Planning to Drive in China

Planning to Drive in China
Nov 7, 2008 09:46	#11
JABAROOTOO Points: Join Date: Jul 4, 2005 Status: Offline	Dear GUEST34181 You may very well have been driving every day in Beijing which I consider to be a piece of cake compared to some other cities that many of us live in. Beijing has the luxury of a well laid out road system, albeit small and cramped in the old city but wide open as you head out of town. I love to get out of Chongqing and drive in the country where the roads are narrow and windy and pass through farms and villages but every time I drive back into the towns of cities the condition of many of the roads deteriorates and there is little or no signage of what's coming up next. Whether in the city or the country, at least here in southwest China, it could be a crater a meter deep or a barrage of rocks across the road or a truck rolled over spilling a load of bricks, a land slide blocking most of the way or folks letting of firecrackers at a funeral, grain drying on the roadway or five year old kids playing cards in the middle of the road. SO for a first time visitor to China desiring to DRIVE across the country apart from all the above items and so many more the first major obstacle is the Licence, the second is hiring a car and leaving it at the other end of China the third is not being able read signs and even when you have some with pinyin or even English they can be confusing fourthly maps/road atlas while they are good are generally only in Chinese for the most part and reading is not easy and last but not least is not being able ask for directions and even if you can ask, perhaps not being able to fully understand the directions. I know people who have been scared to cross the street in China so getting behind the wheel of a car could be a nightmare for some especially when they see some of the local antics in action for the first time. Like you, I would love to drive across China one day and hope to be able to do at least one long road trip here in the future. It is the most pleasant way to see the country BUT China is a huge country..............................................unlike the UK.

Nov 7, 2008 09:46

#11

JABAROOTOO
Points:
Join Date: Jul 4, 2005
Status: Offline

Dear GUEST34181

You may very well have been driving every day in Beijing which I consider to be a piece of cake compared to some other cities that many of us live in. Beijing has the luxury of a well laid out road system, albeit small and cramped in the old city but wide open as you head out of town.

I love to get out of Chongqing and drive in the country where the roads are narrow and windy and pass through farms and villages but every time I drive back into the towns of cities the condition of many of the roads deteriorates and there is little or no signage of what's coming up next.

Whether in the city or the country, at least here in southwest China, it could be a crater a meter deep or a barrage of rocks across the road or a truck rolled over spilling a load of bricks, a land slide blocking most of the way or folks letting of firecrackers at a funeral, grain drying on the roadway or five year old kids playing cards in the middle of the road.

SO for a first time visitor to China desiring to DRIVE across the country apart from all the above items and so many more

the first major obstacle is the Licence,

the second is hiring a car and leaving it at the other end of China

the third is not being able read signs and even when you have some with pinyin or even English they can be confusing

fourthly maps/road atlas while they are good are generally only in Chinese for the most part and reading is not easy

and last but not least is not being able ask for directions and even if you can ask, perhaps not being able to fully understand the directions.

I know people who have been scared to cross the street in China so getting behind the wheel of a car could be a nightmare for some especially when they see some of the local antics in action for the first time.

Like you, I would love to drive across China one day and hope to be able to do at least one long road trip here in the future.

It is the most pleasant way to see the country BUT China is a huge country..............................................unlike the UK.

Nov 9, 2008 03:09	#12
CHINAGUY Points: Join Date: Nov 3, 2008 Status: Offline	some of my friend from usa told me the chinese people driving so creazy !

Feb 27, 2010 22:06

#13

GUEST06196

I got my license on november 11 2009 here in beijing,the test was a computerized multiple choice of 100 questions with imediate result at the end. You can buy the book (25yuan) to study before the test (you can choose the test date from the test date list at the testing centre).. the book contains 1500 questions and out of those you get tested on 100 of them.. rest assured the questions are exactly the same as the ones in the book.. you will need to get over 90 right to pass.. the first test i got 87,and secound round (a week later) i got 99 :).. it costs 50yuan to take the test.. if you fail the first time the 2nd test is free,but if you fail the 2nd test you will have to pay 50yuan again for a 3rd test.. Application to write the test is very affordable, eye test cost 10yuan,photocopy of documents about 5yuan,the actual test 50yuan.. the rest is all paperwork. btw You will also need a valid visa of no less than a year in your passport to qualify for testing.

So after you have passed you pick up your license in three days and your good to roll..

I recently bought a used car from a friend, since im just a 22 yr old student,i dont have enough money for a new car.. All of the paperwork took just one day.. aslong as you have all your paperwork ready and with you its just a few hours affair before its all done. and it all cost just under 500yuan.. this includes registration and new plates and transfer.

Its nice driving around,esp without having to rely on public transport,and its inconvinience of crampiness and bad odours.. I got cheapest insurance possible and i'm paying 600yuan a year.. so just to let ya'l know thats its possible to get rolling in china for under 1000yuan if you do it right..

hope this helped!

peace
T

May 2, 2011 22:51	#14
GUEST22169	hi whot side of the rode do you drive on

Aug 22, 2011 05:19	#15
GUEST11754	In sept 2011 we plan to drive from Beijing to Shanghai in our oldtimer cars , we will report about our experience when we are back

Aug 22, 2011 21:24	#16
LINGYUXISU Points: Join Date: Dec 3, 2010 Status: Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by GUEST22169 hi whot side of the rode do you drive on The right side.

Aug 23, 2011 06:49

#17

DODGER
Points:
Join Date: Jul 15, 2007
Status: Offline

I have just come back from a road trip; driving from Beijing to Kashgar. Driving through eight different provinces for a total distance of just over 1100 km.
Driving habits change from city to city.
Expect to encounter anything on the road; sheep, donkeys, camels, cars coming the wrong way.
Expect to find many different types of obstacles on the road; including holes that you would need climbing gear to get out of.
Never ever drive at night; all the driver use high beam, if they bother to turn their light on
Believe it or not, I found truck drivers the most courteous of all the road users. Especially in Xingjian.
If you have had off road experience it will help as many of the minor roads are little more than dirt tracks.
The new highways are however as good as you would find anywhere.
If you do not speak good Chinese, have someone standing by on a help line; I did, and she saved my arse a couple of times.

Cheers and good luck, Dodger.

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