-
3 Attachment(s)
Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Attachment 11521
Welcome to Tianjin! No bikes allowed.
I've been living here in Tianjin for 4 years now, trying to figure out WTF is going on regarding bikes 3, and actually riding one for 2. I'm far from an expert but I've done some leg work so I thought I'd share it here. Anything that is a FACT* I will state as such, anything that I've heard I'll make sure you know, anything I think, well you get the idea...
*this is China, facts can change...
Please remember that Tianjin is both a province AND a city - much like Beijing. I am talking about Tianjin province mostly or I will refer to "Tianjin City".
Fact: Tianjin city is a no-bike city (see photo above...) anything inside the outer-ring road (外环线) but NOT including the outer-ring road itself is a no-bike area. In addition some highways and expressways are explicitly "no-bike" as well.
Fact: Tianjin province can ride legally registered and plated motorcycles, no problem ;)
Fact: If your residence permit is inside the ring road you cannot register a Tianjin province motorcycle in your name or get a license plate for it.
----
Ok, rumor has it that before 2007 there were bikes all over the city. This apparently pissed off the audi owners or something. There used to be a lot of horses and donkeys too - which is why you'll also see "no motorcycles or horses" signs elsewhere on the ring road... Thus the city-wide ban. This is why you'll also see occasionally an extremely old Honda, Suzuki, Jialing, chained to a building with a 津A, 津B, or 津C plate. I don't know what plates they issue now, I've literally never seen a "new" Tianjin bike or plate.
In about 2008 people (farmers) wised-up and bought the switching e-bike + gas engine for using inside and outside of the city. Those too were banned (see about where it says "including gas assisted vehicles" in Chinese) and the police confiscated a ton of those bikes. BTW that's what happens - the police setup "stings" in their periodic enforcement times by getting a larger trailer, parking it at an intersection with about 12 cops and then nabbing every gas bike that rolls by and throwing it in the trailer. bye-bye!
In 2010-2011 the "delivery boy" bikes (see my old lida in my signature) became popular. Rumor was because it had pedals it was technically a bicycle. When I purchased mine (naively) the shopkeep said you couldn't plate/register it even if you wanted because it's a bicycle, not a motorcycle. Also gaining popularity at that time the 50cc scooters. Then another 2-week "enforcement" downtown netted a few hundred bikes, but actually this seems not to have deterred people.
In 2012 the R9 came. Especially popular with Korean students for the ability to go fast and not have to pay attention to the road while driving with 2 or 3 other people on the back. Now bikes from Hebei are being seen in town occasionally too. BTW for you people in cities that are bike "friendly", "occasionally" means maybe you see a bike every 2 to 3 weeks- it's kind of bizarre. CB250, AX-1, F650GS, Harley. But not more than I would say 15-20 bikes in the city still. And these are never seen being ridden. I suspect that the owner has a moving van follow his taxi to starbucks so he can show off his "status symbol" while sipping his chai tea lattle, and then it gets loaded up in the van again.
In April 2013 Harley Davidson dealership opens (inside the ring road??). The only motorcycle dealership in the city (or province) that I'm aware of. In 1 month they've sold 28 bikes. And I've never seen a single one on the road. And no, they can't do registration for you like the 京B plates. You need a "friend" who lives outside the ring road to register it to their residence - this goes for Chinese too.
-------
The reality: If you're comfortable with the prospect of your bike being seized and walking away from it, then don't worry about license/reg - especially if you're on an R9 or a delivery boy bike. It's only a couple thousand RMB. And unlike other tier-1 cities, Tianjin is very much still the "wild west". Enforcement (of anything!) is lax, people, including police, are lackadaisical, and as long as you don't run someone over, you're alright. Just don't run someone over...
So what can you do? Simple.
