ZMC's Attempt to get a Chinese License Blog

After a few years of being 'technically' illegal on the Chinese roads ZMC has decided to attempt to get a Chinese driving license both car and motorcycle. :lol8: (Andy will be pleased) In my opinion the whole system is a farce. :rolleyes1: Why can Chinese people go to other countries to drive but it is so hard for foreigners to drive here? Also I have already jumped through these hoops in my home country, I have already sat a test and passed it for motorcycle, car and have even have a license for goods vehicles (full sized semi-trailers, commercial license) and I am licensed to even drive coaches (non-commercial license). I have also done many hours of advanced training.

I will attempt to do the whole application myself, and will document the time it takes. I will do this as cheaply as possible using a bicycle.

Day 1 -
-Went to police office, was told to get my foreign license translated by the local foreign affairs department.
-Went to foreign affairs department, it had moved, so took taxi to new location.
-Got to new foreign affairs office, told me as well as passport and home license, I also need a stamped letter from my employer to prove I really work here. But employer is shut until 15th February.

Time thus far spent - 2 hours
Money spent - 11 RMB
Weeks/months spent getting license - 1 day

Wait for the next thrilling installment! Will ZMC get a license or won't he?! :lol8:

Only the Shadow knows! :icon10:

:popcorn:

CC

Next installment will be in 10 days, when I can get a stamped letter from my employer! :eek2:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CrazyCarl

Only the Shadow knows! :icon10:

:popcorn:

CC

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What evil lurks in the heart of men:thumbsup:

Subcribed:thumbsup:. Good luck ZMC.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

After a few years of being 'technically' illegal on the Chinese roads ZMC has decided to attempt to get a Chinese driving license both car and motorcycle. :lol8: (Andy will be pleased)

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:eekers::eekers::eekers: :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

In my opinion the whole system is a farce. :rolleyes1: Why can Chinese people go to other countries to drive but it is so hard for foreigners to drive here? :lol8:

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Indeed ridiculous. From what I've heard, there are ongoing talks between the EU (maybe others as well) and Chinese negotiators regarding this topic (Embassy source). But whenever some EU officials are meeting Mr. ialaD amaL or are otherwise meddling in their "internal affairs", the whole thing comes to a halt.

The best of luck for your :deal:

Andy

Thanks for the support Andy! :thumbsup:

The whole process could come to a halt at any time, my employer could decide that they'd prefer to 'protect' me (stopping themselves getting in trouble) by refusing to issue the stamped letter. :eek2: That probably won't happen, as they have already helped someone else get their license.

It may seem a little bit cynical, but having talked to many Chinese nationals in English and Chinese about his, many Chinese nationals want to believe that foreigners are not capable or not able to drive in China. I even known isolated cases where Chinese have become angry, annoyed or incredulous about the fact that a foreigner has a Chinese driving license. I have often heard them say 'we drive differently in China to other countries, so a foreigner wouldn't be able to drive here'. I've even heard this from my Chinese boss, and even my wife! (I think this is because many Chinese know that they aren't very good drivers and are acting out of feeling insecure). If they really had a significantly different driving system, with very different rules this could be arguable, but they don't, as they have copied their driving rules from South Korea, and the USA, however most people don't really understand the rules, hence the chaos!

The fact is, it seems many Chinese nationals would be more comfortable with the idea that foreigners not be able to drive on the roads here, so there will be no pressure for change internally.

We could a make an issue out of this, and have foreign governments preventing Chinese nationals from driving on roads overseas, but knowing Chinese culture well, this would simply backfire badly.

Hopefully sometime in March I should be fully licensed......:riding:

Of course, if I can't get one, I won't ride at all! :lol8: :pigsfly2:

It would just be nice to ride past a police traffic patrol without any sense of paranoia, knowing I'm 100% legal! :deal:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

It would just be nice to ride past a police traffic patrol without any sense of paranoia, knowing I'm 100% legal! :deal:

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Even with correct documents you will have that feeling.
They can always fuck you for something....

anyway good luck. I got my license just because of luck.:rolleyes1:

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Originally Posted by tokyokid

Even with correct documents you will have that feeling.

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I've been in China long enough, and seen what has happened to people like Brice to know not to feel too comfortable. :eek2:

That is a potential trap over here, some people are 100% legal, but that is no guarantee of being safe. Anyone that has an accident evolving someone well connected, who has important government friends, or a friend who is a judge or senior police officer, may well find that fault can be shifted, and the tables turned. :eekers:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

I have often heard them say 'we drive differently in China to other countries,

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They say it because they do.

The letter from the employer is a new one. Not heard of that before.......but TIC and they can and do just make obstacles up as necessary.

I got my license in Shanghai.......easy really and a bit of a laugh. I first got a Temporary which is good just for cars because my passport wasn't valid for a year........got a new passport, took the additional weird practical tests and got the full license. I wrote in the D endorsement on my paperwork myself while I was doing the tests because they were a bit reluctant to give me one.......when I got to the person who actually types in and issues the license she was none the wiser.

Some of the practical tests administered by the men in white coats were hilarious, I don't think that they subject you to those anymore.......more's the pity.

