Jan 1, 2013 Traffic Law Amendments

Happy New Year, fellow riders!

January 1, 2013 brings some new and/or amended traffic laws. According to the Global Times, this is a summary:

1 point:

• Failing to carry a driving license or vehicle registration
• Failing to display a roadworthiness certificate on vehicle
• Failing to display an insurance certificate on vehicle
• Driving without the correct lights

2 points:

• Using a mobile phone while driving
• Driving an vehicle overloaded by up to 20% over capacity
• Overtaking and cutting into a line of traffic
• Using the wrong lane at a controlled intersection
• Driving without seatbelts on an expressway

3 points:

• Driving recklessly when approaching a pedestrian crosswalk
• Overtaking on highway ramps
• Ignoring road markings
• Failing to give way to pedestrians or vehicles when making a turn
• Failing to give way to an oncoming vehicle making a left turn, when your vehicle is turning right
• Driving up to 50% over the speed limit
• Failing to give way to emergency vehicles
• Overtaking when it is prohibited or driving on the wrong side of an expressway
• Driving in the wrong lane of urban expressways

6 points:

• Driving with a suspended license
• Using the emergency lane on expressways when traffic is congested
• Running a red light
• Failure to give way to a School Bus

12 points:

• Driving in reverse on highway, driving on wrong side of highway, or making a U-turn on a highway
• Driving at more than 50% over the speed limit
• Driving while under the influence of alcohol, or driving while intoxicated
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Failure to properly display license number plates, obstructing number plates, defacing number plates

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I haven't been able to do a line by line comparison old/new, but I think the above are the key modifications to the existing Traffic Code. For example, I think it is already the case that you get 12 points for using fake or copied plates, whereas it used to be 6 points for not properly displaying legal plates, obstructing plates (e.g,. on motorcycles, placing a heavy chain/lock over rear plate), or "defacing" plates (I think that means changing a number with black tape). That 6 points has been doubled.

I think there are also changes to the attached fines, but I have not been able to find any info on that.

As we all know, the key to the new laws will be year-round enforcement.

Again, Happy New Year to all. Wishing you a safe & prosperous 2013. :clap:

Two big bones of contention here: 6 points: Running a red light. Hmm lights setup every 100-200 meters on city streets even on T-sections with very very long cycles with filters taking forever. Yield through two in a three year period instead of slavishly waiting and it's goodbye license?:eek2:
12 points: Driving while under the influence of alcohol, or driving while intoxicated. In China the alcohol limit is zero because allowing a minimum amount is just 'too difficult' so you have a glass of beer and goodbye license, hello detention center and massive fine?

I am told, that en general "all points vill be double" from beginning of 2013 - but fine will be the same.
All old points standing from 2012 will also be doubled - one of my friends went to clear up his 12 points before New Year....500 people in que in front of him....
I am happy with the new rules, but will the police do anything........???
Happy new year to everybody!!

Quote:

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Driving recklessly when approaching a pedestrian crosswalk
Overtaking on highway ramps
Ignoring road markings
Failing to give way to pedestrians or vehicles when making a turn
Failing to give way to an oncoming vehicle making a left turn, when your vehicle is turning right
Driving up to 50% over the speed limit
Failing to give way to emergency vehicles
Overtaking when it is prohibited or driving on the wrong side of an expressway
Driving in the wrong lane of urban expressways

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It's these 3-pointers, especially the one's I've highlighted, that go to the heart of China's chaotic driving culture, but the key will be enforcement.

The two items in red have the potential to really put motorists, finally, in their place, forcing them to defer to pedestrians and cyclists who are crossing legally in zebra stripe crosswalks. Current practice for cars is to blow your horn to clear out the pesky pedestrians, and barrel through your right turn against the red. This must kill or maim thousands of people every year.

I'm more worried about the item highlighted in yellow, which could have the effect of further indulging motorists who are turning left against oncoming traffic. As we all know, current practice if you are making a left at a simple traffic signal (without designated turn arrows) is to jump out and make your left before oncoming traffic has a chance to enter the intersection, thus creating the classic China conga line in which every left-turning vehicle behind you attempts to use your car as a screen, even if it means the conga line shifts ever further to the left in the oncoming traffic lane. Yes, oncoming traffic turning right should defer to cars making a left, to ensure the left turn cars clear the intersection as efficiently as possible. But if this rule emboldens the left turners beyond their currently amazingly bold levels of boldness, it will make gridlock even worse than it is now.