Go to Beijing, buy a nice bike from a reputable dealer, get it plated with 京B plates, and drive it back down to Tianjin. I have done this, as well as another user on this forum. Finally, stay out of the city, mostly... 1.5Km of my daily commute is inside the ring road, but it's worth the risk to me. My dog's shoulder blades are taller than 15cm (which is also illegal inside the city, big dog ban...) but what can you do... Oh, one last rumor: IF you get pulled over on a legal bike (license, reg, ins.) driving illegally in the ring road it's a 200RMB fine payable on the spot. Much better than getting a bike confiscated, eh?
Oh, and yes, there is a bike market in TEDA full of chop-shop stolen bikes. But you don't want one of those.
Attachment 11522
map of tianjin.
Attachment 11523
If you have 250,000-300,000RMB you can get a bike here too.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
This is very informative - thanks!
Is outer TJ going through the same situation with getting gas for a motorcycle, as is happening in Beijing? Gas stations requiring proof of registration, etc.? It has reached ridiculous levels in central Beijing, where you now have to go inside the gas station and register your driving license, etc, and smile at the camera as they take your pic.
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lao Jia Hou
Gas stations requiring proof of registration, etc.? It has reached ridiculous levels in central Beijing, where you now have to go inside the gas station and register your driving license, etc, and smile at the camera as they take your pic.
how about using the pre-charged SINOPEC cards up north in Beijing?
they are very convenient and using the SINOPEC cards for years all over the motherland without any questions, no cash involved ~ in & out of gas stations very quickly....
yes, got two different ones (Shanghai / Hainan) as they can only be charged in the province / municipality they have been issued, TIC all over again...
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Very good information there!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lao Jia Hou
Is outer TJ going through the same situation with getting gas for a motorcycle, as is happening in Beijing? Gas stations requiring proof of registration, etc.? It has reached ridiculous levels in central Beijing, where you now have to go inside the gas station and register your driving license, etc, and smile at the camera as they take your pic.
As Danny mentioned, Tianjin is still "wild west". You can get fuel with any kind of vehicle (possibly without vehicle as well) in and outside the city. There is no such regulation.
Same for the police, except the occasional crackdown-week they couldn't care less - really, they try. I've seen an unplated bike following a police car on the expressway. But then again, motorbikes are a really rare sight - even though I saw some bikes cruising through the city (including Harleys), all unplated.
Quote:
Oh, one last rumor: IF you get pulled over on a legal bike (license, reg, ins.) driving illegally in the ring road it's a 200RMB fine payable on the spot. Much better than getting a bike confiscated, eh?
That is the most important rumor I would like to get confirmed, also if you can get caught on camera. Unfortunately it's hard to get something solid in the wild west. Guess Danny and me are the only "as-legal-as-possible" bikers in Tianjin anyway. When I went into the traffic police station next to my home, naive as I am, to ask how to get a motorbike drivers license and license plate in Tianjin the first guy told me there is no such thing as a chinese motorcycle license. After I insisted something like that exists, while showing them my license with the explanation on the back, another guy chimed in that I don't need a license and plate, "just drive", especially since I'm a foreigner. Not really helpful advise, guess you can't quote that guy after something happens.
As far as I know, you can't make your motorbike license in Tianjin, if you are registered inside the city.
Another rumor: You can ride the old jingjintang Highway to Beijing with your motorbike, as long as you pay the toll fee.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Going JingJinTang by Motorcycle I got confirmed from a friend who is doing it.
It works at least from WuQing to Beijing.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
BTW: I made the experience with a brand new bike where they didn't let me fill gas because of no plate. Even the bike dealer receipt of the same week didn't help.
I tried it with the pre paid gas card, but they didn't let me.
They said they will be punished when the surveillance video shows they allow to fill a unplated bike.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ShuBen
BTW: I made the experience with a brand new bike where they didn't let me fill gas because of no plate. Even the bike dealer receipt of the same week didn't help.
I tried it with the pre paid gas card, but they didn't let me.
They said they will be punished when the surveillance video shows they allow to fill a unplated bike.
But that was in Beijing, right?
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lao Jia Hou
This is very informative - thanks!
