitor the impropriate price rising of driving schools while had not yet started to intervene.


However, students who had signed contracts with the driving schools should not worry about the overcharge as they should be protected by the law, said Liu Chunquan, a local lawyer.


"Clearly the schools' request is ungrounded and if they stop the course or refund the money without the agreement of the student, they will be regarded as unilaterally terminate the contract," Liu explained to Shanghai Daily.


"The cost rising due to the new policy should be part of the business or operation risk to the company, which should not be transferred to the customers."


Students can just ask them to fulfill the contract and finish the course according to the terms, Liu suggested.


Teachers of Hongyuan complained that the price rising also upset themselves as they should lose many clients with the price as high as 7000 yuan.


"Before the New Year there were many students came and enrolled and few students had visited our office for these days," Zheng told Shanghai Daily.


"No one wants higher tuition. The whole industry is threatened by the new policy not because it's more difficult for the students but some regulation is just unreasonable."


Zheng said only 60 percent of the students who had passed the Subject One and Subject Two can take part in the exam of Subject Three while the other 40 percent have to wait for next time, according to the practice of the vehicle administration authority in Shanghai.


"It's pointless. Why only allow 60 percent of our students to join the exam? It's unfair to the other 40 percent and to us the schools as well," Zheng complained.


The association of driving schools had written a joint letter to the municipal government to appeal for the setting up of the quota limit, which was not listed in the new license regulations issued by the Ministry of Public Security of China this year.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

I love 'what someone else thinks' crap.:eek2:

'Other Chinese person' -Driven cars for likely 5 at most 10 years, -Has access to speculative biased opinions in a culture that has only been on wheels for 10 years.

'Me'-Driven cars, motorcycles and trucks for over 15-20 years, driven on 3 continents and 20 countries. -Has access to entire western free press and a culture of driving cars for over 100 years.

Weight of opinion in mind of Chinese spouse, about equal. :rolleyes1:

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Your lucky.

Weight of opinion in the mind of my Chinese spouse always favors some Chinese person or news report no matter how vague or distorted it is.:eekers:

Quote:

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Driving schools raise tuitions due to tougher rules
2013-1-11 | Shanghai Daily Newspaper
________________________________


Students of driving institutions in Shanghai complained that they have to pay more money for the training as the schools had raised the tuition for both the new and the enrolled due to a rising cost since a new traffic law was launched this year.


With more rigorous rules, the passing rate of the driving examination had plunged to a record low level this year, which extended the learning process of each student as well as raising the cost of every institution.


Since yesterday, many driving schools had raised their tuition from around 4,500 yuan to around 7,000 yuan. Some schools even asked the students who had already paid and enrolled last year to pay more money to cover their raised cost.


Students from Hongyuan driving institution in Hongkou District, complained that they were asked to pay extra 500 to 1500 yuan for their courses otherwise the school would just refund the original tuition, which was just "outrageous and unacceptable."


"I think there should be another way and it's not right to ask us to pay more since we've already paid," a student told Shanghai Daily.


"We're still negotiating with the students. For us we didn't want the tuition to rise either, it's a market reflection," an employee of the institution on Kuizhao Road surnamed Zheng confirmed to Shanghai Daily.


"Before the new regulation, each teacher of us could recruit 36 to 40 students a year but right now each one of us can only cultivate less than 20."


Hongyuan was not the only school to charge extra tuition in the city, some schools in Minhang, Pudong and Baoshan districts had also started to charge the enrolled students as an underlying rule.


"Some of us had already been told to add money while most of us are still waiting for a better solution," said a student surnamed Shao in Jinlong driving school in Baoshan.


Local pricing authority had previously claimed that they would monitor the impropriate price rising of driving schools while had not yet started to intervene.


However, students who had signed contracts with the driving schools should not worry about the overcharge as they should be protected by the law, said Liu Chunquan, a local lawyer.