One final thought: By turning the emphasis to points rather than fines, the traffic police seem to be addressing the fact that many of the most flagrant offenders do so because the fines, to them, are effectively meaningless. When the Supercar Club kids drive through Beijing in their pink Lambos with their plates concealed, they are hardly stressing about the 200 rmb fine, which to a Lambo owner means about as much as a sheet of toilet paper. In general, I am strongly in support of these stricter point penalties and hope they are enforced, though I guess many of the flagrant violators come from major or minor princeling stock and have other means to keep their licenses, points be damned...

Happy New Years!

I'll admit there are some good ideas, but generally the feeling I get is 'lets use the law to be able legislate as many people as we can off the road if we want to', unless they have connections and are rich in which case they'll be OK, also the police are gonna make a killing back-door 'rounding down' or not applying points from scared rich guys worried about losing their license. So really whose this going to effect? Lower end less wealthy people who drive mian-bao che's and similar. ie migrants or poorer locals trying to climb the greasy pole.

You can see the desire to legislate other people of the road in a kind of over population induced schadenfreude because China is one of the only countries in the world where color-blindness can prevent you (technically) getting a license and have some of the youngest license expiry ages for cars and especially motorcycles.

The message is clear more than ever: Leave your car or motorcycle at home for short trips around town or risk your license.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

Failing to give way to an oncoming vehicle making a left turn, when your vehicle is turning right

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What is this supposed to mean?

And indeed all the best wishes to all.

E.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 998S

What is this supposed to me?

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I am not 100% sure, but I think this is the situation where the right-turning vehicle has to yield to an oncoming left-turning vehicle that is already in the intersection (essentially, not cutting off the oncoming car). But I am guessing.

I wish there was a law about how to use a roundabout - the drivers that exit from the innermost lane make me crazy, and should get at least 6 red stars. I wonder if the driving schools teach that as the correct method?

I remember watching a CCTV video somewhere about a driver in one of those minivans, facing the wrong way on an expressway, but he was going in reverse (same direction as traffic), in the fast lane. He found a break in the separation fence, and backed into it, stopped, and started going forward, only to be rear-ended by some car in the fast lane. The minivan driver got out and was obviously totally drunk (uninjured). If he did this post 01/01/13, he'd probably win a prize with all the points. Oh well, just another day in China.

Bad drivers facing tougher penalties


Source: Xinhua | 2013-1-2 | NEWSPAPER EDITION SHANGHAI DAILY
________________________________


CHINESE drivers are facing harsher penalties after a revised regulation came into effect yesterday, with many motorists being caught out.


Under the revision, ignoring traffic lights will result in six penalty points, double the previous punishment. The penalty for improper display of license plates is now 12 points.


According to the new rules, 52 different kinds of violations can result in penalties, up from 38 under the previous regulation. Online, the new rules were dubbed "the strictest traffic regulations ever."


Each violation is associated with penalty points, based on how severe the offence is. If a driver receives 12 points in a year, they are required to attend a seven-day training session and have to take a written exam before they can get back on the road.


"On the first day of the revised road rules, I fastened my seat belt, didn't smoke or make phone calls. I gave way to a school bus with no students on it," said one microblogger.


As the new rules came into effect, various violations by China's drivers were exposed online.


A car owner surnamed Wang in eastern Anhui Province, who did not have a vehicle license plate, was fined 12 points, said local traffic police on their microblog.


"I came across a traffic jam in the city and found half of the drivers hadn't fasten their seat belts," said another blogger.


"I just ran a yellow light twice this morning and then was reminded it's the first day of new traffic rules enforcement," said another driver in an online post.


A photograph of a wedding car whose license plate was covered over was posted online. "12-point deduction," said the Internet user who posted the photo. "A wedding is no exception."


In 2011, 62,000 people died in road accidents, according to statistics from the Ministry of Public Security.


In a poll on Sina.com, 67 percent of more than 1,000 participants supported the revised traffic rules.


Some have suggested pedestrians should also be made to conform to the road rules, as they often crossed roads while ignoring red lights.


"We used to have some bad habits but now we should be more careful given the tough penalties of the new rules," said Tang Limin, a taxi driver in Shanghai.


"We hope that both drivers and pedestrians can fall into the habit of strictly abiding by the rules to create a good traffic environment," Tang added.

