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utnapistim

Newbie

Joined: Dec 12, 2008
Posts: 3

Status: Offline

Posted: Sep 16, 2009 - 06:36 PM

Thank you ChiBob for your answers.

I still have one more question: To be able to actually take the multiple choice test, I have heard that you infact have to have a driving test. So for this driver test isn't there a certain amount of hours you have to have spend behind the wheel with an authorized driving instructor?

Do any one of you know of any good driving schools that I should enroll in?

Thanks for all answers.

bigroh73

Reacher

Joined: July 13, 2003
Posts: 343
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Sep 16, 2009 - 11:23 PM

Hi,
I did the application process today, translation, medical, document copies, photos etc., This was time consuming, but fairly easy to with the gf beside me.

I was hoping to sit for the test before the October holiday, but no luck - they have me booked for end of October. Not happy about waiting another 6 weeks to do that.

A few of my colleagues paid an agent to help them with the application process and just passed the computer test last week. The questions they had were exactly the same as the list given to them on paper to review.

However, they were told that after Oct 1, the test will now follow the previously announced format, where they take 100 random questions from a database of 1500 questions. That sounds a bit more difficult than the normal test my colleagues did. I've read through the hard copy of those questions, with the answers on the back.

They seem quite easy in general, but there is no list anywhere of the supposed 1500 database. Does anyone have a link for the full list of questions or is there an english version of their website with all the rules in English. I couldn't see anything in English on the website they gave me on my booking receipt.

Damn it - wish I could do it before Oct 1.

Arcx00

Newbie

Joined: Apr 22, 2008
Posts: 2

Status: Offline

Posted: Sep 17, 2009 - 04:51 PM

Anyone want to go get their license with me next week? PM me.

Ah Beng

PopStar

Joined: May 14, 2008
Posts: 1152
Location: Shanghai Paradise
Status: Offline

Posted: Sep 17, 2009 - 05:02 PM

One question for those with sh driving licence. Is driving here a breeze or nightmare considering the reckless motorists, predestians and cyclist..?

DILLIGAF

LoopKicker

Joined: Dec 21, 2004
Posts: 923

Status: Offline

Posted: Sep 17, 2009 - 05:55 PM

Ah Beng wrote:

One question for those with sh driving licence. Is driving here a breeze or nightmare considering the reckless motorists, predestians and cyclist..?

driving here since 89..... YES, you will get used to the madness on the road eventually.... DILLIGAF

Ah Beng

PopStar

Joined: May 14, 2008
Posts: 1152
Location: Shanghai Paradise
Status: Offline

Posted: Sep 18, 2009 - 02:08 AM

DILLIGAF wrote:

Ah Beng wrote:

One question for those with sh driving licence. Is driving here a breeze or nightmare considering the reckless motorists, predestians and cyclist..?

driving here since 89..... YES, you will get used to the madness on the road eventually.... DILLIGAF

So in other words, it still beats taking a taxi, or hire a personal driver..?

TrueNorth

Reacher

Joined: Sep 08, 2009
Posts: 202
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Sep 18, 2009 - 07:53 AM

I have a couple of questions on the traffic law. Hope someone will clarify. Is the Chinese traffic law essentially the same as that of Canada or the US in terms of rights and duties of drivers and pedestrians? I mean the traffic lights and pedestrian-crossing stripes are all too familiar. However pedestrians have to dodge the cars even when crossing the marked pedestrian crossings on “walk” green light. The “traffic advisors” prevent pedestrians from walking on red light. However they do nothing when drivers ignore pedestrians' green light. On paper do the pedestrians have the right of way? As for marked pedestrian crossings without lights, are cars supposed to stop to let the pedestrians to cross the street?

What about the sidewalk? The Chinese sidewalk seem to be just side parking and moppet rout on which pedestrians are allowed to walk. Does the Chinese traffic law prohibits parking on the sidewalk or driving moppets on it?

erinakaluhan

Squeeker

Joined: Apr 17, 2009
Posts: 14

Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 07, 2009 - 02:15 PM

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1651601/getting_a_drivers_lic ense_in_china.html?cat=27

alexander77

Newbie

Joined: Oct 12, 2009
Posts: 1

Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 12, 2009 - 12:09 PM

TrueNorth wrote:

TrueNorth: Below is the law, which is actually very clear and similar to traffic laws in the West. Unfortunately, the law is not followed.

