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Shanghai to cut car plate stock to 9,000
2013-5-15 | NEWSPAPER EDITION Shanghai Daily
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SHANGHAI will reduce the supply of car plates to 9,000 and lower a price ceiling designed to curb soaring plate prices to 79,900 yuan (US$13,098) at this month's auction, authorities said yesterday.
The cut marked a reverse from last month when the quota was raised to 11,000 from 9,000 in response to rising demand in conjunction with the Shanghai auto show and the May Day holiday travel period.
The city government will trim the number of car plates by 2,000 at the auction set for May 25.
Meanwhile, the government will cut the price ceiling to 79,900 yuan from 83,600 yuan in April and bids exceeding the price would be rejected by the online auction system in the first round of bidding.
The upper price limit this month is the weighted average price of the average successful bids in the four months from December 2012 to March 2013. The price ceiling for June will be the weighted average price of the average successful bids in the five months from November 2012 to March 2013, according to the authorities.
Based on the evaluation of the results from the April trial, the city government will continue to implement price ceiling before a new auction scheme is launched in the second half of the year, authorities said.
Car plate prices in Shanghai fell for the first time in 10 months to 84,100 yuan in April after the city government set a price ceiling for the first time at last month's auction.
OK, let's get this right: they are reducing the number of car plates being issued at auction per month, thus increasing their value, yet also capping the bids at 79,900 rmb. I guess this means that everyone will bid 79,900 and the authorities will use some random means (thick red packets?) to determine which bidders get the precious plates. What worries me is that this could be what's driving bike plate prices higher. If somebody is desperate for a car plate, and money is not an object, they will turn to the ONLY OTHER LEGAL SOURCE of plates -- motorcycles. Unless the rules have changed, you can transfer a bike plate over to a car, but you cannot transfer a car plate over to a bike. Thus each time someone transfers a bike plate to a car, the absolute pool of available bike plates drops by one, making them even scarcer -- and driving prices up further. And because bike plates are not issued and traded at auction like car plates, but rather trade through private agents, there is no government authority that is involved in even attempting to control price increases.
I'm glad Shanghai is restricting vehicle numbers, which should be adopted as a model for all of China. But the devil is in the details, and these methods they are using are inherently unfair, short-sighted and inviting of corruption. Then again, TIC.
cheers
Euphonius
I'm with you Euphonius, as I read the post TB-Racing made above yours, last night. I rolled my eyes, at the logical (free) methodology applied. Just another TIC moment. It would be interesting to know if any potential plate bidder who unsure of their chances with their agent, takes the alternative route to secure a bike plate with the sole purpose of plate type conversion as you suggest (a point you've made several times in other posts). The real problem lay with many different parts of government both on the local, municipal, district, provincial and centrally having multiple and at times contradictory policies and agendas. Often working in odds and an uncoordinated fashion to one another, sending very mixed messages if one could objectively get to see all the various policies, legislation and the like side-by-side in the one place. Akin to the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing.
To think of balance, harmony, Yin-Yan (Ying-Yang) & Qi concepts in the same breath with my vision of China (all concepts I learnt via various martial art participation decades ago, as beliefs I held dear as a fundamental philosophical cornerstones underpinning those martial art disciplines) - hypocrisy. My time in PRC has shattered those illusions and long ago too I might add.
Since it's kind of related to the topic, I had been in recent contact with a foreigner selling a near new (he refers to it as new) 650NK a few months old, ~3000km for sale up in SH. No plate though (likely due to the price and supply issues). He has/had all the correct documents, fapiao etc, to get the bike plated. We never got to complete the sale, since his asking price was too high and far more than what I could source a new one for.
A few days ago the seller contacted me, asked if I've a PRC drivers license (yes). Then informs me, he doesn't. oh owh! He was riding in SH, several days ago & stopped by the Police. They confiscated his bike, for him not having a PRC drivers license, and the bike for not having a plate. Roll eyes moment.
Sounds like he needs help, as he doesn't know anyone with a PRC drivers license to assist him get his bike back, and I live too far away.
I'm of two minds. Serves him right, for not being legal - his bed let him lay in it. On the other hand, maybe circumstances conspire against him to make it near on impossible for him to be legal. Notwithstanding that in the latter situation he still had a choice to ride or not. If he needs his saddle time fix, he could of gone to Tian Ma circuit for track days etc.
I also thought riding driving without a license was also punishable with a compulsory short term residency compliments of the local constabulary?