Is outer TJ going through the same situation with getting gas for a motorcycle, as is happening in Beijing? Gas stations requiring proof of registration, etc.? It has reached ridiculous levels in central Beijing, where you now have to go inside the gas station and register your driving license, etc, and smile at the camera as they take your pic.
nope, not at all. I even gas up at the station near work inside the ring road without issue. Only once have I had an attendant not willing to fill up my spare can because it was plastic and not metal. After I told him it was imported from Canada and thus safe he filled it up w/o issue. Heck, I've had gas poured into an empty binghongcha 1L bottle to refill a buddy's empty bike. So nothing like Beijing ;)
Is Beijing really that bad? I'll be up there for about 4 days for a conference in October staying at the CITIC by the airport. I was planning on taking the bike but I don't want hassle...
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lao Jia Hou
It has reached ridiculous levels in central Beijing...
have been asked three times so far to show my blue bike registration book to fill up gas (out of Beijing plate) in the Beijing downtown area but no problems after they check the bike booklet.
now please don't get me started on the foreign (western) "cheap-charlie" type individuals with non-plated scooters approaching me at the gas pump to use my blue bike rego booklet to fill up....
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
thedannywahl
... Only once have I had an attendant not willing to fill up my spare can because it was plastic and not metal. After I told him it was imported from Canada and thus safe he filled it up w/o issue. Heck, I've had gas poured into an empty binghongcha 1L bottle to refill a buddy's empty bike. So nothing like Beijing ;)
A friend and I recently tried to get fuel in a can, out in the suburbs (Shunyi), to fill up his near empty bike. We were expecting the "metal can" requirement, but the station told us that we had to first go to the local police station and apply for a permit. Same story at the 2nd station we tried. We were told it had something to do with terrorism. Whatever.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
thedannywahl
Is Beijing really that bad?
It really depends on which station you use - some require you to go inside and register your driving license, and get your picture taken ... some just ask to see the blue book ... others don't bother with anything. The Chinese forums keep an updated list of the easy / hard stations. Unfortunately, my residence is in the Central Business District - and all the stations around me are "hard."
Quote:
Originally Posted by
thedannywahl
I'll be up there for about 4 days for a conference in October staying at the CITIC by the airport. I was planning on taking the bike but I don't want hassle...
October is a nice time to ride in Beijing - the stations out in the mountains are usually "easy."
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Attachment 11736
There's proof, we are not alone! :icon10: Can't see it clearly on the pic, but he gave me thumbs up and I returned the salute.
I see more and more bikes riding this summer than last one. Some rich kids in my area push some big supersport bikes around after dusk. But except Danny, I don't know/seen anyone with a plated bike.
I talked to a farmer in Tanggu with a 津-plated Jialing who said getting plates outside the city is still possible.
I also had my first encounter with a police man. Technically, ehm, I was almost on the legal outer ring, but I clearly came out of the bike-banned-city, stopping at a red light, where he was directing traffic/playing with his phone. First he went around the bike in some distance, I thought he's checking my plates. Then he came over and asked "how much is this? How fast can it go? Oh, you are a foreigner?" and so on. Green light came, we bid each other farewell, and that was it.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Received this note from a co-worker today (edited):
Quote:
This morning at the intersection of Zhujiang Dao, next to the canal, there was a large group of police and army. [name] was stopped and his keys taken. They couldn't explain in English (his mother tongue) what was happening, so they gave them back and he left. Some confiscating going on….
make sure you carry your 200RMB if you're legal, or stop riding if you're not ;)
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Tried to jump on the S3 from Tanggu to Tianjin this morning and got shooed away at the toll gate (actually I just forgot it's a toll road) and had to drop to the G103. So forget about toll roads* in Tianjin
*TIC: I've heard of people riding tolls from Beijing to Tianjin
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
thedannywahl
*TIC: I've heard of people riding tolls from Beijing to Tianjin
Nothing hard about getting on the expressway in Beijing; they'll just hand you a toll card as if you were a car, and you pay when you get off in Tianjin. Sad that you cannot do the reverse from Tianjin.
cheers
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
After all the posts about the crackdown in Beijing I thought I'd add some info about what's going on in TJ:
Last May early in the morning on the South ring road you could find "sting" operations of police pulling over overloaded trucks, unplated trucks, etc... I was happy! Then throughout the summer (while I was gone) the operation moved on to cars, and now it's finally move on to motorbikes.
