Let’s buy new motorbikes! /Vietnam

[PeteSC]

Let’s buy new motorbikes!
14:56' 26/10/2005 (GMT+7)  
 
 
Although each person in big cities like Hanoi and HCM City is allowed to register only one motorbike in his own name, it’s still possible to have a new motorbike under the name of a stranger.

“Let’s buy our motorbike. Don’t be worried. We will sell you a name for registration.”  That’s what almost every motorbike seller in HCM City and Hanoi tell their customers.

They ensure no problem for any one who wants to buy a new motorbike even though they may already have bought a motorbike already, providing of course, the customer is prepared to pay an additional amount of money.

 This ‘service’ has counteracted the regulations that each person only has the right to register for only one motorbike.
Early this week, in the role of a motorbike buyer, I went to a motorbike shop on Phan Dang Luu Street, Phu Nhuan District, HCM City.
The shop’s staff asked me whether I can register the new motorbike under my name, otherwise the shop can serve me by registering the motorbike under the name of a stranger and I would have to pay them money.
       
I told him that I’ve registered a motorbike but it is now very old. The staff said that if I registered this motorbike before 2003, it’s now ok for me to register a new one. I only need to go to the People’s Committee of the ward where I live to ask for a certificate that I’ve sold my old motorbike, then give the certificate for them. They will use this certificate to register the new motorbike for me.

 The staff opened a drawer, took a form and gave it to me. “You can use this form,” he said. I told him that the local authorities will not certify this form, but he smiled and said: “Give them some money, then everything is ok".

 This is common practice for every motorbike shop in HCM City allowing them to take advantage of the regulation which stipulates that those selling their motorbike before January 28, 2003 can buy a new motorbike if they have documention certified by local authorities confirming that they sold their old bike already.

 I went to another motorbike shop on Ly Tu Trong Road, District 1 to buy a motorbike, saying that I’ve registered my name for several motorbikes already.

 “It’s very easy. I’ll help you get a new motorbike. Another person will register his name for your motorbike, after that he will sell the motorbike to you with certified of the local authorities. Don’t worry,” the seller told me. However to use that ‘service’, I have to pay US$100.

 Exciting motorbike market

 

Most of motorbike shops in HCM City and Hanoi are ready to provide such above ‘services’.
Nguyen Anh Tuan, owner of a motorbike shop on Cach Mang Thang Tam Road, HCM City, admitted: “Without providing these services, we would starve to death”.

 According to Mr Tuan, up to 70% of his customers use those services. Thus all shop sellers have to take advantage of their relations to seek people who have not used their names yet. Those people will be paid VND1-1.3mil ($80-90) for selling their names.

 This fact shows that the regulation restricting motorbike registration doesn’t influence the motorbike market or help reduce the number of motorbikes in big cities. It also proves that the issuance of unsuitable regulations is very easily counteracted and even can even facilitate the appearance of ‘negative’ social phenomenon.