How about mandatory prison sentences for:
Child in car without car seat.
Child sticking head out of sunroof.
Child operating bicycle or riding on moto/scooter without helmet.

Most of this just sounds like lip service, the rich can easily transfer the points to other peoples licenses as the majority of traffic offences are enforced with cameras and not actual police.

Cheers!
ChinaV

how about 12 points for:
-Reversing semi trailer into major highway
-massively overloading a truck and spilling all sorts of crap onto the road and damaging the road surface
-Driving the wrong way down any road or freeway
-Running red lights without looking

how about 1 point for:
-yielding at a red light and going if there is bloody obviously nothing coming
-honking unnecessarily
-parking a car in a cycle lane or on a footpath
-parking with over a meter of car sticking into the road

Not sure what any of you are talking about. Points?
Thought you just go to an agent to paydown your points. This is China, right?

Funny, but true.

Anyway, ChinaV's comment "Child sticking head out of sunroof." reminded me of a video I'd thought I'd share.
Okay, she's on a train and not driving, but the karmapolice should deduct points from her life for this move!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

how about 12 points for:
-Reversing semi trailer into major highway
-massively overloading a truck and spilling all sorts of crap onto the road and damaging the road surface
-Driving the wrong way down any road or freeway
-Running red lights without looking

how about 1 point for:
-yielding at a red light and going if there is bloody obviously nothing coming
-honking unnecessarily
-parking a car in a cycle lane or on a footpath
-parking with over a meter of car sticking into the road

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How about 1 point for:
Driving in snow and ice conditions as though it is summer on winter tyres.Increases to 6 points once said automobile enters toll road and proceeds to do 120kmh + while toll road covered in snow and ice.

How about 3 points for:
Driving in snow and ice conditions as though it is summer on standard summer tyres.Luckily this automobile crashes off the road before they can reach the entrance to toll road (or on the sweeping corner on entrance to said toll road)where they would try and keep up with the 120kmh + mob.Usually there driving a santana or a sultana as I like to call them.

How about 3 points for:
Putting 2 snow tyres on the back wheels leaving standard summer tyres on front when car is front wheel drive only.Should be 3 points for stupidity.

How about 6 points for:
Doing the above while 2/3 year old child sits in there lap with no seat belts on and talking on mobile phone with one hand even though car and phone have blue tooth sync available.

Stopping for yellow rule has angry drivers seeing red


SHANGHAI DAILY NEWSPAPER
Jan 3, 2013


Drivers in China have been getting angry over a new crackdown on running through intersections when traffic lights are at yellow.


While announcing new rules in October that double the penalties for traffic light violations, officials also stressed that running a yellow light will now be considered the equivalent of running a red one.


Drivers accustomed to considering the yellow light a warning and the red light an imperative have been left confused, wondering how they can stop suddenly for a yellow light.


In an online comment, Xinhua news agency cited pioneering physicist Isaac Newton on the difficulty of stopping the momentum of something in motion, saying the new rules are "unreasonable and contrary to Newton's first law."


Police must enforce the new guidelines on stopping on both red and yellow to protect people's safety, Li Qing, an official from the Ministry of Public Security's traffic administration, said in an interview on China Central Television.


Under the new rules that came into effect on Tuesday, penalties for traffic light violations doubled to six points on a 12-point scale that results in losing a license.


If your vehicle is already partly over the line when the light changes from green to yellow, you may continue. Otherwise, you must stop, Li said.


In some cities, some traffic lights count down the seconds until the color changes, but this isn't always the case.


The new rules sparked outrage online from irate drivers, who complained of the dangers of stopping short in front of other drivers or the inconvenience of always having to slow down when approaching intersections.


In an online comment forwarded more than 23,000 times, one driver wrote that he had smashed into the back of a car that had suddenly stopped for a yellow light.


"I would like to say whoever made this yellow light rule must be stupid and evil. Everybody, when you are 1 kilometer away from the lights start to slow down ... I wish you the best of luck," wrote Beijing-based Sun Yixuan.


"Netizens say it is difficult to stop on a yellow light. If you reduce your speed to very slow as you come up to the junction, this leads to unbearable traffic congestion," Xinhua said.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TB-Racing

Stopping for yellow rule has angry drivers seeing red


SHANGHAI DAILY NEWSPAPER
Jan 3, 2013


Drivers in China have been getting angry over a new crackdown on running through intersections when traffic lights are at yellow.