Keep in mind that driving on the ring road IS legal, but there's been a sting setup at the South ring road by the new Meijiang convention center in the afternoons for well over a month now. Unfortunately this operation seems only to be focused on "real" bikes (ignoring delivery boy bikes and R9s). And it seems to be a coordinated effort in making it as unsafe as possible.
My buddy had the police sneak around behind him while waiting at a red and take the key out of his ignition, then refuse to let him move to the shoulder while they interrogated him. They didn't give a damn he just didn't want to get rear-ended by a semi truck barreling down the road.
I was riding home from work in lane 2 going about 80kph when I saw some guy darting between the cars ahead. Turned out it was the police officer getting in position to stop me. He got directly in my lane, faced me and stuck his arms out wide. I started braking and swerved to the right in an effort to avoid widowing his wife (and mine...) when he lept the same direction shouting in Chinese "don't run off! don't run off! don't run off!" I was barely able to stop in time, he stepped up and tried to grab my key, but couldn't find it. I was trying to idle out of traffic, but he kept blocking the bike saying "give me your key give me your key!" I gave him the key and jumped off the bike to push it to the shoulder by his squad car but he kept blocking me saying "don't run off! I have your key!". I guess I know what the standard response and training is!
Anyways, I pulled over to the side, then he saw I was a foreigner and was shocked! He asked for my vehicle license which I handed to him, then he looked unhappy and went and had his partner make a phone call. The partner came back and said "boss says check for plates". Found my rear plate, back to the phone, "boss says check the front plate!". Found the front plate, back to phone... "check the insurance" "check the driver's license" "check his residency"
Finally after 15 minutes they gave me back my key, frustrated, and said, "well, just be careful". I said "thanks", they noticed how "lihai" I was for wearing a helmet, and a jacket. And I rode off, marveling at being told to be careful by the guy that walked across 4 lanes of traffic to deliberately get in my way...
Anyways, the most surprising things about this are 1) the duration of this crackdown on the ring road 2) the fact that it's on the ring road and not in the city where bikes are illegal
Things I wasn't surprised about 1) them not caring about R9s blowing the red lights 2) probable cause.... (this ain't America!)
I figure a few more weeks and things will be back to normal.
TIC.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
That sounds unpleasant. What happened to your buddy? Was he all legal?
I'm surprised to read this, since I'm taking the bike to work once in a while, waving through the rush-hour on the expressring, just exiting the city on the east side to go to the airport. I passed a lot of police men and police cars already, inside and outside the city, without any reaction. But I also try to not provoke any reaction...
I also went to Nanjing Lu with the bike, where every crossing is supervised by a police squad, but wouldn't do that again. The car-nazis won't let you park anywhere with a mingong-motorcycle. :icon10:
Would be interesting to know what happens if you are "caught" with all legal documents inside the bike-banned area.
I also see more and more bikes this summer. There is one chinese guy with a big bike (plated, but I don't think legally. Can't see the province, since he put the front plate on top of the back plate) going the same route as me occassionally, plus some farmer bikes.
In Aocheng area, at the 1068 at the stadium or at the Knight in Jinwan plaza you'll see more and more (rich) locals with unplated big bikes.
Maybe part of the reason for the crackdown you experienced with such a professional execution.
Maybe they chose the location due to the proximity to the Harley Dealer?
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Finally I have my own story to tell. :clap:
I got stopped on the inner-city Expressway yesterday that was blocked by multiple police men, maybe to clear an accident, I'm not sure.