"Clearly the schools' request is ungrounded and if they stop the course or refund the money without the agreement of the student, they will be regarded as unilaterally terminate the contract," Liu explained to Shanghai Daily.


"The cost rising due to the new policy should be part of the business or operation risk to the company, which should not be transferred to the customers."


Students can just ask them to fulfill the contract and finish the course according to the terms, Liu suggested.


Teachers of Hongyuan complained that the price rising also upset themselves as they should lose many clients with the price as high as 7000 yuan.


"Before the New Year there were many students came and enrolled and few students had visited our office for these days," Zheng told Shanghai Daily.


"No one wants higher tuition. The whole industry is threatened by the new policy not because it's more difficult for the students but some regulation is just unreasonable."


Zheng said only 60 percent of the students who had passed the Subject One and Subject Two can take part in the exam of Subject Three while the other 40 percent have to wait for next time, according to the practice of the vehicle administration authority in Shanghai.


"It's pointless. Why only allow 60 percent of our students to join the exam? It's unfair to the other 40 percent and to us the schools as well," Zheng complained.


The association of driving schools had written a joint letter to the municipal government to appeal for the setting up of the quota limit, which was not listed in the new license regulations issued by the Ministry of Public Security of China this year.

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I wonder if, maybe not yet but later it turns out going to the Philippines, Vietnam or elsewhere becomes easier or cheaper to study for and take the test a loop-hole will form and thousands of Chinese exodus to do their driving test elsewhere, then transfer it? :deal: Or is it that Chinese already must do their test in China

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Or is it that Chinese already must do their test in China

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One of my employees (Jiangxi Hukou) has an Australian driving license as he studied in Down Under and the vehicle management bureau in his small town did not accept his overseas driving license and he had to go the whole 9 yards for a Chinese one in 2012.....

Programmer posts driving exam questions
Shanghai Daily Newspaper
Jan 15, 2013


TENS of thousands of aspiring drivers are praising a local programmer for uploading the first study materials for China's new driving examination, which is considerably harder than previous examinations.


"Geek saves the world again!" a netizen posted after an Excel file containing 898 questions and answers was uploaded Thursday night by a programmer surnamed Ren.


Ren's job is programming applications for iPhone in an information technology business in Zhangjiang in the Pudong New Area.


The questions relating to Subject I of the 2013 driving test has become a hot topic on the Internet because it is the first study material available since the new traffic law went into effect this month.


National traffic authorities previously had said that no study materials are available. They have not commented on the Excel file.


While more than 100 students have posted on the Internet vouching for the document - which is available at no cost - as having been essential for their passing the exam, its origin and nature are shrouded in mystery.


At least one test-taker said questions on the actual test could be found in the document. "Thank you, I studied your guide until 1am today and on the test this morning, I found all the 100 questions were from your guide. Thank you! You're so great," one netizen wrote.


Ren, a 26-year-old programmer from Anhui Province, said he also is preparing for the driving test, so he was motivated to find a way to prepare.


Last week, Ren said he found software on the Internet which was like a simulation application of the driving exam.


After downloading the file, Ren, using Microsoft Excel, filtered duplicates among the 2,000 questions in the software.


Ren spent another five hours summing up hundreds of questions from 180 simulation tests and created a final version of the 898-question guide.


The simulation software was found on a Hangzhou-based website for driving study at www.jxedt.com. But the website's staff said they did not know the source of the software.


By yesterday, the Excel file containing 898 questions and answers had been downloaded more than 55,000 times.


Even the police posted the link to Ren's guide. "I think it is a good thing for people to prepare for the driving test," an officer told Shanghai Daily.


Ren's pool was turned to a PDF file to be more reader-friendly by a netizen identified as Ventter on Weibo on Sunday, and that document also had been downloaded hundreds of times by yesterday.


Donations sought for orphans


To prevent scalpers from taking advantage of his work and making profit from it, Ren created a link on Taobao.com to provide a free download as well as the link on Weibo.


Ren said he wants the users of his guide to consider contributing to the China Children and Teenagers' Fund.