While announcing new rules in October that double the penalties for traffic light violations, officials also stressed that running a yellow light will now be considered the equivalent of running a red one.


Drivers accustomed to considering the yellow light a warning and the red light an imperative have been left confused, wondering how they can stop suddenly for a yellow light.


In an online comment, Xinhua news agency cited pioneering physicist Isaac Newton on the difficulty of stopping the momentum of something in motion, saying the new rules are "unreasonable and contrary to Newton's first law."


Police must enforce the new guidelines on stopping on both red and yellow to protect people's safety, Li Qing, an official from the Ministry of Public Security's traffic administration, said in an interview on China Central Television.


Under the new rules that came into effect on Tuesday, penalties for traffic light violations doubled to six points on a 12-point scale that results in losing a license.


If your vehicle is already partly over the line when the light changes from green to yellow, you may continue. Otherwise, you must stop, Li said.


In some cities, some traffic lights count down the seconds until the color changes, but this isn't always the case.


The new rules sparked outrage online from irate drivers, who complained of the dangers of stopping short in front of other drivers or the inconvenience of always having to slow down when approaching intersections.


In an online comment forwarded more than 23,000 times, one driver wrote that he had smashed into the back of a car that had suddenly stopped for a yellow light.


"I would like to say whoever made this yellow light rule must be stupid and evil. Everybody, when you are 1 kilometer away from the lights start to slow down ... I wish you the best of luck," wrote Beijing-based Sun Yixuan.


"Netizens say it is difficult to stop on a yellow light. If you reduce your speed to very slow as you come up to the junction, this leads to unbearable traffic congestion," Xinhua said.

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[Cynical Rant]Hi! In China in the police and government we're too lazy to actually understand what causes accidents and why people get killed. So we just slap arbitrary fines on going through red or yellow lights or going to fast so that people can just be forced to pay when in fact 98% of the time they've done nothing dangerous whatsoever.

At same time there are people driving the wrong way down one way streets, honking like bitches driving the wrong way down cycle lanes, people reversing into highways in juggernauts, city streets an inch deep in ice all winter and children running amok unrestrained in cars, but we are so dumb we haven't realized those things are dangerous yet or refuse to enforce those because it's 'too difficult'.

Not only that we ratchet up the anal-retentive fussiness of these traffic light rules even on open intersections were there is very minimal traffic and drivers can clearly see there is nothing coming, and absolute refusal to have traffic islands or any alternative to traffic lights every 200 yards. We say 'don't go too fast' or 'run red lights' 'for safety' but un-concidentally it allows us to rake in a heap of cash without getting off our lazy fat arses and going outside because we rely on cameras to do our cash-cow bidding for us.[/Cynical Rant]

5 motorists lose licenses under new rules
By Zha Minjie | 2013-1-5 | NEWSPAPER EDITION SHANGHAI DAILY


FIVE motorists had their driving licenses revoked yesterday in Shanghai as stricter traffic regulations came into effect.


The five motorists were caught driving without a license plate or an obscured plate number.


Under the new rules, each motorist has 12 demerit points. If they are all deducted, the motorist must return to driving school and retake tests to get another driver's license.


The penalty for motorists with no license plate or an unclear plate number has risen from six demerit points to 12 under the new regulations.


Traffic police said they noticed a decline in road accidents after the new regulations took effect on Tuesday.


From Tuesday to Thursday, there were 1,993 traffic accidents in the city, down 1.1 percent from the same period of last year, police said yesterday.


Motorists face tougher penalties this year under new rules targeting speeding, drunk driving and running lights.


According to the new rules, 52 different violations can result in penalties, up from 38 under the previous regulation.


Despite the tougher penalties, some motorists were still not complying.


Police stopped a vehicle with a severely damaged license plate yesterday morning on an elevated ramp in Yangpu District. Officers said they could not read the plate number.


Police said the motorist, surnamed Xu, had an accident in 2008 that damaged the plate.


Xu's license was revoked after the 12 demerit points were deducted.


"Drivers need to pay attention to their vehicle plates," police said.


Some of the new rules have raised a heated debate as some motorists say they are "unreasonable."


The most controversial by far is the new rule on yellow traffic lights. According to the rule, vehicles that have passed the stop line on the road when the light turns yellow can continue through the intersection. All other motorists are expected to stop. Violators will be fined 20 yuan (US$3.21) to 200 yuan and have six points deducted.