By the way, many Chinese people I spoke with, actually believe that the right of a car to turn right on a red light (for which I cannot find any ground in the law, by the way) also means right of way for the car over pedestrians crossing on a green light. Reading articles 44 and 47 together, I think this is not true. Even if a car can turn right on a red light, he should stop for pedestrians crossing on a green light (just like in those countries the West where turning right on a red light is allowed).

Personally I believe that the reason for the problems in Chinese traffic is that the "traffic advisers" and police mostly only give out warnings. A warning does not change people's behavior. The solution, in my opinion, would be to give out more fines. Financial incentives are a much better way to change people's behavior.

中华人民共和国道路交通安全法
第四章　道路通行规定
第二节　机动车通行规定
Law of the People's Republic of China on Road Traffic Safety
Chapter IV Provisions on Road Passage
Section 2 Provisions on the Passage of Motor Vehicles

第四十四条　机动车通过交叉路口，应当按照交通信号灯、交通标志、交通标线或者交通警察的指挥通过；通过没有交通信号灯、交通标志、交通标线或者交通警察指挥的交叉路口时，应当减速慢行，并让行人和优先通行的车辆先行。
Article 44 When passing a road crossing, motor vehicle drivers shall follow the traffic signal lights, traffic signs and traffic line markings, or the direction of traffic police; and when passing a road crossing where there are no traffic signal lights, traffic signs, traffic line markings or direction of traffic police, they shall slow down and let pedestrians and the vehicles enjoying priority pass first.

第四十七条　机动车行经人行横道时，应当减速行驶；遇行人正在通过人行横道，应当停车让行。机动车行经没有交通信号的道路时，遇行人横过道路，应当避让。
Article 47 When passing a pedestrian crosswalk, the driver shall reduce speed; and when pedestrians are passing the crosswalk, the driver shall stop to give way to the pedestrians. When pedestrians are crossing a road where there are no traffic signals, the driver shall make way.

第四节　行人和乘车人通行规定
Section 4 Provisions on the Passage of Pedestrians and Passengers

第六十二条　行人通过路口或者横过道路，应当走人行横道或者过街设施；通过有交通信号灯的人行横道，应当按照交通信号灯指示通行；通过没有交通信号灯、人行横道的路口，或者在没有过街设施的路段横过道路，应当在确认安全后通过。
Article 62 Where pedestrians pass road crossings or walk across roads, they shall use the crosswalks or overhead (or underground) pedestrian crossings; when passing crosswalks with traffic signal lights, they shall follow the direction of the traffic signal lights; and when passing junctions without traffic signal lights and crosswalks, or walking across roads at the sections without overhead (or underground) crossings, they shall pass only when they are sure of safety.

Sources:
中文: http://www.gov.cn/banshi/2005-08/23/content_25575_2.htm
English: http://www.gov.cn/english/laws/2005-09/07/content_29966.htm

TrueNorth wrote:

What about the sidewalk? The Chinese sidewalk seem to be just side parking and moppet rout on which pedestrians are allowed to walk. Does the Chinese traffic law prohibits parking on the sidewalk or driving moppets on it?

Again, the law is clear, but not followed. Again, I think the solution would be to give out more fines instead of warnings.

第五十六条　机动车应当在规定地点停放。禁止在人行道上停放机动车；但是，依照本法第三十三条规定施划的停车泊位除外。在道路上临时停车的，不得妨碍其他车辆和行人通行。
Article 56 Motor vehicles shall be parked at specified places. They are prohibited from being parked at the sidewalks, except for the parking berths delimited in accordance with the provisions of Article 33 of this Law. Where a motor vehicle is parked on the road temporarily, it shall not impede the passage of other vehicles and pedestrians.

Sources:
中文: http://www.gov.cn/banshi/2005-08/23/content_25575_2.htm
English: http://www.gov.cn/english/laws/2005-09/07/content_29966.htm

MoonOverMiami
PopStar
PopStar

Joined: Jan 07, 2008
Posts: 1044

Posted: Oct 12, 2009 - 12:42 PM

The problem is that most police officers don't follow the law itself. I see them running the red light out here in Qingpu, don't care when other cars are being driven recklessly. Heck, I was in PuDong a couple of weeks ago stopped at an intersection and the crossroad's light just turned green with a lot of buses running in their right lane and pedestrians crossing the road in front of me. I hear the car behind me blaring its horn, urging me to make the right turn on red into the line of buses. Looked in the mirror and its a f****n police car. I only made the turn after the pedestrians and the lane I was turning into was clear.

