Motorbikes / Expressways

[Shanghaifingers]

look guys, I get the desire to get up on the freeways.... Where legal, have at it and enjoy. BUT everytime some mototrcyclist gets on the freeway illegally and runs tollgates and evades police and/or highway staff, it negatively effects ALL motorcyclists. Look at what has happened to CJ 750's in Shanghai.

5 years ago the CJ 750 was "tolerated", now in large part thanks to CJ people hitting and running and other infractions the CJ and its riders are under constant pressure to get off the road. Unless you have a vaild 户A on the CJ you will probably get stopped on a fequent basis.

I tell the Harely guys all the time that they represent not only themselves but the entire motorcycle community everytime they take to the road. Road rage, assaults and just bad driving edicate reflects badly on everyone.

Now I am no boy scout or a member of the "Guardians of Order" mc. But when I am doing something that is obtuse or breaking the road regulations I attempt to keep in mind who else its impacting and if the impact is too high then I don't do it.

Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you Should and certainly doesn't make you RIGHT!

just a word to the wise....

[bikerdoc]

look guys, I get the desire to get up on the freeways.... Where legal, have at it and enjoy. BUT everytime some mototrcyclist gets on the freeway illegally and runs tollgates and evades police and/or highway staff, it negatively effects ALL motorcyclists. Look at what has happened to CJ 750's in Shanghai.

5 years ago the CJ 750 was "tolerated", now in large part thanks to CJ people hitting and running and other infractions the CJ and its riders are under constant pressure to get off the road. Unless you have a vaild 户A on the CJ you will probably get stopped on a fequent basis.

I tell the Harely guys all the time that they represent not only themselves but the entire motorcycle community everytime they take to the road. Road rage, assaults and just bad driving edicate reflects badly on everyone.

Now I am no boy scout or a member of the "Guardians of Order" mc. But when I am doing something that is obtuse or breaking the road regulations I attempt to keep in mind who else its impacting and if the impact is too high then I don't do it.

Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you Should and certainly doesn't make you RIGHT!

just a word to the wise....

+1...

[Morfar]

+2...!!

[euphonius]

Toll-free traffic to be no picnic over holidays


Source: Xinhua | 2012-9-17 | NEWSPAPER EDITION SHANGHAI DAILY
________________________________


CHINA'S new policy that exempts passenger cars from road tolls during holidays is expected to spur unprecedented road traffic during the country's upcoming Golden Week holiday.


The public, including the country's 236 million licensed drivers, will be exempt from about 10 billion yuan (US$1.58 billion) in highway tolls during China's longest-ever eight-day Golden Week holiday, running from September 30 to October 7.


The policy will greatly benefit people planning to drive themselves to their holiday destinations, but it will also generate massive traffic pressure, said Chen Xiongzhang, a communications researcher with Guangxi Normal University.


In early August, the State Council, China's Cabinet, approved a plan to lift road tolls for passenger cars taking highways during major Chinese holidays.


Passenger cars with seven seats or less and motorcycles will get a free pass on toll roads, bridges and tunnels during the Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day and National Day, said the notice issued by the State Council on August 2.


People have long complained that toll gates cause highway traffic jams during national holidays. Tolls take up 30-40 percent of expenses incurred by those driving themselves to destinations throughout China.


An online survey conducted by Sina and Tencent, two major Chinese web portals, revealed that nearly 80 percent of respondents have planned to drive to their holiday destinations.


Some Internet users have posted a "money-saving travel map," showing exactly how much toll money will be saved when the policy is in effect.


Meanwhile, the policy has also encouraged more people to rent cars for their holiday journeys, according to some major car rental companies.


In previous years, the holiday travel rush would peak in the first two and last two days of the Golden Week, but the new policy is expected to see the rush extend throughout the entire holiday.


Nearly all trunk roads to provincial and regional capitals and popular tourist destinations will be congested, Chen predicted.


China has not set up a complete transportation information collection system encompassing the highway, railway, aviation and shipping sectors. The lack of this system makes it difficult for government authorities to evaluate and guide traffic pressures. The upcoming holiday will offer the country a chance to form an advanced traffic management system, he said.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/nsp/Nat...er%2Bholidays/

Did someone say BRIDGES and TUNNELS????? I, for one, would be open to spending the first several days of October riding every forbidden bridge and tunnel within reach of Shanghai -- Hangzhou Bay, Sutong, Chongming Island, etc.

Any takers?

[bikerdoc]

I get it, but rather than it be a complete "open season" for bikers riding their rides onto expressways which ordinarily have local bans in place, I read it it to mean that where motorcycles would ordinarily be allowed to be ridden yet subject to tolls, that such tolls would not be charged albeit temporarily. That's my take on it, and how I interpret the "translation" of the original. Bearing in mind that the original orders and subsequent press releases would be in Chinese and therefore easily misinterpreted and translated slightly incorrectly. YMMV.

Euphonius, what are your plans for the October/Moon cake festival? Anyone else looking for an excursion? Me and a couple of guys will be hanging around Zhejiang and also spending time riding mountains around a couple of the islands (not the real popular ones) off the coast of Beilun/Chunxiao, Ningbo. If anyone cares to join us... drop me a line.

[euphonius]

I'm in India till midday on 27th, and will be busy on Friday and maybe Saturday. Other than that I'm uncommitted till 5 October, when I'll go elope with my KLR650. Would be great to get out for three of four days in Zhejiang.

cheers!