Some motorists have said this is almost impossible in practice and may lead to more accidents as drivers stop too suddenly because of a yellow light.


Traffic authorities countered by saying that if drivers slow down before they reach an intersection and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them then there would be no danger.


Local traffic police said no yellow light violations have been reported since the rule took effect.


Wen Guowei, an expert of urban traffic planning and a professor at Tsinghua University, has challenged the yellow traffic light rule and suggested traffic police install traffic lights that count down how long the light will remain red, green or yellow.


Such traffic lights already exist at some intersections.

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. Introduce the E bikers who do not need to comply with the rules of the road but are protected by the rules of the road and then you have a bad mix.
The 50% over the speed limit simply means they can put the hidden 30km/hr signs and then bust you.
I like the MOT bit. I'd say that most cars with MOT passes are not roadworthy and if you have an accident with a vehicle with bald tyres or no brakes the police dont' care as they have the MOT certificate.
Just recently the police forced our bikes off the road and made us ride on the Ebike Lane. It is illegal to drive on these lanes if you have an engine. "ucked up. Totally "ucked up.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

Happy New Year, fellow riders!

January 1, 2013 brings some new and/or amended traffic laws. According to the Global Times, this is a summary:

1 point:

• Failing to carry a driving license or vehicle registration
• Failing to display a roadworthiness certificate on vehicle
• Failing to display an insurance certificate on vehicle
• Driving without the correct lights

2 points:

• Using a mobile phone while driving
• Driving an vehicle overloaded by up to 20% over capacity
• Overtaking and cutting into a line of traffic
• Using the wrong lane at a controlled intersection
• Driving without seatbelts on an expressway

3 points:

• Driving recklessly when approaching a pedestrian crosswalk
• Overtaking on highway ramps
• Ignoring road markings
• Failing to give way to pedestrians or vehicles when making a turn
• Failing to give way to an oncoming vehicle making a left turn, when your vehicle is turning right
• Driving up to 50% over the speed limit
• Failing to give way to emergency vehicles
• Overtaking when it is prohibited or driving on the wrong side of an expressway
• Driving in the wrong lane of urban expressways

6 points:

• Driving with a suspended license
• Using the emergency lane on expressways when traffic is congested
• Running a red light
• Failure to give way to a School Bus

12 points:

• Driving in reverse on highway, driving on wrong side of highway, or making a U-turn on a highway
• Driving at more than 50% over the speed limit
• Driving while under the influence of alcohol, or driving while intoxicated
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Failure to properly display license number plates, obstructing number plates, defacing number plates

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I haven't been able to do a line by line comparison old/new, but I think the above are the key modifications to the existing Traffic Code. For example, I think it is already the case that you get 12 points for using fake or copied plates, whereas it used to be 6 points for not properly displaying legal plates, obstructing plates (e.g,. on motorcycles, placing a heavy chain/lock over rear plate), or "defacing" plates (I think that means changing a number with black tape). That 6 points has been doubled.

I think there are also changes to the attached fines, but I have not been able to find any info on that.

As we all know, the key to the new laws will be year-round enforcement.

Again, Happy New Year to all. Wishing you a safe & prosperous 2013. :clap:

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IT is their way of trying to slow down traffic enough to stop accidents. It's that simple. They are going to create mayhem. The only real way to solve the traffic accidents is to BAN ALL VEHICLES. My worry is the "gurus" up top may have actually been considering this.
Until they start educating road users who do not need driving licenses there will always be this problem.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

Two big bones of contention here: 6 points: Running a red light. Hmm lights setup every 100-200 meters on city streets even on T-sections with very very long cycles with filters taking forever. Yield through two in a three year period instead of slavishly waiting and it's goodbye license?:eek2:
12 points: Driving while under the influence of alcohol, or driving while intoxicated. In China the alcohol limit is zero because allowing a minimum amount is just 'too difficult' so you have a glass of beer and goodbye license, hello detention center and massive fine?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by TB-Racing

Such traffic lights already exist at some intersections.

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Almost every single traffic light I have seen in Weifang has the countdown numbers, showing time to next light sequence.

Great idea I say.
Good that they loose so many points, but maybe remove 9 points.
They they can still drive, but be ever so careful.

Gra.

Just read on CRI English that the government has backed off on the Yellow light rule.

A driver who goes through a yellow light will receive a warning and be "re-educated" about driving habits, but there will be no penalty ... for now.