Day 2 -
-Got the stamped letter from my employer
-Photocopied my home license, and my resident visa and passport photo page
-Went to foreign affairs office
-Got license translated, cost me 200 RMB
-Went to police office to find out about next stage

Will need:
-Special police photos (some place 10KM away)
-Medical check (not sure where this is).

Time thus far spent (including travel) - 4 hours
Money spent - 214.6 RMB
Weeks/months spent getting license - 12 days

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Day 2 -
-Will need:
-Special police photos (some place 10KM away)
-Medical check (not sure where this is).

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Sounds more complicated than Sichuan (at least once you actually got someone to administer you the test).

The police photos thing sounds strange. A photo is a photo and I'm not sure why you need a "special" one from a particular police station or what the difference may be. Be interesting to find out!

The medical check is pretty much a quick and dirty vision check... nothing to worry about. In Chengdu it was performed in the licensing office... which I though made an unusual amount of sense and was almost too convenient. :icon10:

CC

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CrazyCarl

A photo is a photo and I'm not sure why you need a "special" one from a particular police station or what the difference may be. Be interesting to find out!

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There is a national database for photos here now. When you get photos for a visa, license, etc., the photo store you go to will log into a special website and upload the pics to the database. They give you a small CD and a paper that has a special code that relates to your pictures. I think it was about 60 yuan with 6 printed pictures included. You need to have this paper when you apply for your residence permit, health check, etc. No more printing your own, that was far too inexpensive and convenient :rolleyes1:.

TIC and YMMV

Cheers!
ChinaV

There seems to be some confusion about where to go to get the health check and the police photos. Until we can resolve this, the process has stalled! :eek2:

I remember this very well! Us Expats they send to a Clinic (lost the Name) along 5.Ringroad, close to Fragrance Hill. This Clinic is very new and specialised for Visa-Health-Check for Foreigners. There I have got the wrong Form.
Afterwards they told me, that you can go to every Hospital doing the Health-Check for Driving Licences, even we Foreigners.
Consist on the right Form, a A4 single Paper.
Wish you luck!
Sabine

I believe it was any 'provincial level' hospital for the exam.

If the Chinese drivers are anything like how I remember the Asian drivers were in the 1980's in Los Angeles:eekers: then they should be begging "foreigners" to get licenses to show the locals how to drive!! :lol8:

Day 3

School finally figured out where to go to get special police photo and health check (was only and eye check in the end). Took all the information to another traffic police department. License is ready to be issued.

Have to go to do a multiple choice test in English on Friday, so it means I may have a license by next week. :thumbsup:

Time thus far spent (including travel) - 6 hours
Time thus far (not including travel) - 1.5 hours
Money spent - 354.6 RMB
Weeks/months spent getting license - 28 days

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Day 3


Have to go to do a multiple choice test in English on Friday, so it means I may have a license by next week. :thumbsup:

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The questions and correct answers were on the net at one time..........I think the Police updated the questions though. However, I remember some of the correct answers were not what you would have expected them to be even after 25 years driving experience.

I was pondering the traffic situation with tokyokid the other day and concluded that a significant portion of the road traffic in China is people shuffling around trying to find the right place to get things done. Your statistics support the theory :lol8:

Good luck with the test, tell them you don't understand the dialect of english the test was translated in, they will probably let you slide :icon10: .

I'm sure you will be flashing that new license soon :thumbsup:

Cheers!
ChinaV

Driving on a road covered with ice or snow, try your best not to turn the steering wheel lest the vehicle should _____

A. Skid
B. Slide
C. Slip

Hmm? :confused1: Tricky! :lol8:

Anyone got any links so I can avoid making 'mistakes' by studying for the multi choice?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Driving on a road covered with ice or snow, try your best not to turn the steering wheel lest the vehicle should _____

A. Skid
B. Slide
C. Slip

Hmm? :confused1: Tricky! :lol8:

Anyone got any links so I can avoid making 'mistakes' by studying for the multi choice?

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D. All of the above :lol8::lol8::lol8::lol8::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumb sup::riding::riding:

Anyone who has to do their theory multiple choice, this site I found is pretty good.

http://www.shekouonline.com/drivingtest.html

Passed theoretical exam, test score 94:thumbsup:

My wife scored 100............and it only cost her 100 Yuan.:thumbsup:

The woman sitting next to me was cheating from the book. She got caught but was only told off! :eek2:

I always had a great time at the exams... after they finally let me take it that is. Watching a room of 50 people, many of which were obviously trying to look at other people's answers on their monitors, was a real blast. Some people would pull out books and the officers would just scream "Hei!" and point at them... didn't even confiscate the books.

That was a good time actually... :lol8:

CC

P.S. - So what's the current status?

Sounds like it hasn't changed much from when you did yours! :lol8:

I always thought Chinese drivers were mostly pretty poor. But I've come to the conclusion that the traffic system, whilst being a little odd at times, generally makes sense, but sadly none of the people follow any rules, be them police, test candidate, road user etc, etc :lol8:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Passed theoretical exam, test score 94:thumbsup:

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Congratulations :thumbsup:

Did you get the dl right away or is there more bureaucracy involved ?

Andy

Will need to wait until Monday I believe, when the 'Public Security Organ' are at work. :lol8: