Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.

Beijing Cabbies Not Allowed to Dye Hair Red

by Jonathon Morgan (RSS feed) on Apr 18th 2007 at 12:01PM

Yesterday I posted about tickets going on sale for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Understandably, China wants to make a good impression on the hordes of international travelers who will descend upon their country. In an effort to control that impression, the government has made a 12-item self-improvement list for cabdrivers.

So, if you travel to Beijing for the games, you can be sure your cabdrivers won't smoke, spit or overcharge. Women won't wear big earrings or have red hair, and men's hair will be kept short. They'll also always use their meter, or they'll run the risk of losing their license.

On the one hand, I feel sorry for cabbies who are having their appearance micro-managed by the Chinese government, but on the other, taking a taxi in a country you're not familiar with -- especially when your language isn't commonly spoken -- can be daunting. Travelers who are confident they can make their way around the city -- without being taken for the proverbial ride -- are far more likely to enjoy their stay.

That being said, what does the government have against red hair?

Filed under: Festivals and Events, China

Reader Comments (Page 3 of 3)

Sydney Apr 22nd 2007 7:15PM

So many Americans responding to this are acting as though the Chinese are so far-afield from us, so much more authoritarian than our own country. In all actuality, they simply want the people who are arguably going to come into contact with tourists visiting the games than anyone else, to present a clean-cut image for their country. It's basically a dress code. And if the cabbies don't like it, they don't have to drive for the games. I am fairly certain that if an anglo driver in China already HAD red hair, they would not be forced to change it to another color.

We have precedent for this in the United States all of you shocked American citizens out there.

Chicago attempted to force a dress code on its cabbies in 2005: http://chicago.about.com/b/a/202931.htm

Boston DID force a dress code on their cabbies saying, "They are ambassadors for our city.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9A0DE2DB1439F932A35755C0A960948260

Seattle changed their ordinance in 2003 from a former dress code to a code that would allow one of their more famous cabbies, "Cab Elvis," to continue to dress like Elvis on the job. This happened after "Elvis" was ticketed for his lack of adherence to the dress code in place. Seattle felt that an Elvis cabbie was simply more "fun" for their tourists.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0312/09/ltm.07.html

Liverpool, UK - Cab drivers required to abide by dress code when picking up at the John Lennon Airport because it would, "improve visitors’ first impressions of the city."
http://www.taxiblog.co.uk/?paged=589&pp_album=main

Atlanta: the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit, reversed a district courts decision to bar enforcement of a dress code for Taxi Drivers saying that, "The City could rationally decide that it has a greater interest in having drivers of vehicles for hire appear safe and presentable, which is accomplished through the dress code."

(An Atlanta cabbie had taken the issue to court after being cited for improper adherence to the dress code enumerated in the Atlanta Code of Ordinances ("Code"), Section 14-8005(d)(2). This was Case No. 96-8095.
Mohamed I. BAH, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
CITY OF ATLANTA, Defendant-Appellant.
Decision Date: Jan. 22, 1997.
And by the way, Atlanta's code not only requires certain clothing, it also requires that you WASH said clothing. That's right. It has to be clean.
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/cgi-bin/getcase.pl?court=11th&navby=case&no=968095opa

My point with all of these examples is that we are strict to point out what we perceive as flaws in other countries' systems of government, while ignoring the fact that as Americans, we make many of the same decisions.

Now, my PERSONAL take on a dress code is that I would rather arrive via cab at my destination safely, with a minimum of runaround in a cabbies quest to charge me a higher fare, and with a pleasant driver who doesn't smell too bad, than to worry about what said driver is wearing. OR whether or not they are displaying their natural hair color.

But China does, in my view, have just as much right as the U.S. to enforce the taxi laws it wants to enforce.

Also. Many Asian cultures are very concerned that respect be shown to others, and concerned with the possibility that their individual behavior might shame their families or countries. It is a cultural paradigm. And I believe that it is just this that the Chinese Government is concerned with here - that is, showing respect for its visitors and tourists via the cab drivers who will undoubtedly be those visitors first and most frequent public contacts while they visit the country.

In short. Its really NOT such a big deal.

Darla Apr 22nd 2007 7:27PM

I think the person's comment that "it's NOT about redheads" is correct. Don't be affended. Americans need to accept customs from other lands. Red (or blonde for that matter) are not natural Asian hair colors. The government just wants people to come and enjoy the Olympics and not be scared or intimidated by their cab drivers. Nice thought, don't you think?

gdnevl15 Apr 22nd 2007 7:30PM

Hello, red hair is only one of the things mentioned if we stand for allowance of one then we stand for them all exluding the whole overcharge aspect...lol

Chaz Apr 23rd 2007 12:25PM

Maybe the Chinese could teach some of these yahoo's here how to dress and shave.Most men here look like they crawled out of a dumpster.Booyahhh!!!

Misss Barb Apr 22nd 2007 7:40PM

Hello, its not about natural redheads, its about the color Bright Red, not Clariol #405... its about not looking punked out.. right or wrong thats China..

Dana Apr 22nd 2007 8:00PM

Oh, they are just afraid that redheads will one day rule the world! You also need remember what a bad dye job can look like, and some of these "red" hair shades are an insult enough to true redheads.

renee Apr 22nd 2007 8:07PM

that seems pretty extreme

just a thought wonder if there are many female cab drivers there

http://models-fashion-advice.com

Joyce Apr 22nd 2007 8:00PM

OMG, I just finished dyeing my hair red!!! That is too funny!!! Bummer, I can never be a cab driver in China...does it matter that I don't spit, smoke or overcharge?

beversor Apr 22nd 2007 9:32PM

Katie (#9)...you say you're "one of the many women in the world with 100% natural red hair". Well then...learn the facts...there aren't "many" natural redheads. I am one, but only 3% of the worlds population are true redheads. There are a lot of "wanna be's" out there! As a cosmetologist I know that it fades faster than any other color and it's the most difficult to try to look "natural".

Missy Apr 22nd 2007 9:58PM

OK first of all, Korea and China are total different countries. Different langauges different food different writing Different cultures. Beijing is in China, not Korea. Second of all its clear that China wants to make a good impression. For whatever reason.
I have known asian people to use the red color in their hair and think it looks very cool though!

bob Apr 22nd 2007 11:24PM

Maybe that why there are no chinese named Rusty.

Mike Apr 23rd 2007 12:11AM

I am a redhead myself and I have to think that this is a HUGE deal that will bring HUGE amounts of money to an impoverish Country. So what if they have over reacted a little in an effort to not offend anyone. The restrictions are still less than those put on Limo drivers when the games were here.

JAS07 Apr 23rd 2007 1:07AM

Sorry, I got confused, I'm a blonde :-)

Kg Apr 23rd 2007 10:47AM

I agree with otaylake. If I had mega bucks, loved sports and was inclined to want to travel to a place where people are only governmental possessions to be used and abused however they saw fit, then perhaps I'd support the Olympics. Since I am a poor, middle class wife and mother who doesn't particularly like sports ... (and I won't make further comments on the government of China) ... I think it's best that I keep my redheaded self (yes, I'm a natural redhead) here at home in the "Land of the Free" and watch DVD's.