_________________
I will tell you what just happened in there. That chick just frosted me like a f****n cake!!!

jomaria

Squeeker

Joined: Sep 01, 2009
Posts: 10

Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 14, 2009 - 05:16 PM

i am moving from beijing to shanghai. i have a beijing drivers licence. do i have to change it to a shanghai one?

asdjason

Talker

Joined: Jan 02, 2008
Posts: 94

Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 14, 2009 - 06:01 PM

Jomaria, only if you are in China, you donot need to change it. They can be used anywhere within China mainland.

_________________
ASD Car rental: www.carrenting.cn

StMichael

LoopKicker

Joined: Feb 19, 2005
Posts: 823
Location: Qibao, Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 15, 2009 - 11:25 AM

TrueNorth wrote:

I have a couple of questions on the traffic law.

Alexander has pointed out precisely the issue - there are laws in China, and they are very strict, but they are neither followed nor strictly enforced. Welcome to China.

_________________
Michael Chan www.senseimichael.com

flodorn

Newbie

Joined: Oct 21, 2009
Posts: 2

Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 21, 2009 - 05:41 PM

Seems like they changed some things..

Now they don't give you a booklet with 100 questions anymore.
There are 1315 questions to learn for the automobile exam. 800 for the motorcycle exam. At the exam itself they will still ask 100 questions.

You have to download the questions yourself. Link to the English version:
http://www.shjtaq.com/db_update/dzjc/more/English.rar
For other languages (Russian, French, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese of course) see here:
http://www.shjtaq.com/wsbs/more.asp

Last edited by flodorn on Oct 23, 2009 - 09:22 PM; edited 1 time in total

lawyeredwin

Newbie

Joined: Oct 14, 2009
Posts: 7

Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 23, 2009 - 10:50 AM

If you already have a driver license abroad, just change it to Chinese one, it is easy. If you do not have one , some driving schools are open to foreigners. The traffic regulation would be in English. Same procedure as Chinese.

_________________
http://www.cnlawyerforforeigner.com

gfsffs5566

Newbie

Joined: Oct 28, 2009
Posts: 2

Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 28, 2009 - 12:20 AM

[Please contact the Moderator to establish the legality of your service. Until then - Deleted]

DILLIGAF

LoopKicker

Joined: Dec 21, 2004
Posts: 923

Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 28, 2009 - 12:26 AM

gfsffs5566 wrote:

Chinese Driving License For Foreigners and Extend Chinese Visa For Foreigners

We can get a Chinese driving license for foreigners with any visa. You can verify its validity at driving and vehicle license centre.If you want to drive car in China , Please contact us.

Here is a list of documents we need to help a foreigner get his or her Chinese legal driving license :

1.a copy of the main passport page

2.a copy of the valid visa ( any visa type is ok ).

3.a copy of the both sides of the overseas driving license

4.a copy of the last entry stamp

5.8 one-inch color pictures with white background

6.Your chinese name and your height in centimeters

We also can provide the service to extend China visa for foreigners in China.

L visa to 3/6/12-months L visa (0/1/2/m entry)

F visa to 3/6/12-months F visa (0/1/2/m entry

Tel：13428688292
Msn： chinaservice8899@hotmail.com
Skype: chinaexpatservice
Email： zh@chinavisa-service.com
Website : http://www.chinavisa-service.com
http://www.chinese-driving-license.com

Go to Shanghai Drivers License office at no. 179 Qing Chun Road , Xin Zhuang (Near Chun Shen Road / Hu Min Road ). The tel. no. is 021-64987070 x 54280 or 54279 (always busy) and get a real Chinese d-license.

DILLIGAF

*********************************************

Scam catches foreign drivers

Shanghai Daily Newspaper 2007-6-31

SOME foreign motorists in the city may be driving illegally and be unaware of it thanks to a bogus application ruse.

Overseas drivers living in Shanghai should only apply for a Chinese driving license with local police.

Shanghai traffic police made the clarification yesterday following reports that some agencies are charging expatriates thousands of yuan to have licenses issued out of town. These licenses are not legitimate.

Shanghai Morning Post broke the story on Thursday after an undercover investigation of the agencies.

