Beijing B-plated bikes inside the 4th Ring Road

**CantDecide** · 03-09-2011, 02:11 PM

My wife found someone selling a legal Jilin QM200GY-B with a B-plate, which made me wonder, assuming I solve my licensing issues, I am going to need an A-plated bike since I'm living inside the 2nd ring, right?

If you're caught with a B-plate inside the 4th ring, is the bike confiscated, or do you get fined or something?

**euphonius** · 03-09-2011, 03:07 PM

Inside the 2nd ring? Impossible! Only pol*tburo members live inside the second ring! What, are you at the Academy of Social Sciences?

Actually, there are a lot of secondary roads in and out of the city, and I doubt they'd confiscate a legally plated bike if you got stopped. Yes, you might get a fine. Or maybe not. If you are in Chaoyang District, you can follow Guanghua Lu out of the CBD, or Guangqu Lu. Both parallel Chang'an Jie.

Springtime on a bike in Beijing. Life could be a lot worse.

Not a lot of reason to go south. But north, northwest, northeast, west or east are all good bets.

cheers

**CantDecide** · 03-09-2011, 03:20 PM

Yeah, we are just inside the 2nd in Dongcheng, and yeah, my wife is at CASS. Judging by our neighbors, and the look of our apartment buildings exterior though, I'm pretty sure not everyone around here is 'special'. :)

Ugh, I've got to find some way to get a > 90 day visa without quitting my day job.

**euphonius** · 03-09-2011, 03:25 PM

Nobody is particularly special at CASS, but one scholar there -- probably the leading Japan specialist in China -- just got sent up the river for 12 years for disclosing the st*te s*cr*t that the diminutive leader of the D_P_R_K had had a stroke. All kinds of creepy sh* happens at CASS, so watch your back, and guard your laptop. I'm not making this up.

cheers

**CantDecide** · 03-09-2011, 03:40 PM

Someone suggested I weight my laptop before I leave the US and after I return... that seemed a bit paranoid. I'll let my wife know though.

**Barry** · 03-10-2011, 01:18 AM

My previous apartment was just inside 2nd ring, nothing special about that!

As for the B-plate, you will probably get fined if they catch you. I don't think anyone confirmed that it will cost you 3 points on your driving license in BJ for driving a B-plate downtown (like in Shanghai) right? I've heard/read before you might not be able to register a B-plated bike on your (wife's) name if your address is inside the 4th ring, can anyone confirm this?