He said he has set up a pay link on Taobao for contributions to be sent to him, after which he said he would send the money to the fund.


"I priced the guide at 1 yuan (16 US cents)," Ren said.


"And if anyone wants to download it for free, I would also provide the link."

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Originally Posted by euphonius

In civilized countries, it is an article of faith that you don't enter the yellow if you cannot exit the intersection before the light turns red.

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My understanding is that you always stop when the light turns yellow/orange, only when you can't stop in time at the line anymore you pass through yellow/orange light. Furthermore, as far as I know in countries with civilized traffic you only enter the box if you are able to exit it at the other end. In other words you don't even enter the box at green lights if you can't exit it at the other end.

@ ChinaV

From my experience in BJ, I'd say traffic flow is better during the normal timed setting of the traffic lights than when it's switched to manual and some police guy is controlling it (sometimes during rush hours). Besides, what they need is traffic lights with road sensors. And a traffic campaign (re-education) bigger than the olympics ;)

Cheers,
Barry

Curious if anyone has a study manual source for the NEW drivers exam in English? I have only vaguely made attempts to locate one, no avail. I was studying for the old test, some really F'd up question on that one...had to learn the WRONG thing to do in many situations. As if I am going to lay down on my bench seat in the event of a head on collision, assumes that I have a bench seat and totally defeats the purpose of those new fangled devices (Seat belts & Air bags) and I guess that I will never know the real reason why I need to honk my horn, and stop for a person wearing a cotton padded hat and long cotton coat. I mean, it could be wool, or nylon ya know...(yes real questions on practice test.)

Maybe the new test will actually be easier for westerners? Assuming they have modernized the "correct" actions for accidents, which I hope do not still include jumping out of the car in a side impact accident. Again, yes that was a real correct answer for the old test.

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Originally Posted by Lain

Curious if anyone has a study manual source for the NEW drivers exam in English? I have only vaguely made attempts to locate one, no avail. I was studying for the old test, some really F'd up question on that one...had to learn the WRONG thing to do in many situations. As if I am going to lay down on my bench seat in the event of a head on collision, assumes that I have a bench seat and totally defeats the purpose of those new fangled devices (Seat belts & Air bags) and I guess that I will never know the real reason why I need to honk my horn, and stop for a person wearing a cotton padded hat and long cotton coat. I mean, it could be wool, or nylon ya know...(yes real questions on practice test.)
.
.


Maybe the new test will actually be easier for westerners? Assuming they have modernized the "correct" actions for accidents, which I hope do not still include jumping out of the car in a side impact accident. Again, yes that was a real correct answer for the old test.

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I think you are asking for the impossible.
My wife has just got her 2013 book, (Chinese)
I really don't think there will be any English books any time soon.

Just learn the previous set of questions, and take the computer test, and see how you do.

You will just have to get used to the unusual way the questions are asked,
Whether the answer in your mind is right or wrong, or just plain stupid, doesn't matter.
Just give them the answer that gives you the point.
Get 90 of the points, get the licence.

Gra

+1 to Graham's very current assessment.

Lain, you clearly have been working from extremely outdated or nonstandard materials. The MCM thread on getting a Chinese motorcycle license includes the latest information, as well as offers by me to provide the universal question bank (in Chinese and English) that was official until 1 January when a new question bank was promulgated. You'd do well to spend time with materials that are as current as possible. There are a few questions that beggar logic, but actually not that many. Most of the questions are perfectly sensible. One hopes that the new question bank harmonizes even more with international practice.

You'll also see in the license thread that some guy is offering the new question bank in Chinese only for 1 rmb on Taobao. This is probably where Graham's wife found her copy. Given that your wife also reads Chinese, this could be your best option at the moment for learning current law in preparation for getting a license.

As ever, advanced search is your friend. The things you are hypothesizing about are largely covered in the MCM archives.

Good luck to you.

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Originally Posted by euphonius

......
As ever, advanced search is your friend. The things you are hypothesizing about are largely covered in the MCM archives.

