Fees and license penalties

[GJN]

Long time no post. I was recently driving along the side of the north second ring road near Deshengmen and got racially profiled/pulled over. I'm legal with license, but my bike had a jing-b. The officer tried to fine me 200rmb and take 6 points off my license. I raised hell, and in the end got out of the ticket and went on my merry way. I guess that's more of a statement than a question, but does anybody know traffic violations plus their corresponding fines/license point deductions?

Thanks!

[Lao Jia Hou]

Interesting.

I have heard many different stories from people about what the fine/penalties are for "B" plates inside the 4th ring road. The Chinese forums seem to suggest that the typical fine is 100 rmb, with no points. But there are also stories of larger fines and points. It may be the discretion of the officer? Honestly, I have no idea.

There is an English email service that the Traffic Management Branch runs. You email your question, and it responds rather quickly. It is a great service!

I'd email your question, but I think they might be getting fed up with my endless questions concerning registrations, plates, transfers, scrapping bikes, etc.

Give it a shot ... ask them ... and then let us know here what the "risks" are.

Here is the web page that provides the email address:

http://www.bjjtgl.gov.cn/publish/portal1/tab765/

Good luck.

[GJN]

Thanks LJH. Always a source of useful information. I sent them an email, and will post what they have to say.

[TB-Racing]

G'Day,

Had an interesting discussions with a few BJ bikers about riding a Shanghai "A" plated bike around Beijing, anyone has any solid info and riding / parking would include the Gumao area.
It's a "A" plate after all but This Is China........

[Lao Jia Hou]

... anyone has any solid info and riding / parking would include the Gumao area.
It's a "A" plate after all but This Is China........

According to Beijing's Traffic Management Branch, the rule for non-Beijing bikes is the same as for non-Beijing cars. It cannot be driven on any roads within the the 5th ring road during morning and evening rush hours, Monday to Friday. Guomao is inside that restricted area.

Non-Beijing vehicles are also subjected to the daily plate restrictions for the hours of 0600 to 2000 (e.g., plates ending in the numbers 3 & 8 cannot be driven on Mondays; 4 & 9 on Tuesdays, and so on). This is identical to what Beijing vehicles are subjected to. Contrary to popular belief, this also applies to motorcycles.

Parking a vehicle isn't impacted. One of my bikes has a legal Hebei plate (non-Beijing), and as long as it is parked, there is no problem. The restrictions apply only to vehicles being driven on the roads.

A little caution - the major East/West road through Beijing (Chang An), which intersects the Guomao area at the East 3rd ring road is probably the most heavily enforced road in Beijing. This is the road that goes past the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, etc. Motorcycles are prohibited on that road from 0700 to 2000 hrs, seven days a week, all the way from the East 3rd ring road to the West 3rd ring road. It is common for the traffic police to be stationed at every intersection along that road.

Also, motorcycles are prohibited from traveling on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th ring roads. You can ride on the side roads, however.

Finally, and relating to the original post, there is a restriction that ONLY 京A plated motorcycles are permitted anywhere inside the 4th ring road. This raises a couple of interesting questions that I haven't been able to get a clear answer to. Does this mean that non-Beijing bikes (e.g., my one Hebei plated bike) can also not travel inside the 4th ring road, at any time? The answer I received was "yes, probably". And does it mean that non-Beijing bikes are subjected to the rush hour & plate number restrictions only between the 5th and 4th ring roads (i.e., they cannot travel inside the 4th ring road, and the rules do not apply outside the 5th ring road)? Again, the answer I received was "yes, probably."

Confusing, convoluted, but as you note ... TIC.

Also, like everything else, it depends entirely on how lucky/unlucky you are. What is patently obvious, however, is that enforcement of motorcycle laws is becoming much stricter each year.

[TB-Racing]

G'Day LJH,

Thanks for the very comprehensive explanation about riding a Shanghai "A" plated bike around Beijing for a month, sounds very complicated and stressful = TIC......