I'm really just restating all the information I found here, with a few bits tossed in from my own experience.
I like to think of it as a simple 4 step process....
STEP 1:
DESTINATION: Shanghai interpreters association
ADDRESS: Rm. 1607, No. 1277 Beijing Road (W)
ITEMS: bring your existing drivers license, your chinese name
RESULT: obtain certified translation of your drivers license
Go here, spend 50rmb & get a certified translation of your drivers license. They will ask for your "chinese name" as part of the translation. Choose wisely since this will also be what appears on your drivers license. Everyone has one listed in their work permit, I recomend bringing it along so that you can have the same name on all your legal forms. Process takes about 5 minutes. They speak very good english....they are translators!!
STEP 2:
DESTINATION: traffic control department of the public security organ (aka DMV)
ADDRESS: 1330 Hami Road
ITEMS: Certified translation (from step 1), Original License, passport, temporary residence registration, someone that can read & WRITE Chinese (there shall be forms)
TRICKS: They have a photocopier at the DMV
RESULT: A date & ticket to take your written exam
You need to be able to write in Chinese. There are several forms that must be completed in Chinese. Your temporary residence registration is different than the temporary residence permit in your passport! Your exam date will require returning in 2-3 weeks.
Sequence:
A-Get your pictures taken
B-Get your physical (eerily similar to the visa health check)
C-Get number on main floor
D-Go upstairs & make copies of everything
E-Schedule your exam (typically 2-3 weeks out)
STEP 3: Study!
My approach:
Download "China Drive" app for android or iphone
Use app to read all 1500 questions (the app will keep track of where you left off)
Practice taking tests using app or this website (nearly identical to real test)
Take notes on what you are getting wrong
Study your notes
Keep re-taking the test until you score consistently in the 90s
I found that reading all the questions once was very important. It helped me learn the strange translations they used for common terms (overtaking, zebras, etc...). You also realize that there are really 5-600 "rules" that have been rephrased into the form of a question. Usually at least one positive and one negative.
The people that wrote the test are encouraging all drivers to be helpful, courteous and safe. So when given 4 choices just apply those values and you can deduce the correct answer. Although some of the safety questions require some solid experience.
Don't try to learn all the signs/pictures. Just learn the ones that appear in questions.
STEP 4:
DESTINATION: traffic control department of the public security organ (aka DMV)
ADDRESS: 1330 Hami Road
ITEMS:All items for step 2 (they ask to see em again), plus all the docs you got in step 2
RESULT: drivers license
Go up to the 3rd floor, take test, after you pass go downstairs wait in 3 more lines and get your license. If you don't pass then schedule a new date and repeat steps 3&4 (no additional fees to retake the test)
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A copy of my notes (I find these amusing)
Da Pictures of the <bleep> with the crazy hand signals:
the only aux hand signal is go straight...and she uses 2 hands
left turn is sharp....she points down
Turns: turn toward the hand that is up....also turn away from where she is looking
(left/right)...drive to the hand
pull over vs slow-down.....same gestures...she looks at you when pulling you over
The rest of them....
3 types of signs: indication, prohibition and warning
there are no time limits on arbitration: 10 days or otherwise...even if the hospital is involved
Clearing 12 points doesn't require all 3 tests
you aren’t a criminal if it was an accident
you can go for up to 3 years for injury or death...but not more unless you are a criminal
you are allowed to present and make your case (true!)
they cannot ignore you
speed on signs take precedent over numbers on road
you are considered escaping if you are avoid legal liability
slow down vs pull over...sigh I don’t like her
subject 1: can clear 12 points by itself...after a course not subject 3
people can leave an accident if they both agree and it wasn’t major
tourist is the fourth type of sign
a blown tire or break only working on side will pull....not skid
pictures for tunnel openings are different than tunnels (square yellow are tunnels...not openings)
things to review before taking the test:
look up trailer weight: =vehicle or 700kg?
drive when license is detained....go to jail...not revoke since you ain’t got one
study slow down vs pull over
bump road vs hump bridge
in heavy fog don’t worry about placing the warning markers...get out of the car!
