Campaign, crackdown, updates on traffic enforcement (scooters)

On 11/28, around 11pm I spotted at least three ad hoc police checkpoints set up at the following intersections in BJ:

*ChangAn and Dongdaqiao
*GuangHuaLu and Dongdaqiao
*RitanBei Lu and Dongdaqiao

At the second one, I spotted three cops wait for two scooters heading southbound on Dongdaqiao. Once they got close, the three of them ran out into traffic and stopped the two scooters by surrounding them and pulling out the keys. Both were wearing helmets and did not appear (from my distance) to be obvious offenders who ruin it for others. But I do not know what happened prior to what I saw (perhaps they evaded a prior stop).

Anyway, wondering if some renewed enforcement program is underway.

Police need to get their quota before the Chinese new year perhaps!?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lsussman

But I do not know what happened prior to what I saw (perhaps they evaded a prior stop).

---

You`re probably correct - something likely happened beforehand and these two scooters were being targeted. Maybe suspected of being involved in a theft?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lsussman

Anyway, wondering if some renewed enforcement program is underway.

---

I haven't heard/read about any new campaign, although I usually only know about them AFTER I've been stopped, and I start looking around online. October/November have been quiet for me, although the gas stations appear to be back in full force with demanding documents (after a lull a bit earlier).

last week there was a thread on a guy on a scooter who hit a woman .... and then proceeded to tell her off....tonight I got word that his result would be deporting after 15 days incarceration, pay 6500 and his father will also be deported.... the indication is they were working without proper papers and the employer will be fined 20,000rmb. Now this is not verified information as I got it from a phone news source here in China.. so not promising this is the whole story .. just what I heard.

your information is quite accurate.

Father ans son have been deported. Both working illegally in BJ without permit, the scooter was illegal, the guy had no driving license, the traffic video shows his total rule breaking turn on the cross road, a phone video recording show him naming the Chinese woman a bitch and much worse chinese wording ..... so they charged them penalty and kicked 'em out ....

my statement: Well done! This assh... damage the Laowai image another time

I wish we would the same fast process in Germany ....

@ hclayjones: Thanks for the update. And this just arrived online an hour, or so, ago.

CRI News link

@ shuben

Couldn`t agree more! This is yet another example of a laowai-idiot that affects us all. I do wish, however, that he received even more of a penalty - the full 15 days for each of the Traffic and Employment offences.

Once again, as mentioned on the other thread, I am sure that he wasn`t setting out on his morning`s journey expecting this shit to happen. Folks, illegal bikes/plates just aren`t worth it in Beijing. Maybe the countryside, or smallish 2nd/3rd tier cities ... but not the nation's capital, FFS! Father & son ... dumb & dumber.

[rant]On Monday of this week, I was riding my scooter in Sanlitun. I watched an unplated sidecar being ridden in the bike lane by an old laowai, with a young female in the bucket (of course!). Both were unhelmeted. The laowai was riding like an idiot, honking his oversized horn at all the bicycles, e-bikes, etc., in the bike lane .. "get out of my way, peasants - cool laowai coming through". F me, it really made my blood boil - seriously made me want to go smack him around, but TIC so I just stared/glared (adopting the typical Chinese reaction). The idiot sidecar rider, who saw me staring, probably thought to himself "oh look at that big guy on that tiny scooter staring at me - he is probably jealous of how cool I am!" Grrrr ... time to take deep breaths.[/rant]

==========

On other news of crackdowns, etc.

Starting at the beginning of December, traffic camera enforcement is apparently now being used for 京B-plates within the 4th ring road, in addition to the more common roadside police enforcement. If you are nabbed by a policeman on the side of the road, you will probably only receive a 100 rmb fine. The cameras, however, are also handing out a 3 point deduction, in addition to the fine. Ouch.

京A-plate prices usually climb in December -> March each year, but this year the jump has been dramatic. Over the past week, or so, following the 京B-plate camera crackdown, 京A plate market prices have jumped from 50-60K, to 70-80K. Another "ouch"

This morning I heard tht there is a special 60 man force to take San le tun and check foreigners 24 hrs per day (for passports)......stay frosty!

Recent information on motorfans strongly suggests that 公户（registered to companies and not individuals) Jing B plates will no longer be issued starting from 2014 and that Jing A plates may become non-transferable like Beijing car plates.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PeteZ

Recent information on motorfans strongly suggests that 公户（registered to companies and not individuals) Jing B plates will no longer be issued starting from 2014 and that Jing A plates may become non-transferable like Beijing car plates.

---

Re 京B plates: Government is probably correct in addressing the company-registered plates. However, the unintended consequences could result in the value of existing company 京B plates rising. More likely, however, is that enterprising Chinese individuals who live in the 京B areas will sell their registration services for a fee (i.e., the same as is currently being done with companies). And if government says 1 person = 1 bike registration, well, I am sure the entrepreneurs have brothers, sisters, moms, dads, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, kids, neighbors, and so on. Or, instead of jing B plates, people will just arrange Hebei plates. TIC - always a way around silly government policies concerning "control".