One guy already saw me from far before I knew what was going on and waved me to stop, so I stopped next to one of the police cars.
Crammed between cars at turtle-speed I didn't have many other options, and didn't consider any of them smart anyway.
This guy took the keys and furiously screamed at me (while his colleagues were smoking in the car, laughing), not sure exactly what he said. At the same time a chinese guy on a unplated delivery-boy bike past us, sneaking behind the cars.
I just decided to show him my papers. That surprised him. He checked, calmed down, gave me everything back and told me I couldn't ride on the Expressway. I told him I'm sorry, but I had an urgent appointment at a place (which was clearly downtown). He said that's fine, but I couldn't ride on the Expressway and have to exit it right now. I also had to promise I don't enter it again. I did, and he was ok with it.
Almost, after I left they followed me with one car, stealth mode in some distance, to check if I would re-enter. That was it. I believe I would have been f***** without proper documents.
So no more Expressway for me - I promised him! :icon10:
Not sure in which direction this is going, since they were just upset about me riding on the Exressway, rather than riding inside the city at all. And these days I see much more bikes, especially in south Nankai - 95% unplated.
But I do suggest to avoid riding inside the bike-banned area as possible.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
congrats on the clean getaway :mwink:
Continuing enforcement at the intersection of the south ring road and the meijiang convention center. Thursday afternoon there was a small fleet of China National Highway Patrol cars 中国公路 and a first I've ever seen which is the cars pursuing other cars to pull over, as opposed to the one local police officer flagging down vehicles. Last fall there was some serious enforcement around the convention center just prior to the party switchover and there was a large conference held there. I wonder if there's something else coming up soon...
Also, today I was told by the basement parking attendant that after tomorrow I'm not allowed to park my motorcycle in the basement anymore as there's a new city ordinance because motorbikes are not legal in the ring road (my complex is on the ring road, but on the inside side) and they (the hired guards) don't want to get in trouble if a bike is found by the police by the basement. There is a dedicated police sub-station in this complex. This also applies to my gas-powered 3 wheeler (unplated/unregistered 老年代步车) The odd thing was in the past the guards let me park in the basement - but I couldn't rent a parking spot because "they're only for cars" so I was always just tucked into a corner out of the way. Now to find a place on the street...
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Hi,
I promised some time ago to inform you about my number plating process in Tianjin province of a used but unregistered bike, bought in Shanghai.
So far, I have paid for having the fapiao reissued on my name, paid for the road tax, waited for over one month, and all I have is the blue book and a growing feeling of frustration and rage.
My first step was to go to the traffic bureau, where one bureaucrat (about the tenth I asked) informed me of what i would need to get the bike plated. No, sorry the fapiao on the first bike buyer didint do, I needed one on my name. Plus the residence permit, foreigner card, and bikes roadability certificate.
So back I went to SH where I obviously had to pay to have the fapiao reissued, and back to Tianjin to ask for the residence permit. After contacting the local police station through one of my colleagues, one or two weeks wait to get an "audience". first thing teh guy does, as I expected is to complain that I didint register within 24 hours of my last entry to the country (how could have I? it took them 2 weeks to call me to the office). At first he says hes gonna fine me, etc but after 30 minutes show he forgives me because, what the hell, my colleague is his dear guanxi, and precisely because of that he will grant me with the favor of issueing the permit. For which I have to wait another week, obviously. You cant just make on the spot, it has its process. The guy claims also that the residence permit is at the same time mi foreigner card, although I can see it only has my laowai name, even though I asked for both and showed him my chinese DL.
OK, so we have everything and off we go to traffic bureau. They take the frame number, look at our papers, and send us to the tax office, only one hour drive. There, they are not happy because I only have the two copies of the fapiao, they must have the original, so back home to get it. The guy makes a remark that my name on the fapiao is in "english", I show him my DL with chinese name and passport number, checks with boss, and its OK. He takes my original fapiao, my 3000 RMB, and gives me the blue property book, in english.
