[kiffguy]

We recently got a car. Nice to be able to get out a bit.

Had a weird experience a week or two ago, though. I dropped my wife at the Prince's building and turned up Des Voux Road. I was stopped by a policeman who informed me I was in a forbidden zone. I explained that I didn't know and he was very cool about it. Unfortunately I couldn't work out if he meant that it is always restricted - or just on Sundays.

Further, I've read that one needs a special permit to drive on Lantau. Is this true? Surely if you can drive to the airport ... but in any event, I wouldn't mind being able to drive to Cheung Sha - would this not be possible without a permit?

[Skyhook]

When you say forbidden Zone, do you mean double yellow lines running along the road just in front of the kerb? Or the diagonal sections of yellow lines, nicknamed tiger stripes ?..

Its pretty easy to cop vehicle fines on HK island, and inner Kowloon. Thankfully its exponentially more car friendly out in the NT, especially closer to the border.

From what I have heard from people who lived in the area you mentioned, and the info may or may not totally apply today, as it was a few years ago that our friends lived there with a car, but here it goes...
The Lantau permit issue for a privately registered Cat 1 passenger car, is only available to Lantau residents. Cat3 commercial delivery vehicles can enter via a pre arranged permit of $300HKD/Toll, that wont help you much.
So the answer is no, you won't be able to drive your car onto Lantau, under any circumstances, unless you own a commercially registered vehicle, inc the cat 3 licence, and have pre arranged permission via the lantau resident who will recruit your services, who will lodge paperwork with the dept of transport who issue the permits...

Remember that, if it was easy to drive there, everybody would do it, thus ruining the appeal for the locals who live there.

[Skyhook]

I think you meant the restricted drop off no waiting area's, sited between two signs, which mention the hours ( peak hours ) that you can/can't wait in the car there etc. Sunday being a non peak hour day, would be exempt I'd expect, but hard to say without seeing the said TD road signage.

[jaykay]

Actually you can drive on certain parts of Lantau, certainly to Disneyland, Tung Chung and the airport.

But south Lantau is a closed area as is the Tung Chung road which goes to the south. Special permits are required for these.

[KnowItAll]

Some parts of Des Voeux Rd are for buses only, just like Caine Rd is during the day.

[kiffguy]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

Some parts of Des Voeux Rd are for buses only, just like Caine Rd is during the day.

It must be that then.
It was just that I didn't see any sign forbidding entry for private cars.
I'll walk around the area and look again.

[HKChigger]

Originally Posted by kiffguy

It must be that then.
It was just that I didn't see any sign forbidding entry for private cars.
I'll walk around the area and look again.

Ya that is the issue. Same thing has happened to me. I think it says that on the road or something and the signs for restricted entry can be hard to see (esp. if behind a double decker bus)

[larac]

Coming from Wan Chai toward Central you must stay on Queens Road and not vear right onto Des Veoux Road - this is for buses and taxis only - I only know because I got a ticket for doing it but even though I've since looked for the signs I still can't figure out how you are supposed to know. I've driven alot in HK now and this is the only restricted bit I've found that is not clearly marked.