spinal fracture: use a sling is most important
if the driver has falsified doc’s they may detain the vehicle
must wait 3 years if you get a license by cheating
bad weather 100m visibility: 50m distance 40k/hr speed
bad weather 50m visibility: 20km/h speed
bad weather 200m visibility: 60k/h speed
min passing distance is 1.5m when going 100k/hr
1-3 month license suspension for drunk driving
Z roteated 45 degrees indicates a dangerous corner
white letters on red: national road number “G140”
black on yellow: provincial road “S203”
black on white: country road number “X08”
when turning left pay attention to markings & signs....more important than markings & lights
it is wrong to keep passengers in a stalled vehicle....150 meter signs are good
3 times the distance is good in snow...much better than 2 times
you get 30 days to accept a decision...much more than 10 days
you will feel deviation when hit by a crosswind....not a feeling of pressure
blue road true/false....all false except the one with birdhatch in middle
the only aux hand signal is straight...and she uses 2 hands
left has a sharp....she points down
Turns: turn toward the hand that is up....also turn away from where she is looking (left/right)...drive to the hand
pull over vs slow-down.....she looks at you when pulling you over
running away: lose license & get lifetime ban (confirm)
cargo max height is 2.5m from ground
look up: a prohibitive sign prohibits
tourniquet is applied ⅓ of the way up
driving when license is detained: 15 days
what does the red line through the expressway mean? no access
false: look ahead to deviate from route
you cannot drive w/12 points on your license
steep slopes should use 1...not 2
the picture of a yellow headlight isn’t a fog light its a......highbeam
covering compressed gas with sandy soil and moving it are good thigns
it is ok to simply reduce speed if the guy ahead doesn’t turn off his brights
turn on low-beam when starting to move (always)
reread what to do at an intersection
yield to person on your right
left yields to straight
turning right yields to turning left (get em out of intersection)
warning lights are not traffic signals
passing bay widens temporarily to the right....better than saying “widens to the right”
its ok to ‘speed up & dash up the hill’ after you change to a lower gear
you cannot enter a congested intersection...even if the light is green
when no sign at an intersection:stop & yield to those going straight
yellow lights don’t allow vehicles to pass (duh)
handbrake doesn't work when brake pedal is depressed (???)...ok not sure I agree..but ok
when driving in fog stop due to low visibility
blue and white arrows are directional...not indicitive
an unregistered vehichle should have a temporary pass...it doesn’t need to register with the security organ
closely placed zebras are for carriageway crosswalks...not for street crosswalks
min safe distance is 30m...recomended is 50 or 100m based on speed
crosswalk signs are blue & white (indicitive)...not yellow triangles
blue and white arrow is “go straight”...not “one way”
bone fractures shouldn’t be moved...ever not even to fix/straighten
true: when putting a bone fracture the joints should be true
false: you shouldn’t straighten the limb when
when power steering is difficult “select a safe place to stop and identify”...don’t worry about holding firm
when there are no markings “pass if it is safe”...you don’t have to stop
yellow signs with kids indicate kids....not schools
the vehicle heading downhill has the right of way
red circles on white indicate “no passing”...they are everywhere
120km/hr max
70km/hr to be allowed on expressway
30km/hr urban road w/no markings
40km/hr highway w/no dividing line
50km/hr urban 2 lanes (with markings)
70km/hr highway 2 lanes (with markings)
30kmhr: bad weather 50m visibility
60km/hr: min expressway
100km/hr: min left, 4 lane
110k/hr: min left 6 lane
90k/hr: middle 6 lane
60k/hr: right 6 lane
when going at or more than 100k/hr min 100m distance
when going less 100k/hr min 50m distance
best time to leave expressway is 500m from exit
60km/h risks swing when emergency breaking is used
the distance ascertaining section is to help people guage distance when going 100km/h
place warning signs 50-100m behind vehicle on road (expressway is 150m)
rest every 4 hours for 20 minutes
50m min distance from intersection/curve/narrow road/tunnel/steep slope
30m min from bus stop or first-aid station/gas station/fire-hydrant/fire brigade
2 lanes 100km-hr/60km-hr (min speed)
3 lanes 110km-hr/90km-hr/60km-hr (min speed)
200m visibility: 60km/hr max speed
coma transport best done on side & face down
marks on tunnels are “3 dimensional marks” not tunnel markings
slings can stop bleeding...hemp ropes cannot
there are T & Y intersections...don’t get confused
railway “with gates” looks like a picket fence...”without gates” looks like a train
chinese in yellow triangle...reduce speed
yellow exclamation point...caution
red circle on white: no vehicles or pedestrians
white on blue: arrows->directional no arrows->informational
black on white: informational
red/white strip: crossing strip
black on white chinese: cargo trucks, tractors
yellow on white numbers: max speed markings
50 meters from a tunnel....not 30
the yellow box isn’t indicating that no passing non-motorized & not saying temporary stopping is prohibited (look up picture, 4-way has yellow box in middle of intersection)
false insurance: detain vehicle
study the crazy lady...again..esp that right turn where she faces to the left
yield signs are NOT stop and yield
red X on blue background???
blue arrow to the right isn’t “go by right road” its....????
200m ahead is the same trick as 200m to the left/right...don’t forget it!!
blue w/one red slash no long stopped
blue w/two red slashes no long or short stopping
round blue arrow: go straight
square blue arrow: one way
Update's from the road:
Now that I'm driving some of the questions make more sense. The pictures of the the hand signals doesn't appear the way you would see them on the road. In most cases if you imagine the officer turned 90 degrees you'll actually know what to expect.
The red line through a highway name indicates that the upcomming intersection has no (legal) way to connect to that highway.
Tip: When someone starts following you way to closely tap your brakelights once or twice without actually engaging the brake. They'll give you lots of room.
Tollways: Seek out tollways, in general the fees aren't that bad (~0.5rmb/k) and traffic on these roads is nearly non existent.
Watch for lines & signs. The lanes shift around alot, especially when they are squeezing in a turn lane at an intersection. The left turn lane isn't always in the left, look for overhead signs as you approach intersections.
When in doubt drive in the middle lane. This will give you time to get in the correct lane at an intersection. Avoid the right lane, to many bikes/scooters sneaking into it. The left lane often (but not always) gets converted into a left turn lane and you might get stuck in it.
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