Good luck to you.

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Not to be rude, but I did do a search, which yields so many results as to be about useless depending on how many different ways you perform the search....which I did, and led me to this thread. If every time I post a question and the reply is to find the answer using a search, it would not only frustrate new members, but defeat the entire purpose of having this forum. I mean why should I make an account and ask about anything if all I need to do is read the entire forum and have all my questions answered. (sarcasm) Again, not trying to be an ass, but 3 times I have been told to use a search rather than have a discussion..it is after all, a forum?

Graham, my wife will also soon attend driving school (car) after the we return home from the Chinese new year. Not sure if the driving school is up to teaching for the new test as I have heard about many complaints. Depending on how long the book is, I may have my friend translate it and post it here for everyone. He has an English school and give each of his teachers some pages to lighten the task of translation, he has done this before for my business documents. He just took the driving test, was shocked that virtually ALL of the questions were NOT from his study manuals and out of the 14 other students that took the test, he and 3 others were the only ones to pass.

Memorization of the test answers is all that matters, even if the correct answer is NOT the right thing to do. As a person who has raced cars (SS Street) and an avid MTB rider, I find the driving here to be an affront to my sensibility....but its strangely amusing and even fun. Inside Xiaolan the police do not care that I drive my little 50cc scooter around without a license but I am exceptionally mindful that its only inside my little town and the restriction to this little space is killing me. I am sure that when I take the test soon, it will not be difficult but I like to be as prepared as I can and all the changes make me hesitant.

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Originally Posted by Lain

Not to be rude, but I did do a search, which yields so many results as to be about useless depending on how many different ways you perform the search....which I did, and led me to this thread. If every time I post a question and the reply is to find the answer using a search, it would not only frustrate new members, but defeat the entire purpose of having this forum. I mean why should I make an account and ask about anything if all I need to do is read the entire forum and have all my questions answered. (sarcasm) Again, not trying to be an ass, but 3 times I have been told to use a search rather than have a discussion..it is after all, a forum?

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Sorry to give offense, Lain, but your sarcasm and indignation are misplaced. I've not kept track, but I think I've personally responded to several of your posts with detailed information, and I'm not the only one. So I think MCM has been a friendly and supportive resource. Yes, in each instance I've probably hinted that the information might have been found through your own search.

That said, I too have been frustrated by MCM search. It's not perfect, though advanced search when used properly can get what you need. And pleased don't bother with the basic search window that appears on every MCM page (upper right corner), which is useless. Another excellent and perhaps superior approach is to use Google. I just done separate google searches for "chinese motorcycle license" and "motorcycle license in china" and -- bang -- the first item either way is paydirt -- the MCM thread titled "Getting a Chinese Motorcycle License".

I appreciate your offer to help get the new drivers license question bank translated, and hope that Graham or another member can provide it to you if you cannot source it yourself through Taobao. It remains to be seen whether there will be a motorcycle-specific test. There supposedly was before, but none of us who took it was able to discern whether we were getting a general C1 exam or something specific to C1D and/or C1E. And as you go through the process of getting licensed, I'm confident that your posts about your experiences will be welcomed by all.

Bear up, friend.

Cheers!

No problems, and while I am a noob to this site...and even having a motorcycle (anywhere in the world) I am not a noob on forums having operated and hosted them on my own servers. Even my new company website will have a well integrated forum and social media platform that has been merged to operate seamlessly with the Magento e-commnerce system..I am an expert in websites, and you are correct the basic search is about useless. However the advanced search offers up too many results to be very useful, and if you use more than 3 words it often returns nothing. An advanced search using basic search words/phrases is frustrating at best. I do not fault the folks here, vBulletin is not really that good, especially since its a commercial product. Personally I prefer phpBB3, Kunena (Joomla) but I am a coder so I like "open" platforms. Also it could be more useful to have the site moderators merge subjects that are similar so searches return more accurate results.

