Ok I have found the facts:
- HK private cars are currently allowed a permit to cross border
- Mainland private cars are not allowed. Only coaches, goods vehicles, and official vehicles.
Transport Department - Cross-Border Vehicles
So as I said, its probably fair that if HK private cars are permitted into the mainland (under a permit system) then mainland cars should also be given the same privilege.
Free and open access (which is probably the original topic of this thread, sorry for going off topic) is another story altogether.
HK cars that are dual plated are not just private cars that people get plates for. The plates must be applied for through the PSB in China. They are only issued to companies who have businesses in China that have a certain amount of investment / turnover. So any ordinary car owner is unable to get these plates through legal channels.
There are many mainland vehicles that also have dual plates and travel in HK. These may be classed as official vehicles but are usually granted through someone paying enough for the privilege. The number plates on these usually begin FU or FV. If you travel the highways enough or are in the right areas you will see quite a few LHD vehicles around. I've seen them in TST, San Po Kong and Shatin and on highways (usually Mercs or Bricks (Buick V6 MPV).
Now the reasoning for HK cars to have these plates is due to the large amount of HK companies owning large businesses in China. I've not yet seen a China owned factory in HK!
So yes there are LHD cross border cars as well.
We already have enough arseholes who can't drive. This morning I saw some guy turn into a road way too fast, not looking where he was heading, and nearly hit a bunch of schoolgirls crossing the road. He didn't even slow down. The girls ran to get out of the way and he had the impudence to honk at them. Further down the road, he drove over the pavement to park.
When he had stopped, I did my civic duty by calling him a fat cunt and telling him to take some fucking driving lessons. I really need to learn how to say that in Cantonese (and Mandarin?).
I have noticed some mainland cars with dual HK registrations around Wanchai, but they really are a rarity. Of the HK cars with dual registrations, some of them are private cars, not company cars. From Jaykay's post it would seem as though only companies can apply for these dual registrations, whereas perhaps it ought to be clarified a bit. Individuals CAN apply for these dual registrations, it's just that unless the individual in question has a substantial business presence or financial investment in the mainland, he or she stands a snowball's chance in hell of getting approval.
mkhan...
just how do you know that it's not a company car? i own a company. my company can buy a car. i can drive it. it's a company car... you cannot tell simply by looking at a vehicle if it is registered to a person or a company.
And another video:
VIDEO: 34 Low-Speed Chinese Car Accidents
I drive in China once a week and from my personel experience if they start letting private cars enter Hong Kong from mainland it will be a disaster. It will probably be the Rich mainland that think they have the right of way and rules do not apply to them. Lets hope this never happens.
Of course they will be using their well made cars as well?