Re: Why you should get a license ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marcomagica
To my knowledge you don't need any practical test if you are "translating" your driving licence. The process you describe is to take a driving licence if you want to go the normal way or you don't have a driving licence back home.
I was wondering why they didn't ask me the medical test so far... maybe they just forgot to tell me... oh well, I'll find out next week if it's really needed in my case.
Marco,
You are correct. All you'll need to do is pass the written test. And, yes, there's probably some nominal health exam that could well be offered right at the test center. You might check with them beforehand, lest you show up only to be sent off the pitch once more for that little detail. If HZ is playing by the rules and your overseas motorcycle endorsement is current, you'll not need to demonstrate your riding ability.
Did you download the gazillion questions and start memorizing?
good luck!
Re: Why you should get a license ...
All right, a quick update.
After kissing goodbye to my car driving licence at the main traffic bureau, back to the local traffic bureau to apply for a new licence.
Health check VERY nominal, they gave me a book of questions and my exam date is... END OF JUNE!!!! I expected a couple of weeks of illegal driving and now I'm facing at over two months...
My fixer is working on this "small" issue.
I didn't download anything yet, but they kindly gave me for free a book of about 250 pages with 6 questions per page average... I'm already starting to regret all this effort as on the motorbike side, news so far are no good.
As it seems the JH600 can't be registered in Zhejiang, even on the name of a Chinese national. I'm not settling for a 250cc so maybe all this will be for nothing but a piece of paper.
On a positive note they gave me the application for C1D driving licence, so if will loose my job I can move to countryside and sell fruits on my moto-tricycle.
Re: Why you should get a license ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marcomagica
...they gave me a book of questions and my exam date is... END OF JUNE!!!! I expected a couple of weeks of illegal driving and now I'm facing at over two months...
My fixer is working on this "small" issue.
Dear Marco,
Don't give up too easily! If HZ is anything like Shanghai, they book up the number of tests they can administer in a given day. But not everyone needs the allotted 30 minutes (or whatever) for the exam, and there are also no-shows, so there is almost always a chance to slip in ahead of your scheduled date. If you've got a free morning, consider just showing up with your paperwork and asking if there's a spare spot. End of June? Like later than 22 June? How about showing up on the June date, but in April instead, apologize profusely for misreading the date, and ask if they can squeeze you in. I've taken the test twice here, and on one of those dates I was a couple of weeks earlier than my scheduled date.
Perhaps HZ will show a little flexibility....
Good luck.
Re: Why you should get a license ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lao Jia Hou
Welcome Marco! HZ = Hongzhou?
A C1 is for passenger cars only.
A "D" is for motorcycles (2 wheels) and sidecars/trikes (3 wheels)
An "E" is for motorcycles (2 wheels)
Most commonly, a person will have a C1E (cars and motorcycles)
If you have a valid motorcycle license from Europe, you should be able to "easily" transfer it to a C1E. However, as you already have a C1 (presumably based on your European license), I am not sure what the Traffic Management Branch will think when you come back, asking for a motorcycle ("E") endorsement. I'm guessing it won't be a problem, but one never knows what happens in the minds of those behind the counter.
It is a complete pain in the ass to transfer license from C1 to C1D or C1E. My situation:
I came to china and used FESCO to help me get a license - what a waste of $100 USD; Basically they just held my hand to register for the written exam and take my foreign driving license and translate it to chinese and then walk me to hospital for medical "check"....
My foreign license already has MOTORCYCLE endorsement but the idiots at fesco fail to notice that when they translate my license to chinese.....
I take (and pass) the exam on my own (not easy, must study) and get my China driving license.
I receive C1 license. WTF? no motorcyle qualficiation? I ask why? Fesco screw up. How to fix? pay $100 again -- plus...
1. must SUSPEND / CANCEL my current C1 license
2. must Re-Register for written exam
3. must re-take and pass written exam
4. must then wait to get new license with C1D or C1E
complete bureaucratic bullshit. Welcome to China....
I know many in similar situation using these "helpful" company like FESCO, or SUNNY car service companies to get license but those guys are incompetent and do not get you what you ask for despite paying big money. and just driving motoche using C1 license and hope "wo ting bu dong" will work.... you decide.
Re: Why you should get a license ...
Dear Papadad,
There is a ray of light in your situation: Because of the overseas motorcycle endorsement, you need not take the mandatory riding course, which is a total waste of time and money, or take a riding test, which is a total joke but also a waste of time. Be thankful it's ONLY a bureaucratic thing. Shouldn't take more than a couple of weeks, and the cost is also minimal -- assuming you tell the FESCO boys to go flip themselves.
By the way, I just noticed this is your first post. Welcome to the forum, and keep us posted about your progress! You'll be on the road in no time.
cheers
Re: Why you should get a license ...
What a massive bummer. Welcome to china indeed...
Re: Why you should get a license ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
euphonius
Dear Papadad,
There is a ray of light in your situation: Because of the overseas motorcycle endorsement, you need not take the mandatory riding course, which is a total waste of time and money, or take a riding test, which is a total joke but also a waste of time. Be thankful it's ONLY a bureaucratic thing. Shouldn't take more than a couple of weeks, and the cost is also minimal -- assuming you tell the FESCO boys to go flip themselves.
I'm now legal already ...just relaying how much fun it was (not) to do the C1 to C1D/E transfer. What a hassle. There have got to be some fixers somewhere that can make it go faster and easier for the next guy.
http://www.mdmcbeijing.com
Re: Why you should get a license ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by
papadad
I'm now legal already ...just relaying how much fun it was (not) to do the C1 to C1D/E transfer. What a hassle. There have got to be some fixers somewhere that can make it go faster and easier for the next guy.
http://www.mdmcbeijing.com
Papadad,
Fixers are rarely there to help. Their job is to make you feel helpless and take your money. Do it yourself, and you'll feel a lot more accomplished.
At best, if you don't know Chinese, you'll need a girlfriend to help with translation. (Girlfriends are also good for protecting you from fixers.)
cheers
Re: Why you should get a license ...
This is good information, because I recently replaced my C1 license after it was lost a year ago. The C1 license is now valid for Shanghai jurisdiction, which is awesome. However, I'm going home for the summer (in Canada) to do a motorcycle endorsement over there, and later transfer it to a C1E license in China.
Good to know it's at least possible to do this, even if there are bureaucratic hassles involved.
Re: Why you should get a license ...
Dear Steve,
Look at the earlier posts in this thread. It is SOOOO much easier to transfer an existing, valid overseas motorcycle endorsement into a Chinese C1E license than to do it all from scratch. Not that it can't be done here; plenty have. But the system for transfer exists so why not use it!
cheers