The problem with Google searches are that, like so many issues in China, it greatly depends on where you live as to the correct answers. A forum is a good place to build a personal relationship with folks who may have and share real experiences from the area in question. Also I see that while there is a degree of user activity here, many of the search results are dated, often by several years. There is little useful information to be gleamed from a 3 year old post in a country where everything changes while you sleep. That said, yes you have replied with useful information and I am thankful, and as mentioned was not trying to be an ass.

Hi Lain,

Folk here really are good guys.
I wouldn't have passed my test without the help from here.

My wife Fay bought the download off Tabao as mentioned earlier. Just 1 quai.
Fay is Chinese, which is just as well, as the downloaded material is in Chinese.

I then enrolled Fay into a driving school just last week.
She go's for her computer test on 6th Feb.
They gave her a 2013 book to study.

If you want a copy of the Tabao download, just ask.
I have the pre January car and the pre January bike test questions if you want, in English.

You said earlier "Memorization of the test answers is all that matters, even if the correct answer is NOT the right thing to do. As a person who has raced cars (SS Street) and an avid MTB rider, I find the driving here to be an affront to my sensibility..."

Forget any thing about SS Street, get that out of your mind right away.

Good luck,

Gra.

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Originally Posted by Lain

No problems, and while I am a noob to this site...and even having a motorcycle (anywhere in the world) I am not a noob on forums having operated and hosted them on my own servers. Even my new company website will have a well integrated forum and social media platform that has been merged to operate seamlessly with the Magento e-commnerce system..I am an expert in websites, and you are correct the basic search is about useless. However the advanced search offers up too many results to be very useful, and if you use more than 3 words it often returns nothing. An advanced search using basic search words/phrases is frustrating at best. I do not fault the folks here, vBulletin is not really that good, especially since its a commercial product. Personally I prefer phpBB3, Kunena (Joomla) but I am a coder so I like "open" platforms. Also it could be more useful to have the site moderators merge subjects that are similar so searches return more accurate results.

The problem with Google searches are that, like so many issues in China, it greatly depends on where you live as to the correct answers. A forum is a good place to build a personal relationship with folks who may have and share real experiences from the area in question. Also I see that while there is a degree of user activity here, many of the search results are dated, often by several years. There is little useful information to be gleamed from a 3 year old post in a country where everything changes while you sleep. That said, yes you have replied with useful information and I am thankful, and as mentioned was not trying to be an ass.

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what's next? drum roll..... sales pitch trying to sell your service or forums....

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Originally Posted by TB-Racing

what's next? drum roll..... sales pitch trying to sell your service or forums....

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Well I am starting to witness a pattern of similar behavior. Nice to know how you make new members feel, um...welcome.

There will be no offers for services that I don't provide. I host my own companies and feeder sites. I will refrain from commenting on your "PMS" issues, though it is is tempting given your remarks.

Graham,
How big is the new 2013 test book they gave your wife? Is it something that can be easily translated? I would love a copy if you have a digital (PDF/Word) version that I can have translated. If I can get my friend to translate it I most certainly will upload a copy here for all to share. In all honesty I am tossing out any thoughts of the previous test material after my friend said the new test had NONE of the old questions. He is Chinese, but speaks perfect English AND French! At the moment I am just getting ready for everything, doing the research, obtaining prices on several models of bikes and trying to disseminate fact from fiction about Chinese bikes which I will most likely end up with...the wife's not to pleased about the idea of me spending 40~55,000 rmb on a bike. She is hinting (loudly) at about half that amount....:frump:

Your comment about the SS Street, ya I know. I had to sell my 72 Mustang , 514 stroked motor drag car when I found that it was impossible to import it here...took it to the strip and wasted a set of tires and 4 nitrous bottles before I gave it to the new owner, sad day...but did manage to rip a 9.32 @ 149 its 3rd best run ever.

Some things I will forever miss here while I live in China, a good steak, carpeted floors and highly modified street legal cars.