With photocopies of the driver's passport, driving license from his or her own country and head-shot photos, clients are told to expect a Chinese driving license, issued by out of town authorities, after a week to 40 days, the newspaper said.

The foreign clients don't need to show up in person but only pass on the material to agents and wait for the licenses to arrive.

Agents charge between about 2,000 yuan (US$263) and 5,000 yuan for the service.

Shanghai Daily interviewed officers from the vehicle administration office under the General Team of Traffic Police who said licenses required by the agents are illegal.

Foreign drivers should swap them for a driving license issued by traffic authorities in their exact area of residence.

Shanghai traffic police are investigating the matter.

"Expatriates with a Shanghai-issued residents' permit, should only apply for a driving license issued by Shanghai traffic police," said a police officer with vehicle administration.

It costs 40 yuan to sit for a test on computer in Chinese road traffic rules. You can obtain a Chinese driving license the same day you pass the exam after paying 15 yuan for certification.

To apply for the test, the expatriate need to come to the police office on 1179 Qingchun Road, with head-shot photos and a hospital-issued physical exam report. Applicants also need to take the driving license issued in their own country.

Police said that international driving license holders are not allowed to drive in China before gaining a Chinese license. Questions about applying for a Chinese driving license should be directed to a hotline, 24023456.

*********************************************

Foreigners warned on out-of-town driving license

Shanghai Daily Newspaper 2007-6-30

SHANGHAI police have warned local foreigners not to buy driver's licenses from out-of-town driving schools.

For those who want a driver's license, the application procedure for a local-registered one takes only one day and a small sum of money, police said. Passing a written test is a must.

For those who hold no license, police suggest them to learn to drive and sit for tests in the city.

Foreigners in Shanghai have been targets of out-of-town driving schools since last August when the schools' business with city residents was ruined by local police.

They were offering a driver's license service that required no written or road test to lure foreigners, said an insider surnamed Zhang.

"The schools offer 'apartment service,' which suited many foreign people," Zhang said.

They usually find it too troublesome to go to a city to do registration.

A salesperson would knock at the door, collect some basic information, get the fingerprints and photos and take copies of the passport.

Then, all in need to do is to wait patiently for at least 40 days when the applicant will receive a driver's license that has been registered outside Shanghai.

"Though foreigners have to pay 1,000 yuan (US$131) more and wait longer, they find it convenient and efficient," Zhang said.

Local students usually pay between 2,600 yuan to 4,200 yuan to get such a license from out-of-town driving schools. It takes at least 5,000 yuan from local schools.

Training outside of the city allows students to get a license quickly. Local regulations require drivers to do 86 hours of in-car training, and they can't spend more than six hours a day on training.

Drivers must also wait at least 40 days between taking a written test and sitting the actual driving test. The whole procedure may take three months.

Other provinces don't have similar regulations, so students can get a license much quicker.

logistic

Newbie

Joined: Sep 08, 2009
Posts: 4
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 29, 2009 - 01:10 PM

Yesterday i had submitted my all required documents for Shanghai Drving Licnese. They had given me a test date on 4th Dec 2009. But i am confuse with the so many different post regarding test. Do advice if some one attended the test recently :-

I wana knw, 1.) During the test how many questions they will ask me. 2.) I have to complete the test in how many mins. 4.) How much I have to score.

JyBravo70

Barker

Joined: Nov 25, 2005
Posts: 193
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Oct 29, 2009 - 01:48 PM

Not sure anymore, I took the test 4 months ago, 150 questions, computer based, the computer stopped the test when I got a passing score, I had plenty of time left over.

The questions are all very easy, only ones remotely hard are the signs written in Chinese but there are just a few of those, picturegraphs are self explanatory and similar to what you see in other countries.

They got rid of the pink pamplets that had the questions you would take and have moved to a web based bank of 1500 questions so not sure on best practice to study. I studied them and took brief tests until I got 90% right under 10 min consistently.

Watch the test PC though, the buttons used are opposite what you see on the screen, location wise, so make sure you press the correct button when answering. Good luck.

flodorn

Newbie

Joined: Oct 21, 2009
Posts: 2

Status: Offline

Posted: Nov 08, 2009 - 06:32 PM

logistic wrote:

There are 1315 questions to learn. You can find them here: http://www.shjtaq.com/db_update/dzjc/more/English.rar

You have to answer 100 questions on the test itself and they give you 45 minutes to do it.

