Since the English language papers won't have much on this topic, it has to be the Chinese language news. I found a very useful article in the Chinese section and ran it through google translate. The first attempt was rather hilarious with lots of chinglish, but the gist was surprisingly accurate. I made my own edited version, based on google's work, referring to the original language, and my own knowledge on this topic from the English news and experience.
The most interesting thing that came up during the translation is the play on words with the phrase "jia you" which is the literal Chinese translation of "add oil". Not only does this refer to filling a vehicle with gas, it is also used at sporting events to cheer on teammates. It is exactly how we sould say "come on" or "let's go". I nearly split myself laughing as the articled translated "let's go scooter" or "come on scooter" on occasion.
But actually, this play on words is entirely 100% true and relevant. The Shanghai traffic police is waging war against the scooters. These underdogs are going to need all the cheering on they can get if they are to survive this latest purge, let alone win the battle.
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Since yesterday, traffic police launched a campaign against scooters, motorized tricycles, two-stroke motorcycles, motorized wheelchairs, and other miniature vehicles used to transport disabled people. For many years despite repeated prohibitions at gas stations, these vehicles were still being fueled. Now the traffic police department has begun to cooperate with the gas stations, in the attempt to cut off the refueling of these unlicensed vehicles.
Last night, the reporter visited more than 10 gas stations in the city. Without exception, all refused to provide fuel to his gas-powered moped. The traffic police had prominently posted signs that display "No Refueling of Scooters" at the gas stations.
However, there are still individual gas stations between the middle and outer ring roads that provide services to unlicensed mopeds.
"Sorry, we cannot fill your bike." At 10 o'clock last night, the staff at a gas station in Datong Road refused fuel to the moped of our undercover news reporter. They did so without hesitation. The staff went on, pointing to the 'No Scooter Refueling' sign and told reporters, "This sign was placed here just two days ago by the traffic police and they have left their phone number. You'd better get out of here quickly, otherwise you will lose your vehicle."
Another reporter faced a similar scene that was repeated in nearly 10 gas stations along Hutai Road, in the north of Shanghai. He got the same answer: certainly they would not give him fuel.
A gas station's staff told reporters that previously, they would often see unlicensed mopeds pull up to the pump -- a headache. The scooters would pull in as they pleased, and jump the queue of cars getting fuel. The attendants could not help but to quickly put gas in the scooters and send them on their way, otherwise the car drivers would get upset and cause a row. However, since the traffic police have now taken measures to support gas stations in the ban, the staff members refuse to fill up those mopeds anymore.
"Previously, whether or not to fuel up those bikes was an individual company decision. But now that the traffic police and the safety supervision department have joined forces with us to implement the ban, we can now refuse to refuel those vehicles." The staff told reporters that most of the moped drivers will leave immediately after encountering a rejection, while a small number will remain and quarrel. Once they learn of the possibility of the police getting involved or going to a police station, they will leave.
"Now, the gas stations in the downtown areas (within the middle ring road) have basically reached a consensus, refusing to fuel scooters. If you are looking for a place to refuel, you can go outside the middle ring road and try your luck", said a station staff. Not all of the gas stations are saying no to refueling scooters. The farther away from the urban areas, the greater the chances of being able to fill up the bike. There remain individual gas stations that have not been informed of this new policy.
Going further north along Hutai Road, the reporter found a station where the staff filled up his scooter. The reporter asked whether they would still fill it up if it wasn't a Shanghai license plate. The staff told him the rule wasn't about whether or not the license plate is from Shanghai, but whether the bike actually has a license plate and the driver has a license to drive the vehicle. Complicating issues was the fact that bikes with Shanghai plates could fuel up without the need to show a drivers license, but not for outside plates. Also, there is confusing regarding the legalities of scooters vs. motorcycles. The latter are regarded as motor vehicles, while the former are not. Thus, scooters are not legal in Shanghai roads to begin with and can not be fueled.
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(Aside: if you're confused about this, then same here. I can't make heads or tails out of that last paragraph, both from trying to read the original language and trying to wrap my head around these amgiguous motor vehicle laws. Hopefully the translation was accurate)
记者继续沿着沪太路向北，一直到了中环以外，在乾溪路附近的一家加油站，当记者询问是否可以为燃油助力车加油时，工作人员爽快地同意了，称加或不加都是加油站自行决定的。“我不会问你是外地还是上海牌照或者有没有牌照，只要你把车开过来我们就帮你加油，我们没有接到助力车不能加油的通知。”这位工作人员告诉记者。
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Past the middle ring road, the reporter went to a nearby gas station on Qian River Road. When asked by reporters whether the staff could fuel his scooter, they readily agreed saying that it's up to the station whether or not to fill up the bikes.
"I will not ask you whether you have an out-of-town plate or a Shanghai license plate. As long as you bring the scooter here, we'll help you refuel. We have not received notice of prohibiting mopeds from refueling", the staff told reporters.
In some private gas stations, one insider told reporters that he had heard there are some conditions where scooters are allowed refueling if they purchase goods at the station.
Although going to the suburbs (outside middle ring) is an option to go and grab some gas for the bike since the downtown options are now blocked, the price adds up by doing this.
"There are still a variety of ways to fuel up", an industry source told reporters. By fueling the scooters through these alternative methods, the price is only slightly higher than before. According to reporterss, a more common way is to buy gasoline from other drivers, including car and motorcycle drivers. Or, there is the option of using jerry cans.
The industry source said that although this new ban may not eliminate all the loopholes, by controling the fuel source, it has already produced results to get the scooters off the road. He has recently seen a number of bikes parked at home, some people have even sold their scooters, and have changed to other modes of transport.
According to a gas station official, before the implementatino of the ban there were dozens of unlicensed scooters coming in to refuel eery day. Now, after the ban, that number has dropped to ten vehicles per day. Yesterday, traffic police announced the beginning of strictly regulating this ban, since the inception of the ban 23 days ago.
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