Re 京A plates: Unless government begins issuing new 京A plates (quite unlikely, IMHO), I think the dealers (and citizens) will be quite unhappy with such a policy (non-transferable A plates). For example, how will the buyer of a new Harley / BMW / KTM / Ducati / etc., etc., etc. be able to get a legal plate? The unintended consequence could be a windfall for the illegal bike market, which is already flourishing. I've also heard a rumor that a lottery system will be put into place for 京A plates, functioning in the same manner as with cars. Again, TIC, and one can easily get around the car-plate lottery, for a price (around 80K right now). Walk into the Ferrari dealer with your bag of money and you will get a car plate without much trouble.

Due to years of mismanagement, and a myriad of patchwork "solutions", the government is faced with a can of worms. In its attempts at cleaning things up, it simply keeps throwing more worms in the can. It needs to start with a blank sheet of paper, and redesign the whole system. Unfortunately, I don't think many "leaders" have studied market economics, or public policy. There are libraries filled with studies on the true effects of price controls, but those studies are written in English. Or the city governments could simply take a look at the disaster underway in Venezuela with its price-control measures.

In the December - March period (when bonuses are paid out), each year for the past several years, 京A plates have dramatically risen in price. During this predictable period, people start screaming about prices (understandable), and government considers knee-jerk reactions. As one analogous example, the government's property-price cooling-measures seem to have had the opposite effect - house prices rose 20% year-over-year (2012-2013) in Beijing.

But who can predict anything that might happen in China? Definitely not me! But in my own China-experience, I've come to realize that whatever steps are taken, I am quite confident that they will almost certainly be the wrong ones. Like many people, I am planning my exit-strategy.

:lol8:

Thanks for the info LJH and it sucks that you're thinking of leaving. China will have one less ambassador for law-abiding, recreational motorcycling.

Tx PeteZ. Primary reason for departure is the same as everyone else's ... Beijing's air pollution. I can't take it any more. And like plates/traffic/etc., I personally don't see any serious efforts being made to deal with it.

I don't know where to, yet ... maybe a beach side home in some warm, SE Asia country might be better. :thumbsup:

Give me a year, or two, and I'll probably have another dozen bikes, somewhere, and extra rooms for MCM visitors.

That reminds me of another question that I've always wanted to ask you - how are you registering all of your bikes in BJ? Are they all Jing Bs registered under your name? I had to register mine under my gf's name as the dealer said foreigners were only allowed to have Jing As registered in their name.

+1
When I follow all his posts, there must be roughly 30 bikes in his name. Here, down south in Suzhou, is: one bike, one owner, one passport, one driving license....... nothing else

Carry a spare key??????????????

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lsussman

On 11/28, around 11pm I spotted at least three ad hoc police checkpoints set up at the following intersections in BJ:

*ChangAn and Dongdaqiao
*GuangHuaLu and Dongdaqiao
*RitanBei Lu and Dongdaqiao

At the second one, I spotted three cops wait for two scooters heading southbound on Dongdaqiao. Once they got close, the three of them ran out into traffic and stopped the two scooters by surrounding them and pulling out the keys. Both were wearing helmets and did not appear (from my distance) to be obvious offenders who ruin it for others. But I do not know what happened prior to what I saw (perhaps they evaded a prior stop).

Anyway, wondering if some renewed enforcement program is underway.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PeteZ

That reminds me of another question that I've always wanted to ask you - how are you registering all of your bikes in BJ? Are they all Jing Bs registered under your name? I had to register mine under my gf's name as the dealer said foreigners were only allowed to have Jing As registered in their name.

---

Most of my personal bikes are 京A plates, registered in my name. I have a few 京B plates that are company registered. I`ve heard that story about foreigners not being able to register 京B plates in their name. I think what has happened is the overwhelming majority of foreigners live within one of the six major districts of Beijing ... and the `rule`is that if your residency registration is within one of those six districts, regardless of whether you`re Chinese or a foreigner, you must acquire a 京A plate. I think, therefore, that foreigners MIGHT be able to get a 京B registration, but I am not 100% sure because I don`t have a residence outside the six districts.

A year or two ago, I purchased a Honda 150RR (very nice little bike) from a foreigner leaving China. It was 京B plated, and registered in the foreign seller`s name. He lived outside the six districts. But he was also the CEO of a major foreign company and undoubtedly had some guanxi, so perhaps that is how he did it. I don't know.

As a side note, I sold one of my A-plated bikes last night, for a price that included the 京A plate being valued at around 70,000 rmb. The buyer that came by saw my other A-plated bikes and he wanted to buy every one! Amazing. I think he was probably a dealer or an agent, but I am not sure. He was obviously quite confident that 京A plate prices are going to continue rising, or maybe he knows some inside scoop about a new policy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lao Jia Hou

...As a side note, I sold one of my A-plated bikes last night, for a price that included the 京A plate being valued at around 70,000 rmb. The buyer that came by saw my other A-plated bikes and he wanted to buy every one! Amazing. I think he was probably a dealer or an agent, but I am not sure. He was obviously quite confident that 京A plate prices are going to continue rising, or maybe he knows some inside scoop about a new policy.

