How to be prepared for a motorcycle accident in China

[998S]

Unfortunately, the ones who don't think about doing it are the ones who didn't spend enough time in China... This is of course only my humble opinion.

Well, I might not have spent enough time in China, but I have been personally involved in accidents where I needed care.

I have been in Chinese ambulances, I have been walking into Chinese hospitals with blood all over my race overall.
I have been in emergency rooms where the beds were still drenched with the blood of last week's victim (no joke).
I have also been with some fellow riders who needed medical care after an accident.

This all on and around professional race-tracks, where you might assume that the care is on a higher level then on the street in some small local village.

The truth? Sorry that I have to disappoint you.
There is no one who cares what you wear around your neck.
Yeah, they might roll you to see if there is money, but they will not open up that little thing to see if there is a mum's telephone number to notify.
They simply don't have the sense...

Sorry if I disappoint you, but I have seen it too many times in real time.

E.

[bigdamo]

Well, I might not have spent enough time in China, but I have been personally involved in accidents where I needed care.

I have been in Chinese ambulances, I have been walking into Chinese hospitals with blood all over my race overall.
I have been in emergency rooms where the beds were still drenched with the blood of last week's victim (no joke).
I have also been with some fellow riders who needed medical care after an accident.

This all on and around professional race-tracks, where you might assume that the care is on a higher level then on the street in some small local village.

The truth? Sorry that I have to disappoint you.
There is no one who cares what you wear around your neck.
Yeah, they might roll you to see if there is money, but they will not open up that little thing to see if there is a mum's telephone number to notify.
They simply don't have the sense...

Sorry if I disappoint you, but I have seen it too many times in real time.

E.

Wouldn't they have all your info on file if your doing track days or racing? just wondering.

[998S]

Wouldn't they have all your info on file if your doing track days or racing? just wondering.

No.
And if they have it from a race-subscription, it is not readily available at the track, let alone in the ambulance or hospital.

[Fred]

I hear you, and that's why I'm not a fool enough to write that "it'll prevent any problems and everything will be fine in a better world".

But it can help in some cases, it could be one more step towards staying alive. Riding is not safe, riding in China is definitely not safe, but maybe later (10-20 years) it will become less dangerous than it is now, if the mindset of the people and the infrastructure and organization of the emergency services improve.
Meanwhile, it's more about what YOU can do for your safety. Having an emergency card around the neck is not a talisman preventing bad things from happening, but it could help.

[ZMC888]

Yeah, they might roll you to see if there is money, but they will not open up that little thing to see if there is a mum's telephone number to notify.
They simply don't have the sense...

Helmet write: 'XXXXXX yuan reward for aiding rider if unconscious after an accident. Dial XXXXXXXXXXX to claim your reward'. Written in Chinese. That might help!

[Fred]

Helmet write: 'XXXXXX yuan reward for aiding rider if unconscious after an accident. Dial XXXXXXXXXXX to claim your reward'. Written in Chinese. That might help!

Now that's an idea !

How sad is it that it might actually work in China....

[NZBrakelathes]

Hi Guy newbie here - Is it at all possible to enter China on a Motorcycle legally? I am being told NO.
Any advise? I am planning a trip from HK to Nepal on to Europe and any advise please go=ive it

[Fred]

Hi Guy newbie here - Is it at all possible to enter China on a Motorcycle legally? I am being told NO.
Any advise? I am planning a trip from HK to Nepal on to Europe and any advise please go=ive it

Wrong thread, and a question answered many times in this forum.
Try the search tool (top right) please.

After that, we'll be happy to help in any way possible with your trip !

[Brice]

3 years ago while on a month tour in the south western provinces I had an accident in a village.

A little girl crossed just in front of the bike. I tried to avoid her but her coat was caught by the front fender. I stopped to care take of her, she was ok but I asked her family to send her for a medical check.

The traffic police came to do the accident report then took the bike and my papers (driver license, insurance, bike registration) . All my papers were in order and legal.

With the help of the insurance company and a local English teacher it took me 4 days to sort out the situation with the Police. Even if I wasn't held responsible I had to pay to cover the medical costs if I wanted to retrieve the bike and the papers.

So I paid 6000RMB to the familly, it was duly recorded with the Police. Few days later I went to the insurance company local office in Chengdu with the papers provided by the Police. I was reimbursed more or less half the amount paid.

At the time I found it a strange way to proceed but it seems quite common and was acknoledged by the insurance company. At least the little girl got some medical check at the hospital. I was quite happy to see her fine when I visited her at the hospital.

[Shanghaifingers]

Okay, So I have to throw my two cents worth in here... I am seeing a lot of good stuff and some bad stuff!
I recently had an accentident involving my Jialing sidecar and TWO pedsitrians.

FIrst thing to know, ALWAYS BE LEGAL!!! Make sure your bike is Plated with fully legitimate plates, that the plates/bike are inspected, the bike is issured through a large company and you have a legitimate and appropriately endorced license.

The facts of my accident are as follows:

1. On the 320 guo dao leaving Shanghai heading to HangZhou. For those in Shanghai, I was on the edge of Song Jiang district.