Back to the traffic bureau, they realice they are not happy with the residence permit because its on the chinese name!!! They want it with the laowai name, so back to to the police office (am I boring you guys?).
Fortunately this time it doesnt take a whole week to issue the permit, just a few minutes, although the following day I had to go there again and thay had also called my lanlord to take the rental contract and his house property papers. Anyway, bak to the pólice station to find out, guess what? THEY WANT THE FUGGING FAPIAO WITH MY CHINESE NAME!!!! Of course I get neither my original fapiao nor my money back.
So, we contact the dealer but he had to check with his accuntant, another week wait (how many already?, I have no idea) and today we got the answer and I'm not very sure I understood correctly where it is coming from but this implies a cost of another 4000RMB, and I dont even get an answer if I have to pay again to have the blue book reissued. Oh, and this is a joke, the office also wants the delaer to issue a "certificate" why he is re-issuing the fapiao. Of course, Jeff told them the fapiao is fine in english. But no, in Tianjin we dont do like in SH, we do like in Beijing and require fapiao in chinese, and know that is bullshit, because people there register their bikes on other peoples names to avoid the cost of the A plates, so you dont even need the name on teh fapiao and registration to match.
So, on monday my friend who is unlucky enough to be dealing with all this crap, will give them my message. NO NEW FAPIAO. If I cant have the numberplate I want my fapiao or my money back. Or, transfer the bike to a local, plate it, and transfer back. Any suggestions welcome. LJH, if you see this, I hope you find it challenging enough to give me a hand! Maybe I can get it plated through Chili, of course Im ready to pay for it.
In the meantime, I have made some friends who hang around the repair shop, we will be going for a ride and barbecue one of these days. I yet have to see a single number plate in any of those bikes.
Enjoy you mooncakes.
PS. Jaydee, Danny, your stories are both scary and funny at the same time. Not sure what word to use, disturbing?
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Hi Gorka
I am sorry to hear about your experiences. Chinese bureaucracy can definitely be challenging.
I am somewhat confused by what has happened. Here is what I understand, from memory, and from what you have written above:
1) The bike was initially purchased in Shanghai by some other guy, but never plated.
2) The other guy had a fapiao issued in his name.
3) You bought the bike and brought it to TJ.
4) You are now getting the run-around in TJ trying to get it plated/insured?
Where my confusion starts is when you mention that you have possession of the bike's Blue Book? A "Blue Book", as I commonly use the term, is the wallet-sized registration booklet with a picture of the bike, and the bike's and owner's details (all in Chinese), AND the bike's plate number. Perhaps you are referencing the "tax paid" booklet which is apparently now issued, China-wide, in a little blue "booklet"?
What you should do is scan all of the paperwork you have, get in touch with Qin in Beijing (contact details here), and see if he can help you out with a 京B registration in a company name. Qin is an expert on these matters and would know exactly what is required to get the plate issued in Beijing (I doubt he knows much about TJ, though). He won't BS you, and he will also inform you if it is impossible (if Master Qin can't do it, it simply can't be done in Beijing). He only speaks Chinese, so perhaps get your colleague to help out. By the way, Qin (and his staff) do all of the plating for Qili Motors (a high volume dealership) so it is probably best to just contact him directly.
From what I understand, several TJ riders have a 京B registration in a company name.
Good luck! And if Qin says he can do it, you are welcome to leave the bike at our clubhouse for a few days. Our clubhouse, however, is not convenient to Qin or the places that everything gets done. Qin might allow you to leave the bike in his compound (not too far from Qili), if he can handle the plating.
-
Hi LJH,
You understood correctly. Plus, I also have a fapiao on my name, issued expressly by demand of those Tianjin bureaucrats.
You are also right about the book. What I have is the tax paid book. Sorry for the confussion, I wrongly assumed I was the proud owner of a blue book.