---

LJH, wouldn't that assist you with your exit strategy? I know it would definitely go a long way to helping mine... yes, exit strategy also in play (TBA).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bikerdoc

LJH, wouldn't that assist you with your exit strategy? I know it would definitely go a long way to helping mine... yes, exit strategy also in play (TBA).

---

Wow, another one bites the dust! Yeah, there gets to be a point where the "quaint charm" of China wears off, and day-to-day life becomes tough.

I'll probably keep 1 or 2 bikes in Beijing, as I also own some properties here and will likely hang on to one (sell the others). Be good to have my own bike when visiting Beijing friends in the Fall.

I've been following Chinese forums, and people are claiming that it is very difficult to get a 京A plate right now. There MUST be something going on behind the scenes about a new policy, but I have no idea what it might be and no one will tell me anything. I have zero inside information, and everything seems hush-hush. The agent I often use is buying plates like crazy, but he has stopped selling them, except to his best dealer-customers. He seems to be warehousing them. I've heard that a couple of dealers are also directly warehousing A plates.

THAT seems to be the cause of a lot of concerns re riding legally. Aside from the issue of price, people are saying "Damn, I can't even GET a plate. Why bother paying 2-3 times the price for a legal bike, over an illegal bike, when I can't even plate it, despite the very high A-plate prices?" Frankly, that is a valid argument.

I was shocked when I received NUMEROUS calls for the bike I sold last night, literally within minutes of placing the ad (in the morning). The guy that bought it called FIVE times, during the day, ensuring that I still had the bike. He was becomming such a PITA, I almost got to the point where I wasn't going to sell it to him.

Maybe there is going to be a massive campaign/crackdown in the new year? Pure speculation, on my part - nobody is telling me anything. But there feels to be something in the air (besides pollution).

Quote:

---

There MUST be something going on behind the scenes about a new policy

---

Sounds like, that's it then. No issuing of new plates in central Beijing for motorcycle and possibly for cars too. Therefor all new registrations will be old numbers re-registered. I imagne a crackdown on central area illegal vehicles and non local plates will be included.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bikerdoc

... yes, exit strategy also in play (TBA).

---

Is there any "China long termer" NOT arranging his exit strategy?
I hardly know anyone who is not arranging this .... kind of frightening ...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ZMC888

Sounds like, that's it then. No issuing of new plates in central Beijing for motorcycle and possibly for cars too. Therefor all new registrations will be old numbers re-registered. I imagne a crackdown on central area illegal vehicles and non local plates will be included.

---

Logical assumption. The problem is, however, that this is how it already works inside Beijing (no new 京A plates are being issued, and old plates are re-registered).

I guess we'll just have to wait & see what happens, if anything. Over on Motorfans, some people are saying that rumors are starting in an attempt to drive down A plate prices. Of course, those same people start their own rumors to try and drive prices up. Sort of like the Chinese stock markets.

I noticed that Tianjin has just implemented a Beijing-style lottery system for car plates. Anyone ever heard the expression "monkey see, monkey do"?

998S.. I've been here 18 years. I surf here in the summer, do a lot of sailing, surf taiwan in the winter and I'm riding bikes like they're going out of fashion. I have a small factory here, a house etc and of course the chinese wife and a couple half breeds.
I used to think about retiring somewhere nice but I read in the paper about the crap overseas and look at this place and really can't think of anywhere I'd actually rather be..Though I do live outside of a city and ningbo is a small city.. I can't understand why anyone in their right mind would want to live in any city anywhere on this planet. They stink and are full of stinky, money grabbing people and the pigs shite zero tolerance.
Sure, this place can be frustrating but where else on this planet can you argue with a pig? What other asian country lets you have your name on the property title. And the roads, the mountains, the development...
I dont' know about exit strategy.. All the money is here and it keeps getting better. We could try and import some better quality ex pats though......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 998S

Is there any "China long termer" NOT arranging his exit strategy?
I hardly know anyone who is not arranging this .... kind of frightening ...

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 998S

Is there any "China long termer" NOT arranging his exit strategy?
I hardly know anyone who is not arranging this .... kind of frightening ...

---

Just an exit from full time life in Beijing ... Moving permanently to a less Chinese part of China.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lsussman

On 11/28, around 11pm I spotted at least three ad hoc police checkpoints set up at the following intersections in BJ:

*ChangAn and Dongdaqiao
*GuangHuaLu and Dongdaqiao
*RitanBei Lu and Dongdaqiao

At the second one, I spotted three cops wait for two scooters heading southbound on Dongdaqiao. Once they got close, the three of them ran out into traffic and stopped the two scooters by surrounding them and pulling out the keys. Both were wearing helmets and did not appear (from my distance) to be obvious offenders who ruin it for others. But I do not know what happened prior to what I saw (perhaps they evaded a prior stop).

Anyway, wondering if some renewed enforcement program is underway.

---

11 pm at night makes sense with the drinking and driving campaign that is going on. I got pulled over with Jing B and they just asked me to take off my helmet asked me my name and stuck his face in mind. No alcohol, just garlic... Let me go.