Harder driving tests stir complaints

SHANGHAI DAILY NEWSPAPER
Jan 9, 2013
________________________________
Fewer people are passing the driving license exam after stricter traffic laws were enacted this year.

The written test, once considered the easiest part of getting a license, was creating problems for a vast majority of test takers yesterday, the first day of the new exam.

"It's too difficult," said a student, surnamed Li, after leaving a test room in Minhang District where only one of 40 students passed. "I have not seen these questions before during my preparation."

The students complained the test questions were not included in their study materials. They said their study materials did not include information on the new traffic regulations.

Students are only allowed to take one road test after they pass the written test.

"I'm afraid it's difficult for them to pass the test at the very beginning," said a driving instructor. "In the past, it was simple and almost all of my students passed the first time."

Some instructors said stricter tests will lead to better drivers in the future.

Students were also having trouble with the new road test. At the Meilong driving school, only eight of 20 passed yesterday.

At the same time, some driving schools are increasing prices - in some cases part way through a course.

A student, surnamed Ni, said he was told by his instructor that he should "pay another 1,000 yuan (US$160.6) for the course." Ni had already paid 4,500 yuan.

"I'm very disappointed, Ni said. "The only thing they are concerned about is money."

City authorities said earlier they will monitor driving schools for illegal price hikes.

The new regulations add test items for learners, who face stricter standards. In response, driving schools said prices will rise in line with "cost increases and prolonged learning periods."

The new regulation puts more attention on dangerous driving and rookie drivers.

Rookies with less than one year of driving experience are now required to be accompanied by experienced drivers if they want to take expressways, where severe accidents are more frequent, police said.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TB-Racing

"I'm very disappointed, Ni said. "The only thing they are concerned about is money."

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Would ya freaking believe this in China? :confused1:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TB-Racing

City authorities said earlier they will monitor driving schools for illegal price hikes.

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Then do nothing as long as there was an adequate kick-back from the driving school. :icon10:

It sickens me to think that the morons who call themselves driving instructors that would be laughed out of the car if they tried to take a test in a western country are going to make even more cash with their inept bamboo stick reversing horse-shit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

Just read on CRI English that the government has backed off on the Yellow light rule.

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Quote:

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The most controversial by far is the new rule on yellow traffic lights. According to the rule, vehicles that have passed the stop line on the road when the light turns yellow can continue through the intersection. All other motorists are expected to stop. Violators will be fined 20 yuan (US$3.21) to 200 yuan and have six points deducted.

Some motorists have said this is almost impossible in practice and may lead to more accidents as drivers stop too suddenly because of a yellow light.

Traffic authorities countered by saying that if drivers slow down before they reach an intersection and keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them then there would be no danger.

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It's really sad if this yellow light lapses so soon. 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. Because this is so rare in China, we see endless but completely unnecessary cases of gridlock, where the cars that accelerated into the yellow can't get out and end up blocking the cross traffic. When I lived in New York City in the 1980s, the city launched the slogan "Don't Block the Box" and enforced heavy fines on anyone who did. This made a huge difference, not only for flow of traffic but also for pedestrians and bicyclists who had to contend with 2-ton missiles accelerating into their path to squeeze through a yellow. This fear is palpable today at every intersection in China.

China must use enforcement to teach motorists that their rights and privileges as drivers are limited and subject to revocation.

Quote:

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Students were also having trouble with the new road test. At the Meilong driving school, only eight of 20 passed yesterday.

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I was riding a high-speed train out of Beijing on Sunday afternoon, and passed a huge driver testing center south of town. OK, I was traveling at 300kph so didn't get a sustained glimpse, but the scene was hilarious:

There were so many cars on the testing grounds that there was gridlock almost everywhere. Very few of the cars were moving at all.

I don't mind at all if the authorities make it MUCH harder to qualify for a drivers license. Bring it on!

One final note, my housekeeper in Shanghai finally married off her younger son in his mid-30s. The lucky lass made all the au courant demands: A house with no inlaws living there, a diamond ring, gold necklaces and a minimum of 300k rmb in a bank account, and of course also a car. She has no clue how to drive, but managed to get a license and now pilots their connubial crate around Pudong feeling like a million bucks. This inane compulsion to have cars that people don't need is pushing China to the brink of nationwide gridlock.

cheers

"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."

I wasn't told, but this make sense.

there are other causes for inefficient traffice flow, namely slow start, barging.