I will do as you say and contact these guys, thanks for the invitation to leave the bike through the process!! I will come back when I get their answer.
Thank you very much,
Gorka.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
@Danny: that's weird, I wonder why guards paid by your management fees care what kind of vehicle you park on private property... Can't you say you want to rent a parking lot for your car, and then just park your bike there anyway? As long as you paid... Sometimes business opportunities need to be forced upon them.
@gorka: TIT again... Hope it works for you in BJ, good luck!
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JayDee
@gorka: TIT again... Hope it works for you in BJ, good luck!
So far I got a confirmation that the fapiao should have my Chinese name for Tianjin registration. Apparently this is also the case in BJ.
If I can get my fapiao and tax back I will continue with the process in TJ. If not I will look for options in BJ.
For the moment I'm still waiting for the agent to contact me back.
Last weekend I went with some locals for a ride all the way to Singapore Eco city, north of TEDA. All big bore bikes, no number plates and everybody pretty comfortable.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
thedannywahl
After all the posts about the crackdown in Beijing I thought I'd add some info about what's going on in TJ:
Last May early in the morning on the South ring road you could find "sting" operations of police pulling over overloaded trucks, unplated trucks, etc... I was happy! Then throughout the summer (while I was gone) the operation moved on to cars, and now it's finally move on to motorbikes.
Keep in mind that driving on the ring road IS legal, but there's been a sting setup at the South ring road by the new Meijiang convention center in the afternoons for well over a month now. Unfortunately this operation seems only to be focused on "real" bikes (ignoring delivery boy bikes and R9s). And it seems to be a coordinated effort in making it as unsafe as possible.
My buddy had the police sneak around behind him while waiting at a red and take the key out of his ignition, then refuse to let him move to the shoulder while they interrogated him. They didn't give a damn he just didn't want to get rear-ended by a semi truck barreling down the road.
I was riding home from work in lane 2 going about 80kph when I saw some guy darting between the cars ahead. Turned out it was the police officer getting in position to stop me. He got directly in my lane, faced me and stuck his arms out wide. I started braking and swerved to the right in an effort to avoid widowing his wife (and mine...) when he lept the same direction shouting in Chinese "don't run off! don't run off! don't run off!" I was barely able to stop in time, he stepped up and tried to grab my key, but couldn't find it. I was trying to idle out of traffic, but he kept blocking the bike saying "give me your key give me your key!" I gave him the key and jumped off the bike to push it to the shoulder by his squad car but he kept blocking me saying "don't run off! I have your key!". I guess I know what the standard response and training is!
Anyways, I pulled over to the side, then he saw I was a foreigner and was shocked! He asked for my vehicle license which I handed to him, then he looked unhappy and went and had his partner make a phone call. The partner came back and said "boss says check for plates". Found my rear plate, back to the phone, "boss says check the front plate!". Found the front plate, back to phone... "check the insurance" "check the driver's license" "check his residency"
Finally after 15 minutes they gave me back my key, frustrated, and said, "well, just be careful". I said "thanks", they noticed how "lihai" I was for wearing a helmet, and a jacket. And I rode off, marveling at being told to be careful by the guy that walked across 4 lanes of traffic to deliberately get in my way...
Anyways, the most surprising things about this are 1) the duration of this crackdown on the ring road 2) the fact that it's on the ring road and not in the city where bikes are illegal
Things I wasn't surprised about 1) them not caring about R9s blowing the red lights 2) probable cause.... (this ain't America!)
I figure a few more weeks and things will be back to normal.
TIC.
Wow, Sounds like a lot of these police officers have a real life death wish.
Honestly, theres too much unregulated shit going on for them to crackdown specifically on just motorcycles. I think it's luck of the draw, you can get lucky
or test your luck. If you're a foreigner I think you can actually get away with a lot more.
-
1 Attachment(s)
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ahernandez74
If you're a foreigner I think you can actually get away with a lot more.
Or less, depends who catches you.
