Beijing "campaign" re license plates

**bigdamo** · 12-13-2011, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by lobotomous

Got my first ticket today.
Not sure if there is a current clamp-down - maybe they have a quota to fill before the end of the year?
Had previously not seen any road blocks targeted at bikes, nor had I ever been stopped.
I had thought I was 100% legal, but was handed a ¥200 fine for obstructed number plate.

Chinese new year coming up.Some people need extra cash.

**ShuBen** · 12-13-2011, 11:53 AM

I would like to share a helpful thing in case police officers get rude or impolite.
In the past I turned their behavior around by recording their personal service number and asking for their name.
No need to mention something about complaining. Suddenly they are very correct and even helpful.

It even worked in the public security where they told me I would be late for registering (which was not true)

Does somebody has similar experiences?

**lobotomous** · 12-13-2011, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by ShuBen

ISuddenly they are very correct and even helpful.

I think this is sound advice. Sadly the cop who booked me today was not in the mood to be humoured and did his job to the letter. I never imagined being booked for something so petty, but it's there in the regulations, black and white. Banged to rights etc.
He did give me a salute when handing me the ticket, which was a classy touch, I thought.

**lobotomous** · 12-14-2011, 01:20 AM

I just found out after having someone look at the ticket that as well as a ¥200 fine, I have also been awarded 6 points. This seems a bit steep for such a minor offence. I have a month or so to appeal, I think. Anyone got any advice on this?

**euphonius** · 12-14-2011, 02:05 AM

While this seems a minor offense and a petty degree of enforcement, I think it also signals something really significant: The traffic police and government are attempting to snuff out unlicensed or fake licensed vehicles, which ultimately should be a good thing for everyone. Here in Shanghai, many pocket rocket scoots blast around town with no plates at all, and they are a key target of enforcement here. But the police want to ensure that riders don't skirt this by using fake plates, and this cannot be enforced unless they establish that every bike must have a plate and every plate must be visible and legible. This inevitably reduces the ability of unlicensed or fake licensed bikes to blend in and hide -- and evade.

There's another angle too, somewhat more insidious to my thinking: You notice the tens of thousands of cameras along every road in every city? Yes, big brother is watching, and using enforcement as they did to you to ensure that the cameras' view of your plate is unobstructed substantially increases grandma's ability to conduct surveillance of her population.

620-738px-Three_Surveillance_cameras.jpg

cheers!

**Lao Jia Hou** · 12-14-2011, 02:54 AM

Originally Posted by lobotomous

I just found out after having someone look at the ticket that as well as a ¥200 fine, I have also been awarded 6 points. This seems a bit steep for such a minor offence. I have a month or so to appeal, I think. Anyone got any advice on this?

Wow - that six points hurts! One more of these within the year and you're off to re-education camp (traffic school).

I'm often bitchin' and complaining about the lack of enforcement, and that is why traffic is so insane, yadda yadda yadda ... BUT, when the police finally do step up enforcement, I also think the police only need to focus on the other guy ... I'm a good little boy.

So, my comment? Glad it was you, buddy, and not me!

Should you appeal? Definitely ... we'd all love to read the commentary.

**Barry** · 12-14-2011, 02:58 AM

It's the end the of the year, and your points will be reset soon if I'm correct! But can they seriously deduct 6 points for that? Could an appeal slow down things and make you get 6 points on next year's conto you could ask yourself?

I got away with having my rear plate covered with a bag when I got stopped a month or 2 ago. It was fine when they saw there was an A-plate below it, think they were trying to catch fakes and B-plates (It was around 2nd ring so).

**bikerdoc** · 12-14-2011, 03:54 AM

I've written this before in posts... but again... anything to do with license plates moved from being a traffic infringement to becoming a criminal charge earlier this year, so playing with license plates is as a consequence a much more serious matter/offense. More of a reason to go legal. 100%. Get a drivers license, get a legal plate that can be checked by police anytime, and have compulsory insurance up to date... that way one minimises liability.
Another thing, there are police hand held data terminals that are being used with increasing frequency, where the officer inputs the information and gets instantaneous vehicle information on the fly. I know as I have watch it in action first hand. Data displays everything related to the plate/vehicle/owner.
Add to that the use of number plate recognition cameras, used in many locations; highways, all along the expressways, and even now mounted to police vehicle roofs. Big brother is watching...

**lobotomous** · 12-14-2011, 04:46 AM

Originally Posted by bikerdoc

.. anything to do with license plates moved from being a traffic infringement to becoming a criminal charge earlier this year...

Thanks - I hadn't realised this. I thought that maybe the cop had made a mistake. I might still look into an appeal if I have nothing to lose.
Not sure what we can infer from this single event. He may have just been having a bad day.
I think I could have avoided him quite easily, but didn't make the effort as I believed myself to be legal.
RE: Euphonius' point:
Yes - the cameras worry me - I will need to be more careful about bus lanes and cycle lanes from now on if I am to avoid re-education camp.

**lobotomous** · 12-30-2011, 05:05 AM

Well - I went down the appeal route, but sorry to report that this was not upheld.
Process is as follows: Go in person to the Traffic Police office in the area concerned, where it seems to be dealt with by one guy sitting in an office.
Whether there is any follow-up is unclear.
My appeal consisted of a very polite letter explaining that the cop was not consistent or clear in his communication with me and did not take time to make sure I understood (true), as well as some technicalities about the processing (e.g. the printout was illegible). I also figured that they didn't have any evidence regarding the exact nature of the offence and that there was some doubt over it. I was careful to ensure that I was not seeking preferential treatment as a foreigner, but that I did expect to have the opportunity to represent myself, which I hadn't at the time as the cop was unwilling to engage in a conversation at my less-than-fluent level.
The cop in the appeal office gave me some more telling off, which I took, but I was persistent and showed him all my papers and evidence. He eventually told me to take a seat.
It seemed that after telling me off again he was going to waive the fine or the points as this was a first offence.
Unfortunately he was unable to log on to the computer system. So after about 5 minutes of trying with his assistant, and realising that it was approaching lunchtime (11.30 to 1.30 of course!) he finally said there was nothing to do and that the fine and points had to stand.
The fine has to be paid through ICBC bank. Off I went to pay the fine. Queued for half an hour to then discover that the Police computer was indeed down and that I wasn't even able to pay the fine and would have to go back another day.
The experience broadly reflects what I have come to expect. I can't really say I was treated unfairly in this case, just unluckily.
Is it worth making an appeal? I think so. Depending on which way the wind is blowing and how you are able to put over your case, the appeal cops do at least appear to give another chance to put your case.