*edit*
You need to score 90% or more to pass.

Horst_H_H

Squeeker

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 16
Location: Pudong
Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 14, 2009 - 08:32 PM

I just wanted to add some information to this thread. I was at the Shanghai Drivers License office today to start the process.

The nearest metro is Line 5, Chunshen Road station, and the office is within 5 minutes walking distance.

You need to have special passport pics taken there, so it's no use bringing your own. Cost: 40 RMB

Bring photocopies of your foreign driving license, the personal data page of your passport and the current residence permit/visa page of the passport. Photocopies can also be made there at 1 RMB/copy.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that you DO need a certified translation fo your driver's license.

I brought the same health check I used for my visa and the Shanghai Residency Card, but they rejected it and insisted I do a new check there directly (Building 12; cost 60 RMB). This is where photos are taken and photocopies are made before proceeding to the health check. They just test blood pressure, register weight & height, ability to clench hands and crouch, eyesight and hearing. (I have heard a rumor that eyesight without aids must not be worse than 4.5 diopters. Can anyone confirm?) The eyesight test is so quick and cursory, however, that it is no problem to bluff your way through it if you must.

After the health check, go to Building 8 and get a ticket for submitting the accumulated forms on the first floor (second floor according to Chinese counting) of the building. After submitting the forms, you're sent to Building 9 to get a date for the actual exam 1-2 months later. Today (December 14th) the exam dates were on January 19th.

keitho

Newbie

Joined: Apr 24, 2004
Posts: 7

Status: Offline

Posted: Dec 25, 2009 - 07:51 AM

I went to the driver's license place yesterday on Qingchun road and failed my test miserably. It was my fault, when I registered for the test 6 weeks ago (there was a 6 week wait at the middle of November) they gave me a piece of paper with a website and told me to go there. I looked and it was all in Chinese so I asked one of my colleages to look for some english driving test information and they said there was none. So I just studied the old pink test questions that were scanned and posted in one of these previous posts that I printed off when I started looking at this process in the summer. Like the recent posts say, those are not used anymore. The test questions in the computer bank have much less to do with practical driving information and much more to do with useless information that must be memorized. Also, the english translation is not always that good. There were some questions where all of the answers look appropriate and some where none of the answers looked appropriate. So not trying to scare anyone but if you put in the time to go there and register for the test and then wait to take the test, make sure you follow these new links on here to get the english computer bank questions and study them. The test will only be easy if you have put in the effort to study first.

Another piece of advice, someone may have gotten lucky and did not need their driver's license translated but I wasted a day going there without mine translated. They got mad when I had my friend ask me if there was someone there that could do it for free.

And my driver's license was set to expire in January 2010 and the translator used January 2011 as the date. so I was happy about this since I had read in earlier posts that the driver's license cant expire within 6 months. So when I took that translation back they rejected it and made me go again to get another translation. They said that I only needed to pass the test before my driver's license expired.

So I have been there 3 times now and am scheduled to go back again on January 18th for another test. The process is not hard if you follow the information in the last several posts on here but dont bother looking at the earlier posts because the information is changed (translation requirements and test questions).

freedelia

LoopKicker

Joined: Nov 27, 2006
Posts: 949

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 02, 2010 - 12:32 PM

Does anyone know if a foreigner residing in ZheJiang can change their drivers license in Shanghai?

If not, is there a place to do it in eac city or one per province?

Any info would be appreciated...

leidelaohu

Board Royalty

Joined: June 11, 2007
Posts: 7215

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 02, 2010 - 03:36 PM

freedelia wrote:

Does anyone know if a foreigner residing in ZheJiang can change their drivers license in Shanghai?

Why would you want to ? You can drive anywhere you want, you're just supposed to get it where you live.

freedelia

LoopKicker

Joined: Nov 27, 2006
Posts: 949

Status: Offline

Posted: Jan 02, 2010 - 04:06 PM

Well, my mom and dad are here long term and the way we worked out their visa situations, they are registered in Zhe Jiang, in JIaxing, to be more speciffic. I have no idea where to go in Jiaxing to get my dad's license -- he never needed to drive so far, but i am pregnant about to pop and need him to be able to drive now. My husband and I did our licenses in Shanghai and that was an easy and straigtforward process and I seriously doubt it would be that way in small town Zhe Jiang.

THAT'S WHYI WOULD WANT TO Smile