Any takers willing to help? I have his mobile if someone is willing to help the guy out with his sticky dilemma. Otherwise any other words of advice I can pass on his way?
Wow, OK, if anyone -- morons and idiots in particular, to paraphrase TB-Racing -- is still in denial about the very real downsides of riding without legal license, plates and insurance, this tale from bikerdoc should warm your cockles but good. Once again, here's some holier-than-thou expat (I assume) who thinks his foreign face makes him cool and immune to the law. As we boring elders say again and again, how would you feel if a Chinese or other foreign rider showed such contempt for the laws in your own country? (OK, maybe he's from DPRK and didn't know any better.)
As for helping to bail out this moron's bike, I'd be willing to give it a shot -- but not until I return to Shanghai next week. My interest is more intellectual than humanitarian. I'd like to learn more about the legal procedures and precedents that the authorities are using to manage dimwitted scofflaws like our fellow rider here. :asshat:
Cheers
Euphonius
Already happening in Vancouver, where lots of rich ML Chinese students are "studying." They are buying supercars, sport bikes, etc and then race around "looking cool." Most of these Chinese drivers are unlicensed (it is a long, "graduated" process to get a DL in Canada). The "locals" are getting pissed off, to say the least, and there have been several altercations between the Chinese students and the "boys from the burbs" (aka Surrey rednecks in Ram Powerwagons).Quote:
Originally Posted by euphonius
I have been "reading" (using Google Chrome translate) a few of the large Chinese MC forums in Beijing. There is a notable, and growing anti-foreigner sentiment coming through ... R9 riders on the ring roads, running lights, etc., with no helmet, etc., ... and obviously a foreigner. Lots of resentment towards foreigners who act like little emperors/empresses.
"morons" "idiots" "dimwitted scofflaws" ... I, being but one boring elder, prefer "f'n shithead" as the appropriate moniker. I'm retired - I don't have to watch my language any more.
Get Off My Lawn!
:wheelchair:
They might get him into detention later as the detention houses might be full and over crowded. There is this clever & smart individual from Denmark that got caught in Shanghai (Hongqiao Area) with his motor-vehicle earlier this year, tried to bribe his way out with 5000RMB cash and got thrown right away into the Qingpu detention house, released after 10 days and was told to report back three days later to start his 10 day detention for trying to bribe a police officer as the first detention session was for operating a motor-vehicle without the proper license, serves them right in my opinion.... oh, yes they confiscated his passport to make sure he came back for another holiday in the detention house.....Quote:
Originally Posted by bikerdoc
He is a serious candidate for the clown - moron - idiot foreigner award of the year, voting will be done in December 2013.Quote:
Originally Posted by bikerdoc
Not only in Canada, but also in Euph's own backgarden Caifornia.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou
My friend is there for some family stuff, and shares a rental car with some Chinese.
None of them have transfered their Chinese DL to a USA one, or whatever the procedure is to be allowed to drive there. Asked about it, they just laughed it off...
No need to transfer, no cryptic procedures. Any valid driver's license from around the world is acceptable in the U.S. as long as it can be read by a police officer. Being that the China DL has English and Chinese on it, I'm willing to bet 99% of the LEO's out there wouldn't care if you had an IDP or not. Motor vehicle laws can vary from state to state, but in the case of your friend in California.Quote:
Originally Posted by 998S
According to the California Vehicle Code
12502. (a) The following persons may operate a motor vehicle in this state without obtaining a driver's license under this code:
(1) A nonresident over the age of 18 years having in his or her immediate possession a valid driver's license issued by a foreign jurisdiction of which he or she is a resident, except as provided in Section 12505...
12503. A nonresident over the age of 18 years whose home state or country does not require the licensing of drivers may operate a foreign vehicle owned by him for not to exceed 30 days without obtaining a license under this code...
12505. (a) (1) For purposes of this division only and notwithstanding Section 516, residency shall be determined as a person's state of domicile. "State of domicile" means the state where a person has his or her true, fixed, and permanent home and principal residence and to which he or she has manifested the intention of returning whenever he or she is absent...
If your drivers license is in English and says what it is and explains what type of vehicle you are allowed to drive you should have no problems. If your drivers license is NOT in English, get an international Drivers Permit:
I understand that we're guests here, and we need to abide by the rules, but it's rather pathetic that China doesn't offer its American guests the same courtesies we afford them. I think if you take a look around most of the world today, it's pretty easy to rent a car and drive on whatever license you have. I still get an IDP every year when I go back to America, but I've never had to use it.
Cheers!
ChinaV