Asia is notorious for having the world’s worst traffic. If you remember correctly, this fact came to the ultimate boiling point back in 2010 when reports started to circulate from China about a 60 mile long traffic jam. The nasty jam lasted for almost a month!
That clog is worse than Paula Deen’s constipation!
According to an initial report from the Associated Press, “Triggered by road construction, the snarl-up began 10 days ago and was 60 miles long at one point. Reaching almost to the outskirts of Beijing, traffic still creeps along in fits and starts, and the crisis could last for another three weeks, authorities say.”
During the worst of this standstill, truck drivers reportedly only moved one mile during an entire day, forcing drivers into extreme cases of road rage.
In the 4 years since that event, we would expect that Asian traffic would have calmed down, right? No. Actually, with an increase in population and a rising economy, Asia’s traffic is worse than ever. Recently, it was reported that motorists in China lose about 9 days in traffic annually.
Other areas outside of China are no better, either. One renowned travel blogger recently described the Indonesian city Jakarta, saying, “During the week, there are 2.6 Million cars in a city the size of 641 sq. km. Just in case you’re not sure, that’s 4,056 cars per square kilometer.”
“The Government has been trying to rectify this issue for years, from setting up a three-in-one policy, to setting up bus only lanes to reduce car use, to planning to roll out a policy alternating car use based on odd-even numbers. Until one or all of these policies can solve the problem, be prepared to endure three hours traffic to head to the airport from the city, located 20km away.”
Adding to the hysterics of the crowded streets is the choking pollution found in major cities like Beijing. Huffington Post writer Louise Watt says, “The hazardous air pollution in urban China has a widespread impact on health, productivity, and quality of life.”
But even with all of these facts and insights and inside reports, it’s still hard to imagine just how bad the traffic is over there. So, when a video was released earlier this week showcasing a Taiwan scooter jam, the internet went crazy.
On the video, we see and hear thousands of scooters buzzing like wild bees around the street. Making the entire scene even more frightening is the fact that many of the drivers are even wearing surgical masks to protect themselves from the thick, destructive smog. The video is most certainly a must-see.
4Wheel Online Blog - Automotive News 