On a recent trip to Luizhou from our smaller town, I found a humorous, but instructive diversion. Certain sections of the road are toll road. One of the toll booths is located near a village which sets against the highway.
Our driver turned off the road just before passing through the toll booth. The village has set up a little toll booth bypass system. The toll is whopping CNY 7 (less than US$1), but you can go through the informal village toll system for CNY 3!
Of course, at the village entrance on both sides of the proper toll booth, the village government has posted signs warning that "all outside vehicles are not allowed entrance". That, I assume, is to make the village government feel they have done all they can to abide by the law, or to make a show of doing so, but maybe a better step would be tending to the make shift village toll booth. Of course, then the village would loose an excellent "cottage industry."
The last time I went through, only two employees were on duty. Now, they have become a true Chinese enterprise: they are overstaffed. At least ten people were at the village booth, only one or two actually doing anything resembling work. I would guess this is the biggest "employer" in the village.
When doing business in China, we have to consider these kinds of issues. Though big cities like Shanghai probably do not struggle with rerouted toll booths, the lessons we learn are still applicable. We spend time trying to follow the rules, and everybody else is busy breaking them. When do we follow the bent rule like locals and when will the laws be applied? It is hard to know.
