The Day the Motorcycles Died In Dongguan
Well, that sure looks like a motorcycle. And it sounds like a motorcycle. And so does that one. And that one! Huh?
Well, I thought September 1 was the day motorcycles and electric bicycles were banned in Dongguan. So as I headed to work Saturday morning, I was anxious to see how the roads would be with the two wheeled motorized vehicles absent from the highways. But there they still were!
Okay, I guess I needed to understand the Chinese language to understand this ban properly. The vehicles were not banned entirely. No instead the government had a phased implementation. No motorcycles nor electric bikes were to be allowed in the city center area, but other areas had hours of operation allowed here and there, as long as they followed the restrictions.
My route to work must have been primarily still in allowable areas. It wasn’t completely. And sure enough as we headed to a very narrow underpass into Dahlingshan, my driver and I noticed a couple of policemen on alert at a corner. As we passed, they perked up hearing the tell-tale sounds of an approaching two wheel vehicle, and sprung into action. You could tell they were excited to soon be challenging someone for their right to be riding at this hour in this area. That rider probably lost his ride.
By the afternoon, when I started home from work, there were very few motorcycles anywhere. It must not have been an allowable time then. So it was taking some effect.
The government provided a refund of taxes paid by owners of motorcycles, if they turned in their motorcycle before September 1. They even got a new bicycle for the exchange. A reader sent me a copy of a picture of thousands of motorcycles confiscated or purged from the roads. The writer had a long dissertation complaining about the government’s actions. Only I don’t run that kind of forum on this blog. But that is some of the sentiment here.
On the other hand, the roads sure seem a little less burdened without the motorcycles………… at least certain times of the day………. and in certain areas.
Labels: Dongguan, Life in China, Motorcycle Ban
posted by A Bryson (formerly) in China @ 12:42 PM
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