Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Parking in China: The Joke I Do Not Get

When you were little did you ever have those times when everyone else was laughing at a joke and you didn't get it but you pretended like you did?

It happened to me all the time. And that's how parking is for me in China. I think we're all just parking wherever we can find a space but apparently there is some rhyme and reason to the whole thing that I DO NOT GET.

For example today I drove to the subway station and parked on a side road. There was another car parked right in front of me so I thought it was okay to park there.

But alas, 2 hours later, Buddy sent me this picture.


It's a parking citation.

But seriously folks, I don't get it. I think we're all just parking wherever we can find a space. Aren't we? (I took these pictures of parked cars on the way home today. These are very typical parking jobs.)











So why did I get a citation for parking like this?


China, I just don't get it.

10 comments:

Helen Plummer said...

Grobably your Jing A black plates - indicating you can afford to pay the ticket :) Bet you are ready to fly fly fly!! xo

Melanie Gao said...

We fly in 15 days. Not that anyone is counting. :)

Chantal said...

I don't get China either. So great to see you yesterday...and your block is the best. Keep it up when you're away won't you!!!! x

Shazi said...

I really miss china!

Melanie Gao said...

Thanks Chantal! I will blog from Nashville too, for sure. :)

Shazi - come back!

Ulyana said...

Goodness, that's one official ticket, like a warrant for arrest!

Sounds like you need to make some cop friends, so you can get that premium sidewalk/in-the-middle-of-the-road parking, haha!

Sunlightlj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sunlightlj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sunlightlj said...

Here is one rule from my experience. After parking your car in the day time especially in hot area like Chao yang CBD, if there is no man coming to ask for the park fee or giving you a time ticket, that means this place is not "allowed" to park. Next question is when do you get that "official ticket"? Randomly:) I spent 30 years in China. I summary the most important factor you must have here is LUCK, haha.
Anyway, great to find your blog, i would keep looking at it, good luck everyday :)
Jian Li From Sun

Ernest said...

It is like this, they (transportation policemen) say and claim some area are places are allowed to park, so if you park there, you are good.

And any other places which seems empty and available, you can park there technically, and it is okay if no transportation policeman walk by there, but once some of them are there, then I am sorry. It does not matter the place you park will trouble other people or not, just because the goverment or transportation policemen did not claim that is the right place. It is so ridiculous. I am a chinese, I faced these problem several times. There are more and more cars recent years, but the places they make legal for parking never grow that fast.

good luck with your parking in china.