Dear TD,

sorry for my infelicitous use of "civilized countries" as if in contrast to China. I should have said, "in countries with civilized traffic..."

I always undergo culture shock when I return to California, where motorists often will stop to allow you to cross even if you are just standing on the side of the road, as if you are planning to cross. At crossings with stop signs (not lights) in all four directions, when two cars arrive at the same time, the rule is to yield to the car on the right, but often you can see both drivers gesturing as if to say, "after you!" "no, you first!" "no, please go ahead."

Extreme politeness can be vexing too, but it makes for much safer driving!

cheers

No worry, I wan't offended at all.

jkp,
Last time I was in Los Angeles, I had a guy hit my car with his on purpose while he was experiencing road rage at yet another driver. California does not always have civilized traffic. Just sayin...........

Quote:

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Originally Posted by td_ref

there are other causes for inefficient traffice flow, namely slow start, barging.

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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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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.

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

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Exactly, no increase in traffic light technology, and no willingness to embrace any other kind of planning. Most places in Europe traffic lights are absolutely a last resort and are variably timed according to time of day and traffic density.

Only 40 Percent Can Pass New Driving Test 2013-01-10 CRIENGLISH.com

The pass-rate of new national driving test is only 40 percent since the Ministry of Public Security increased the difficulty of the test on January 1, chinanews.com reports.

Data from the Vehicle Administration Office in Nanchang, the capital city of southeast China's Jiangxi Province shows that of nearly 100 students who took the "subject three" portion of the test -- driving a car outside a defined area -- none passed.

Five hundred and four students at a driving test center in Chongqing, in southwest China's Sichuan Province, had applied to take the "subject two" level -- driving a car in defined area -- yet 103 of the students backed out of taking the test due to lack of confidence.

Moreover, instructors at the driving schools have had troubles teaching following the new regulations.

"Students are unable to stop the car during the test with the new standard, and must restart it within 30 seconds in the designated parking test," said one driving coach surnamed Mao in Zhengzhou, who estimated that half of those who took the exam would fail subject 2.

The new test standards also leave an instructor surnamed He at the Xingzhao Driving School in Hangzhou in a bit of a quandary. He said only 20 percent of the 40 students in his school can pass the test now.

A police office surnamed Liu in the Guangzhou Vehicle Administration Office suggested that students and instructors should spend some time adapting themselves to the new test regulations, "We will study new teaching methods with the traffic control department to cut the failure rates," said Liu.

Meanwhile the training fee of driving school has skyrocketed to more than 5,000 yuan -- about 800 US dollars -- for a C1 car license in Beijing and over 7,000 yuan in Shanghai. The biggest increase is about 50 percent.

"The practice requirement of the new driving test is very demanding," said Shu Shengxiang, a media commentator. "There is only an exam outline instead of a range of questions and answers for students. Questions based on animated simulations have replaced written questions on the exam, making it more difficult for students used to rote learning."

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I recall getting my DL a long time ago (Stairway to Heaven was the #1 song!). My "test" was two parts: a 20 question written; and a "drive around the block" road test. Looking back, it was pathetic. I remember that only the most incompetent 16-year-olds failed. Actually, I don't recall knowing anyone who failed.

Today, back home, it is tough - really tough - a graduated system where you do not receive an "unrestricted DL" until after 3 years of points-free driving. I also recall that when these additional restrictions were being implemented, there was substantial vocal opposition.

Two things jumped out at me in the CRI article above:

1) Students opted out of the test for "lack of confidence." Interesting. I would praise those students who thought "you know what? I'm not ready." Although I also wonder if there were feelings that they were "ready" to hit the streets if they could just pass the damn test.

2) Rote learning - anyone who has been involved with the education system in China knows that moving students away from rote learning is an almost insurmountable task.

Nevertheless, China is moving in the right direction, IMHO, albeit with growing pains.

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Nevertheless, China is moving in the right direction, IMHO, albeit with growing pains.

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Very much agree. I hope one of the results will be to cause people to rethink their "need" for a DL. I think much of today's "need" is about peer pressure and social acceptance -- "What, you don't have a DL yet?" -- rather than genuine situational need.

What worries me, however, is pushing the bar higher on testing will create new opportunities for corruption. There's been talk in this thread about finding friends in the police or vehicle management infrastructure who can "help" members around various barriers, and I suspect, sadly, that some portion of those failing tests or chickening out will resort to such extralegal measures.

cheers