My first thought was that somewhere is the world’s largest Matchbox collection, and this was a photo of it all laid out at once. That also looks like there was a massive walkout on a thruway somewhere and all the toll takers walked out at once.
The Wikipedia article about this expressway links to a 2015 Daily Mail article with more photos and a video.
“A new checkpoint had been set up which caused vehicles to queue for hundreds of metres near the toll. Over 750 million people are expected to travel in China during week-long National Day celebration”
Winston Sterzel has an excellent channel at YouTube, documenting what it’s like living in China from a western perspective. He has various videos on driving in China, the quality of the public transit, etc. He’s very insightful, and one of my favourite bloggers at YT.
Kinda reminds me of the Route 78 to New Jersey Turnpike Jersey City Extension. Five lanes quickly reduced to two after the toll. Makes for a very long commute.
Can you imagine it with 47 lanes like this?? (counting at the bottom of the picture) I’m not sure if there are 5 ‘lanes’ getting past the choke point between the angled fence and whatever that other structure is.
A definite case of chabuduo on the part of the planners…
That’s exactly what I was thinking. And there’s always one guy that broke down very close to the toll both or even worse, before the metering lights, in whichever lane you chose.
When I lived in California my strategy for dealing with the Bay Bridge toll plaza was to just put the hammer down and get out in front of everyone else:-) My Nova SS with the 350/4 speed combo was very good for this. I like driving but I am very glad that I don’t live in any kind of metropolitan area and have to deal with this kind of traffic on a daily basis.
Mind-boggling! But this is what happens when your country has 1.4 BILLION + people I suppose. Just imagine, for every American there are more than 4 Chinese. For Canadians, it’s even more absurd: for every Cdn there are 39 Chinese. So just imagine standing on a street corner in downtown Toronto, and replacing every single pedestrian with 39 people, and you begin to see how overcrowded China is.
I can see why Chinese cars have such elaborate and roomy back seats.
If I was going to be stuck in that mess I’d want somewhere comfortable to live til it all cleared!
I worked in China for 8 years.
Never, ever thought about driving there.
The people there regularly drive on the sidewalks, wrong way down streets, turn left from the right lane, etc.
Very rarely is there any police presence, so the people just drive anyway that they want.
Some of that is changing with the installation of cameras, but a typical drive in China can involve all the craziness mentioned above.
This trafic jam is consequence of manual toll collection technology of 20th century.
just need a free-flow toll collecting system , RFID badges and gantries , then lay off all toll collectors, demolish toll plazas and drive through,
My first thought was that somewhere is the world’s largest Matchbox collection, and this was a photo of it all laid out at once. That also looks like there was a massive walkout on a thruway somewhere and all the toll takers walked out at once.
Looks just like the 400 North bound on any Friday night in the summer
Coffee snort right there!
A Zipper Merge on Chinese Steroids. This does not end well.
Wow. Wonder how far off road rage must be.
I am guessing that the clear lane over to the right is for Party members?
….or for emergency vehicles to cart away the detritus/remains/stuff….
Mind-boggling.
The Wikipedia article about this expressway links to a 2015 Daily Mail article with more photos and a video.
“A new checkpoint had been set up which caused vehicles to queue for hundreds of metres near the toll. Over 750 million people are expected to travel in China during week-long National Day celebration”
Winston Sterzel has an excellent channel at YouTube, documenting what it’s like living in China from a western perspective. He has various videos on driving in China, the quality of the public transit, etc. He’s very insightful, and one of my favourite bloggers at YT.
There is no sound for the first minute of this video as I suspect the copyright may have expired on his intro music. Dialogue starts at 1:10.
Kinda reminds me of the Route 78 to New Jersey Turnpike Jersey City Extension. Five lanes quickly reduced to two after the toll. Makes for a very long commute.
Can you imagine it with 47 lanes like this?? (counting at the bottom of the picture) I’m not sure if there are 5 ‘lanes’ getting past the choke point between the angled fence and whatever that other structure is.
A definite case of chabuduo on the part of the planners…
Nice one John. For the rest of you; This is what Chabudo means….
https://aeon.co/essays/what-chinese-corner-cutting-reveals-about-modernity
Not too different than the Bay Bridge toll plaza… 22 => 5 lanes.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. And there’s always one guy that broke down very close to the toll both or even worse, before the metering lights, in whichever lane you chose.
When I lived in California my strategy for dealing with the Bay Bridge toll plaza was to just put the hammer down and get out in front of everyone else:-) My Nova SS with the 350/4 speed combo was very good for this. I like driving but I am very glad that I don’t live in any kind of metropolitan area and have to deal with this kind of traffic on a daily basis.
I’m in China regularly, and I never, ever drive in a private passenger vehicle. It carnage on the roads since nobody obeys traffic law.
China has a cheap, efficient high speed rail system. The local subways are awesome. Taxis are cheap and the drivers skilled.
But if you’re Chinese, showing off your new Beijing Mommy Wagon to Granny is worth 18 hours to drive 200 km.
Christ. Do not want!
Mind-boggling! But this is what happens when your country has 1.4 BILLION + people I suppose. Just imagine, for every American there are more than 4 Chinese. For Canadians, it’s even more absurd: for every Cdn there are 39 Chinese. So just imagine standing on a street corner in downtown Toronto, and replacing every single pedestrian with 39 people, and you begin to see how overcrowded China is.
I can see why Chinese cars have such elaborate and roomy back seats.
If I was going to be stuck in that mess I’d want somewhere comfortable to live til it all cleared!
For every jurisdiction that pines for growth as a model for success, this picture should be worth 1.379 billion words.
This is not success.
I worked in China for 8 years.
Never, ever thought about driving there.
The people there regularly drive on the sidewalks, wrong way down streets, turn left from the right lane, etc.
Very rarely is there any police presence, so the people just drive anyway that they want.
Some of that is changing with the installation of cameras, but a typical drive in China can involve all the craziness mentioned above.
This trafic jam is consequence of manual toll collection technology of 20th century.
just need a free-flow toll collecting system , RFID badges and gantries , then lay off all toll collectors, demolish toll plazas and drive through,
Insanity. No, thank you.
I may have to reassess my doubts about purgatory….