2. Moving through a T intersection, with the right of way through heavy traffic.

3. Two women/girls in their mid 20's, in the middle of the interestion 200 meters outside the Zebra lines/ crosswalk.

4. My speed was approximately 25-35kmph

I was travelling along the G320 heading straight through the T intersection, traffic was very heavy and crazy to say the least. As I entered the intersection I got behind a student vehicle making a left on to the side road of the T. As the student vehicle slowly turned left into traffic I began to pass behind and between the student vehicle and a bus, which was stopped at the bus stop in the interestion. As I clear the rear of the student car I proceeded in my lane foward, again with the bus next to me one my right. As the front of my bike clear the buses front end I heard laughing and and a loud honk from the bus, two girls who had been on the bus decided to exit the bus and run cross the intersection infront of the bus. They ran so close to the bus that the driver screamed at them they turned to look at him while still running across the front of the bus. At that instant my sidecar clearded the front of the bus, I attempted to swerve but it was too late the two girls collided with a scream into my SIDECAR. The usual craziness insued, the girls laid still on the ground crying. I am a trained paramedic and did what I could to keep the two calm, only one girl stated she had injuries to her leg. She stated no other problems and her friend stated nothing was hurt. Fearing a potentially broken Femer (the big bone in the thigh) told her to remain face down in the street. A crowd then developed in the middle of this crazy intersection, just when I though the crowd was coming to blast the Laowai for hitting two girls, it was the complete opposite. The crowd of men wonem and childeren quitely looked on and helped keep traffic away and us safe. Quickly though the crowd began to turn on the girls, one of which was still crying wildly. The crowd was loudly telling them that crying does'nt help and that lying on the cold ground does'nt help either and that the accident was not that big of a deal. This all intensified when the policemen arrived and demanded that the girls get up and sit on the side of the road. I explained to the policemen what happened and why i felt she should remain still. He agreed, and moments later the ambulance arrived. The medics (i use the term loosely) arrived with virtually no equipment and the ambulance was completely empty except for the strecher and pair of mast pants (inflatable pants used to stablize hip and upper leg injuries) which they had but did not use. Once the girls are aboard the ambulance with as much drama as a Hollywood film, then the real work began.
The officer and I began to run through the events and measure and calculate the evidence. While this was going on in my mind I am thinking okay when is my bike going to be taken away and impounded, which police station am I going to and whats next..... But to my surprise once all the evidence was collected and his drawings made, he asked me the most amazing thing. "Where are you going to drive to now?" My riding buddy who was on his Ducati infront when the accident happened (and who as been in 2 accidents several years ago, and with horrible memoires of the crowds and police) and I were shocked by this question and he shouted out "we are going home". The officer handed me my bikes blue book and my license, but then took the license back stated I still need to come back in two days to complete all the formalites.

Still in shock by the accident and stunned by the policemens action (the fact that the whole process has been completely opposite of the stories I have heard) we drove home. I recieved a call from the same policemen telling me that I was only responcible for 30% of the accident (by law 10% blame is assesed to anyone operating a motor vehicle) and that the young ladies were 70% responcible because they were not in the crosswalk when they chose to cross the interestion. And that I will be coming in two days to negotiate with the girl who was injuried. Even though I ws not the majority fault holder as a motor vehicle operator, my insurance company covers 10,000rmb in injury coverage and do to the law of Harmonious Living both parties must come together to try to make both parties happy. According to the insurance company if only the manditory 10% is assesed then you only have to pay 1000rmb to cover ambulance fees. Any additional percentage move coverage to full and anything above the coverd amount to assesed by the % your responcible. For example if 30% is assesed anything over my covered 10,000rmb i am required to pay 30% of the total excess.

After much back and forth over 3 days and quite a bit of bullshit from the boyfriend of the girl, we are about to settle at 2800rmb well within my insurance coverage, it basically covers the ambulance and her few hours in the hospital (she had no injuries other then a bruise). I was only going to pay for items that he or she could show "shou ju" or invoices. THEN walks in the father, and the whole civil situation becomes a joke. He begins to demand that I pay for his daughters emotional damages.... now this has two problems firstly as confirmed by the officer, China doesn't have this law and secondly she caused the accident!!! The father refused the deal and the policemen offically recorded the outcome. The next question was WHATS NEXT. The policemen stated "don't worry he will sue you". Not what I wanted to hear, the policemen quitely said its better this way now you wont have to pay! Stunned I asked for more information, he continued to state that the family would now have to see the local court and sue me and my insurance company and prove that the policemens judgment at the scene was wrong (yeah good luck buddy). I went home and called Tia Ping inurance and inquired further. Turns out I don't have anymore involvement and that the legal team at Tia Ping insurance will now take over if needed.

A few weeks go by and nothing, then a call came from the boyfriend of the girl appologizing for the events that unfolded and that they now had all the paperwork and invoices ready to settle (they have now had 3 weeks to make all sorts of fake invoices). I told them under no terms would I come back to negotiate, I and already used up my good will and was feed up. They wanted to sue then they can go and sue now. I will not pay a dime until the court tell me to and even then my insurance will pay out, verse reimbursing me for a cash payout.

Long story short.... I have heard nothing since then and I am pretty sure I won't. This is a prime example where at least in the country side outside of Shanghai the law was followed to the letter regardless of nationality or public opinion and where having 100% FULLY LICENSED, INSURED bike and driver, meant that even on the worse driving day of my life, I was protected and vindicated.

Always drive legal and be careful out there!