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Originally Posted by Jonsims

The mentality here is "PASS THE TEST" and then do what you like. The problem is very few people "learn" how to drive. Their objective is to pass the test. ....

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Second that, however I am not entirely of the belief that its all their fault, I mean after all for what is most likely the vast majority of new car drivers its not only their first car...its the first car in the family. I grew up in America, was driving an F150 truck on my Uncles farm at 13 and had a temp permit at 15 to drive. My parents brought me home at birth from the hospital in a car and like most westerners grew up in a car culture. Not so here in China. They take the same mentality in driving as they do walking, which is as best as I can tell...."I was here first so go around me."

Its not that I think most don't know how to drive, or stand in an orderly like its just what everyone else does so that's how it works. The government placed several dozen new cameras in my small town (in a highly visible manner) and within a week there was a NOTICEABLE difference in driving skills on display, a halving of red light runners and even moto-taxis started wearing helmets (albeit with the chin strap undone)

Much like anywhere else in the world, people here know better but the police appear uninterested in enforcement of traffic laws...maybe that would change drastically if the police got 10% for every citation, not that I advocate the idea. I clearly remember taking my Chinese wife to Hong Kong for the first time and maybe within an hour hearing here say to me....they drive really good here! Out of nowhere such a keen observation, and she does not even drive yet.

And to reply about the test...that IS the Chinese way for students...its ALL about passing tests. Sadly little independent thought is involved and its about memorization, not critical thought or problem solving. Many students at my friends English school say they hate this method, memorize, test, memorize some more....test....etc.

I am pleased to see the government begin to address the matters, the number one cause of death in China is automobile accidents, then cancer. Given the number of actual cars on the road, that is amazing to me and gives me pause for my yearning to get a bike...ok, pause over still getting a ride.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lain

Graham,
How big is the new 2013 test book they gave your wife? Is it something that can be easily translated? I would love a copy if you have a digital (PDF/Word) version that I can have translated. If I can get my friend to translate it I most certainly will upload a copy here for all to share. In all honesty I am tossing out any thoughts of the previous test material after my friend said the new test had NONE of the old questions. He is Chinese, but speaks perfect English AND French! At the moment I am just getting ready for everything, doing the research, obtaining prices on several models of bikes and trying to disseminate fact from fiction about Chinese bikes which I will most likely end up with...the wife's not to pleased about the idea of me spending 40~55,000 rmb on a bike. She is hinting (loudly) at about half that amount....:frump:

Your comment about the SS Street, ya I know. I had to sell my 72 Mustang , 514 stroked motor drag car when I found that it was impossible to import it here...took it to the strip and wasted a set of tires and 4 nitrous bottles before I gave it to the new owner, sad day...but did manage to rip a 9.32 @ 149 its 3rd best run ever.

Some things I will forever miss here while I live in China, a good steak, carpeted floors and highly modified street legal cars.

---

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Hi Lain,

The new book is 23cm x 18,5cm
There are 73 pages
Too much to scan and translate.

Really, I would just learn the pre January 2013 questions, learn them off by heart, and have a go.

I would like my Corvette here or my WS6 Trans Am here, but sold them prior.

This is the front cover of the book.
Should be easy to buy, I guess it doesn't cost more than 50 quai.


Attachment 10060
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Attachment 10061

Gra.

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Originally Posted by Lain

Second that, however I am not entirely of the belief that its all their fault, I mean after all for what is most likely the vast majority of new car drivers its not only their first car...its the first car in the family. I grew up in America, was driving an F150 truck on my Uncles farm at 13 and had a temp permit at 15 to drive. My parents brought me home at birth from the hospital in a car and like most westerners grew up in a car culture. Not so here in China. They take the same mentality in driving as they do walking, which is as best as I can tell...."I was here first so go around me."