[Lao Jia Hou]

look guys, I get the desire to get up on the freeways.... Where legal, have at it and enjoy. BUT everytime some mototrcyclist gets on the freeway illegally and runs tollgates and evades police and/or highway staff, it negatively effects ALL motorcyclists. Look at what has happened to CJ 750's in Shanghai.

5 years ago the CJ 750 was "tolerated", now in large part thanks to CJ people hitting and running and other infractions the CJ and its riders are under constant pressure to get off the road. Unless you have a vaild 户A on the CJ you will probably get stopped on a fequent basis.

I tell the Harely guys all the time that they represent not only themselves but the entire motorcycle community everytime they take to the road. Road rage, assaults and just bad driving edicate reflects badly on everyone.

Now I am no boy scout or a member of the "Guardians of Order" mc. But when I am doing something that is obtuse or breaking the road regulations I attempt to keep in mind who else its impacting and if the impact is too high then I don't do it.

Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you Should and certainly doesn't make you RIGHT!

just a word to the wise....

I was riding in the back seat of a taxi on a Beijing Ring Road a while back, and my Chinese buddy was in the front seat, when a sidecar rig & Harley went zooming by, both ridden by unhelmeted foreigners. Bikes are not supposed to be on the Ring Roads.

Anyways, the taxi driver started railing away to my Chinese buddy about those f'n foreigners on those f'n bikes, and how he feels like running every f'n bike & f'n foreigner off the f'n road. I tried very hard to fade into the back seat. My Chinese language skills are not good enough to understand everything, but I heard enough "grass horse" and TMD to get the theme of the conversation ... verified by the Chinese buddy after we got out of the taxi.

The problem is ... mention that to some rider, and you hear "F it, I do it all the time and nothing ever happens." These dim lights never see that they are f'n it up for the rest of us. Instead, it is "hey man, look at how cool I look on this stolen bike with fake plates, and my Village People halloween costume."

Oh yeah, the taxi driver apparently went nuts with his description of foreigners on bikes with young Chinese girls on the back. I bet that scenario is very "popular" among the average Joe Zhou.

I, for one, am kinda glad that we have this current crackdown campaign in Beijing, despite it kinda making my life difficult.

I'm in India...

Now there is a place with civilized, organized, rational traffic!

[Steve_R]

This just in from today's Shanghai Daily. Unfortunately, the tolls will be manned. No point in attempting.

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"Drivers of vehicles with seven seats or less may enjoy free rides. However, they still have to collect toll cards from checkpoints and return them to next stations, Dai said. The cards will help vehicles line up in order at checkpoints and also help traffic officials to gather traffic volume data, Dai said."
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[TB-Racing]

Special lanes, restrictions among tools to fight holiday's traffic jams


By Zha Minjie | 2012-9-28 | NEWSPAPER EDITION SHANGHAI DAILY
_____________


SHANGHAI traffic administration and traffic police said yesterday that they would take anti-congestion measures, like opening lanes for small passenger-vehicles at toll stations and adding guide signs and maps, to keep holiday traffic as smooth as possible.


Lengthy traffic jams have already been spotted downtown, especially on the elevated roads, days before the arrival of the National Day holiday.


Roadside information boards showed yellow and red at some road sections, signaling serious congestion.


Locals worry traffic jams will get worse, like the gridlock seen in Beijing these days, where congestion is so severe that elevated roads have become virtual parking lots. Vehicle volume at toll stations is expected to surge after a new policy allowing vehicles with seven seats or less to enjoy free tolls during the holiday.


The city is expected to see a 40 percent increase in highway traffic volume during the holidays with the peak day's traffic volume reaching over 1 million, city traffic officials said yesterday.


The vehicle peak is expected to arrive on October 1 and 2, said traffic officials.


To alleviate pressures, the expressway operator said yesterday that it would guide private cars and small passenger vehicles to specific toll lanes, separate from the ones used by trucks and large vehicles.


At some key toll stations like Jiangqiao and Anting, where there will be large vehicle volumes, vehicles will be allowed to pass more quickly as toll cards will be distributed before they enter the station and barriers will not be used to block the way, said the operator. Drivers will have to take the cards but private cars and small passenger vehicles won't have to pay.


"We hope the drivers can follow our lead and steer toward the lanes," said Gu Yaozhong, a staffer at the busy Jiangqiao toll station, where three lanes are set for private cars.


Police helicopters will monitor the roads, a practice used for traffic management during the World Expo in 2010.


In downtown, police suggested drivers take ground roads instead of the elevated and ring roads during peak times.


Some downtown roads and elevated road ramps will be restricted during the holiday from September 30 to October 3 in the afternoon and night rush between 3:30pm and 11:30pm.


Entry onto a section of the Yan'an Elevated Road, a major east-west thoroughfare, will also be restricted during the period, police said.

[ZaaZen]

Hi

Start of the holiday 30 of October 6.15 in the morning.

Went on the express way this morning from Qibao to SongJiang... first A8 then A5 and last A9 to exit SongJiang.
Went to the toll booth and she said no and I quickly replied yes and she immediately gave me a highway card and opened the gate.
At the exit in SongJiang I went through the toll gate and stopped a few meters after the booth and then walked over with the highway card, the woman in the booth looked extremely surprised and was in doubt of what to do.. after a phone-call she waved me off and I left. Seemed like it was not legal at all what I just did.
In fact I didn’t fancy the expressway anyway so taking the scenic route next time instead.

That’s my story of expressway travel, and the end of it…

Cheers