Every workday morning I make the same schlep to work. My journey begins with a walk behind the back row of buildings in my complex, then a straggling climb over a rusty iron fence (typical of many complexes here in Beijing, the management mysteriously refuses to open the gate on the north side) followed by another couple of minutes trudging through a half completed construction site over piles of dirt, mud and rubble until I hit the main road north of my complex. It is here – and only here – where it is feasible to catch a ride, which is more often than not in a “black cab” (hei che, 黑车), to complete my odyssey to the office.

For better or worse, hei che are a fact of life for many of Beijing’s commuters. Their existence reflects a growing demand for reliable transportation in a city historically underserved by its existing networks. Of course the new subway lines and more efficient taxis have certainly helped, but it’s still far from sufficient for Beijing’s growing sprawl.

Now comes news that city authorities have launched a campaign against Beijing’s burgeoning black taxis. And that doesn’t just include hei che – yesterday’s print edition of the Global Times (Monday, July 27) reports that “carpooling in Beijing will soon be grounds for a fine of up to 100,000 yuan” according to a new law that will go into effect on December 1st.

While hei che drivers (the guys driving the beat up cars around complexes looking for illegal fares) are an obvious target of the campaign, ambiguities abound for another class of car owners who “receive payments through sharing cars” (hence the term “carpoolers”).

Here’s where things get tricky: Is it fair to punish a group of co-workers or neighbors who share a ride to work and split the cost of gas? According to the article, some officials think it’s not, citing the environmental and energy saving benefits of the practice. Others contend that the logic behind such a law is based on the difficulty of “assigning responsibility” and “determining compensation” in the event of an accident – a claim that is also refuted by critics who say that it’s still pretty cut and dry (“the drivers and car owners should take all the responsibility when accidents occur”).

Despite the fact that other countries and even other cities in China (i.e. Hangzhou) are actually encouraging the practice, according to the article, the law appears destined to go into effect. Meanwhile there’s no indication that new bus stops, more legal cabs or even a decent, workable road will appear near my complex anytime soon.

This week the city has ramped up its anti-hei che campaign with a wave of spot checks by undercover transportation bureau cops at hotspots around the city (office complexes and the like). I was given an up close and personal taste of this yesterday morning stepping out of a hei che in front of my office: two undercover cops flashed me their credentials and asked me for my own ID and whether or not I knew the driver. Surprised and flummoxed (and also for better or worse), I cooperated, unsure of whether or not I was going to get fined or even detained (which was thankfully not the case).

Perhaps it’s time I bought a bike.