Its not that I think most don't know how to drive, or stand in an orderly like its just what everyone else does so that's how it works. The government placed several dozen new cameras in my small town (in a highly visible manner) and within a week there was a NOTICEABLE difference in driving skills on display, a halving of red light runners and even moto-taxis started wearing helmets (albeit with the chin strap undone)

Much like anywhere else in the world, people here know better but the police appear uninterested in enforcement of traffic laws...maybe that would change drastically if the police got 10% for every citation, not that I advocate the idea. I clearly remember taking my Chinese wife to Hong Kong for the first time and maybe within an hour hearing here say to me....they drive really good here! Out of nowhere such a keen observation, and she does not even drive yet.

And to reply about the test...that IS the Chinese way for students...its ALL about passing tests. Sadly little independent thought is involved and its about memorization, not critical thought or problem solving. Many students at my friends English school say they hate this method, memorize, test, memorize some more....test....etc.

I am pleased to see the government begin to address the matters, the number one cause of death in China is automobile accidents, then cancer. Given the number of actual cars on the road, that is amazing to me and gives me pause for my yearning to get a bike...ok, pause over still getting a ride.

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Thank you for this "Understand China in 2 minutes".
Perhaps you should publish it.

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Originally Posted by 998S

Thank you for this "Understand China in 2 minutes".
Perhaps you should publish it.

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Thanks for the warm, fuzzy feeling of sarcasm. Do ya feel better now?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Graham

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Hi Lain,

The new book is 23cm x 18,5cm
There are 73 pages
Too much to scan and translate.

Really, I would just learn the pre January 2013 questions, learn them off by heart, and have a go.
I would like my Corvette here or my WS6 Trans Am here, but sold them prior.

This is the front cover of the book.
Should be easy to buy, I guess it doesn't cost more than 50 quai.
Gra.

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Thanks Graham, your reply is greatly appreciated.

Hmm, well 73 pages is a bit much to scan but still a translation might be possible with a little time. I am sure there are many pages that can be scanned using OCR to speed things up a bit, even if not perfect in Chinese. After the Chinese New Year my wife will be enrolled in the driving school down the street, so I am sure to get a copy of it. After she passes her exam I will remove the pages and scan it into my system. I have a sheet fed scanner with OCR, so it will go quickly. I will do what I can to get a translation...but time will tell if I still feel inspired to share it here?

Sorry to also hear about the cars, I am hopeful now as I saw a new Dodge Hemi Challenger a few weeks ago in Zhonghshan, not sure if imported or now available, maybe Mustangs soon?

It just hit me as I look at the book cover, but I do find it rather appropriate that the car is driving left of center!!

Attachment 10067

Sorry but have to revive this thread. Does anyone know what has to be done when you actually reach the 12 points? I know they will be automatically reset at the end of the year, but what happens when you reach the 12 and you really need your license half way the year.

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Originally Posted by Rene184

Sorry but have to revive this thread. Does anyone know what has to be done when you actually reach the 12 points? I know they will be automatically reset at the end of the year, but what happens when you reach the 12 and you really need your license half way the year.

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You buy points on other people's driving licences.. You they are from 100 to 200 rmb each.. You don't put the points on your own driving license..

In most countries you lose the points three years after you receive them. China, being a copycat type country probably has the same or similar rules.

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

In most countries you lose the points three years after you receive them. China, being a copycat type country probably has the same or similar rules.

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If you want to talk about most other countries you can but here in China it's one year.

You buy the points on other people's licenses and it solves the problem of you going over the 11 pts

There are other ways.. I used to share stuff but I'll keep this one for myself..

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Originally Posted by Jonsims

If you want to talk about most other countries you can but here in China it's one year.

You buy the points on other people's licenses and it solves the problem of you going over the 11 pts

There are other ways.. I used to share stuff but I'll keep this one for myself..

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One year seems way too lax, but checked it, you're right.

Other people selling points cannot be legal so if caught the punishment will be much worse than the original crime.

Most points are gained from running reds and speeding, nearly all cameras facing forward you've got to be pretty idiotic to build up 12 points in a year or even three on a bike. Although if you drove a car everyday you could easily gain points very quickly.