Attachment 14184
That's the ride of one of my neighbors kid, used to be unplated, now it has 津 C ... and obviously lives inside the bike-banned zone.
Didn't have a chance yet to ask why and how.
-
Good to see you can plate a bike even if it is some time since you bought it.
For my particular case, and maybe some body else's, it would be good to know if the purchaser of the bike (name in the fapiao) and the name under which the registration has been made are the same. This seems unlikely from the plate, and the fact that buyer is probably dad and rider his kid. But it would be very nice to find out that fapiao and registration can go to different individuals, because then I could refute the claim that I need my fapiao reissued with my Chinese name.
If you have the chance, please find out. Is that a local or a laowai?
Cheers, Gorka.
PS: are you riding a 650nk?
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
gorka
If you have the chance, please find out. Is that a local or a laowai?
It is a local. I will ask when I see him.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
gorka
PS: are you riding a 650nk?
No, I have a Suzuki GW250.
By the way, I can confirm that riding the S40 Jinjingtang Expressway is no problem. Just roll up to the toll-booth, they will give you a ticket and you pay like a car at the end of your journey. Didn't try it with two-up yet.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
gorka
Good to see you can plate a bike even if it is some time since you bought it.
For my particular case, and maybe some body else's, it would be good to know if the purchaser of the bike (name in the fapiao) and the name under which the registration has been made are the same. This seems unlikely from the plate, and the fact that buyer is probably dad and rider his kid. But it would be very nice to find out that fapiao and registration can go to different individuals, because then I could refute the claim that I need my fapiao reissued with my Chinese name.
If you have the chance, please find out. Is that a local or a laowai?
Cheers, Gorka.
PS: are you riding a 650nk?
How you getting on Groka, getting your NK plated? Any updates as yet? I've a mate who hasn't plated his Benelli, but did manage to get his bike insured without plates - not exactly sure how this was achieved though since it was done with the assistance of one of the guys in our riding circle who owns a Benelli shop. If you get really stuck Gorka, then give me a shout (PM) and I'll approach this friend on your behalf to see if there is any way he might be able to assist you.
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bikerdoc
How you getting on Groka, getting your NK plated? Any updates as yet? I've a mate who hasn't plated his Benelli, but did manage to get his bike insured without plates - not exactly sure how this was achieved though since it was done with the assistance of one of the guys in our riding circle who owns a Benelli shop. If you get really stuck Gorka, then give me a shout (PM) and I'll approach this friend on your behalf to see if there is any way he might be able to assist you.
Hi Doc,
long time no see! Thanks for the support, I will keep in mind.
So far no real progress, but my luck may be just about to change. I have just made a new acquaintance with guanxis in the right place. Lets see what will happen in the next week or two.
Anyway, i have learnt a couple of things:
1. The fapiao must have my Chinese name as Tianjin traffic bureau claims. At least this is what an agent in BJ says
2. There is a procedure for claiming the tax money (and maybe the fapiao?) back. To apply, you need to get a "return bike verification閫€杞﹁瘉鏄" from the dealer.
3. In Tianjin, unlike Beijing, Shanghái and other places, you can not get the insurance before the plate (confirmed by 4 people)
4. All the previous is BS. At least we know a case of a korean guy who had his cars registered with an "english" name.
I have now asked my wife to try to get me, in the meantime, an insurance in SH, but im not sure how that will work
-
Re: Getting (il-)legal in Tianjin 天津
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JayDee
It is a local. I will ask when I see him.
No, I have a Suzuki GW250.
By the way, I can confirm that riding the S40 Jinjingtang Expressway is no problem. Just roll up to the toll-booth, they will give you a ticket and you pay like a car at the end of your journey. Didn't try it with two-up yet.
Thanks for asking JayDee.
Maybe I will have good news soon regarding my plates! I will let you kow.
Sorry for the mistake, the pic in the avatar is pretty small and I confused the bike. You are welcome to try mine anytime, if you are curious.
Cheers,
Gorka.