TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION - Living Abroad in Beijing - page 356

The roads here are fraught with hazards, mercurial road rules, and punishing penalties.
If you're caught drunk driving, you'll be toast, and if your car or motorbike is illegal you'll
also be 100 percent at fault if you have an accident. Even if you so much as prod a wayward
pedestrian, you'll be up for a creative sum of money. Somehow half the population here
seems to have gotten their hands on the DIY Guide to Compensation and have no shame if
there's even a whiff of a payout.
When you weigh up all the costs, including purchasing outlays, car insurance, health in-
surance, parking, fuel, fines, and so on, it's often much more economical to simply hire a
driver with a car, and let them manage the stress and expenses. Additionally, before you de-
cide to drive you should check with your work company and insurance company if you're
permitted to drive. The insurance included in some expat packages doesn't always cover
driving on Chinese roads.
DRIVER'S LICENSES
Getting your license is straightforward but it's not exactly effortless. An international li-
cense won't get you out of the carpark, but your existing license from your home country
will at least put you at an advantage to getting a Chinese one in that you don't need to do
a physical driving test, only a theory one. Never drive without a license here—it will put
everything you have here at risk, including your work, your study program, and your assets.
Deportation is only one of the possible penalties. Further, if you make any changes to your
passport, always remember to update your driver's license accordingly.
To get your Chinese license, must be between 18 and 70 years of age. Some licenses will
have height restrictions, and if you're diplomatic staff, you may not have to take the test.
Most people, however, will need:
• A driver's license application form
• Your passport and a photocopy of it
• Your local residential registration slip from your local PSB
• A health certificate (This must be from a public hospital, not an international hospital.
The Friendship Hospital and the China-Japan Friendship Hospital are acceptable.)
• Your original driver's license, a Chinese translation, and a photocopy of both
• Five one-inch passport photos (white background)
You can manage the process yourself or save a whole lot of máfan (hassle) by using the
expat-friendly services, such as the Beijing Expat Service Center ( www.beijingesc.com ) ,