User Comments - welhome

Posted on: Getting a Driver's License

It is not unusual to see a westerner driving a car in Beijing. That dosnt mean the percentage or the absolute number is large - perhaps only a few thousand in a City of 13 million. But as foreigners tend to live together in certain places they are easy to see.

In the City driving is not thebest means of transport - you would be a masochist to want to be driving in endless traffic jams.

Outside the City is a different matter. There I think the risks are not great - provided you drive defensively. In fact, people do come to China and drive long distances from one part of the country to the other.

You can also get a temporary driving license for a month or so specifically to meet the needs of tourists and business vistitors. No perminant residence required.

Whatever, you do you need to know the laws and be very careful until you find your feet.

Hope this helps.

Posted on: Getting a Driver's License

pretzellogic

No - I have lived here six years now and have not seriously considered buying a car. I spend most of my time in the City - I live five minutes walk from Tiananmen. The subway and my bike is enough.

The reason for the license was because I was planning to take my Son on a tour of Sichuan and thought it would make sense to hire a 4-wheel drive.

I also thought hiring a car for get-aways would be nice - so the license is convenient for that.

Posted on: Getting a Driver's License

Several months ago I went to get get my license in Beijing, with the feeling that I would not be able to get a permanent license as I do not have a residence permit.

But to my surprise, because I am married and have a year long L Visa, they said that I qualified as being a permanent resident.

The process was exactly as described in the podcast. I purchased the english version of the traffic rules and studied them for a few days and then sat the test.

You need to get over 90% correct to pass and as the questions do not simply rely on logic you do need to read and learn the rules.

You take the test on the computer and at the end you press the "results" button for your score.

Then you go to register the score with the supervisor and he will give you a note. A few days later you go go back and get your license.

Be warned about studying for the test - you need to. The guy in front of me said his score was 36/100. Even the supervisor was impressed by such a low score :-)

Posted on: Flexible, Not Reflexive

I think you can also use 彼此 as a way of acknowledging that you are in the same situation as the speaker or have experienced the same thing. For example:

第一个人： 我上个星期去市场买咖啡，突然发现他们决定停卖咖啡豆，现在只能买速度咖啡。 我讨厌这儿养的。 受不了喝速度咖啡。

第二个人： 彼此彼此。 喝速度咖啡让我头疼。

Is this correct ? You can use this way?