Chinese Traffic Jam

VEGANGELICA · 08-26-2010, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Has anyone else heard about this? It's some of the craziest shit I've ever heard: a 62 mile traffic jam near Beijing that's lasted ten days so far.

Yep, I heard of the massive traffic jam yesterday from my dad.

Given how many people China has, increasing the number with cars is simply a bad idea all around. Unfortunately, car ownership in developing countries is on the rise, since cars there (as here in the U.S. and probably many developed countries) are seen as a sign of wealth and freedom rather than as a sign of greed, of gas prices that are too low, and of a lack of appropriately funded and accessible public transportation.

Here in my city, we have a public bus system, but it would cost $2 for me and my child to go 3 miles in a bus, and the trip would take around 30 minutes: 10 minutes to walk to the bus stop (and there aren't even always sidewalks!), plus 5 minutes waiting for the bus, plus 15 minutes on the bus. I could just drive there in 10 minutes for much less money (given that I already paid for the car). Throw in subzero temperatures, and taking public transportation becomes an even worse option.

My hope is that traffic jams like this and other changes that make cars less convenient (like super-fast trains and higher gas taxes) will reduce car ownership and use. It may take a while, but I think eventually fewer and fewer people will feel the need or urge to buy cars!

**Janszoon** · 08-26-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

Yep, I heard of the massive traffic jam yesterday from my dad.

Given how many people China has, increasing the number with cars is simply a bad idea all around. Unfortunately, car ownership in developing countries is on the rise, since cars there (as here in the U.S. and probably many developed countries) are seen as a sign of wealth and freedom rather than as a sign of greed, of gas prices that are too low, and of a lack of appropriately funded and accessible public transportation.

Here in my city, we have a public bus system, but it would cost $2 for me and my child to go 3 miles in a bus, and the trip would take around 30 minutes: 10 minutes to walk to the bus stop (and there aren't even always sidewalks!), plus 5 minutes waiting for the bus, plus 15 minutes on the bus. I could just drive there in 10 minutes for much less money (given that I already paid for the car). Throw in subzero temperatures, and taking public transportation becomes an even worse option.

My hope is that traffic jams like this and other changes that make cars less convenient (like super-fast trains and higher gas taxes) will reduce car ownership and use. It may take a while, but I think eventually fewer and fewer people will feel the need or urge to buy cars!

Though I agree with your sentiment about cars, most of what I've read indicates that this traffic jam is largely made up of commercial trucks. It's the vast amount of shipping in the area that's contributing to the problem, not people driving when they could be taking the bus.

Burning Down · 08-26-2010, 11:36 AM

And I thought the traffic congestion here could get bad. Obviously I was wrong. Wow.

chiron · 08-26-2010, 12:33 PM

I thought they were all about their bicycles in beijing.

**Janszoon** · 08-26-2010, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiron

I thought they were all about their bicycles in beijing.

It's hard to ship in bulk on a bike.

crash_override · 08-26-2010, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

You know I always hear about how bad L.A.'s traffic is, but in all the times I've been there I've never experienced anything that's even close to as bad as D.C., Boston or New York traffic.

I've heard east coast traffic can get pretty bad as well, especially in the beltway. I think what makes LA traffic bad is that there's no down-time. I've been stuck in deadlock on the 101, 405, and 5 at 2-4am several times. There's no excuse for something like that. It's not that LA traffic is necessarily the worst in America, but it's probably the most consistent.

TheBig3 · 08-26-2010, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

You know I always hear about how bad L.A.'s traffic is, but in all the times I've been there I've never experienced anything that's even close to as bad as D.C., Boston or New York traffic.

The West Coast is full of do-nothing whiners. Their highways have 6 lanes. You can get on the Beltway and be lucky to get 1.

VEGANGELICA · 08-27-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Though I agree with your sentiment about cars, most of what I've read indicates that this traffic jam is largely made up of commercial trucks. It's the vast amount of shipping in the area that's contributing to the problem, not people driving when they could be taking the bus.

I read more about the jam and realized you are right about the trucks carrying resources to Beijing being the main problem. One article says the problem of all these trucks is due to China's high demand for coal as an energy source:

Quote:

An awful lot of the trucks currently snarled on the G110 expressway to Beijing are carrying coal mined illegally in Inner Mongolia. They are taking the G110, drivers explained to the daily Beijing News, because there are no coal checkpoints on that highway, so they don’t have to bribe any inspectors to turn a blind eye to their illegal loads.
China traffic jam enters Day 11. A tale of deceit and criminality? - CSMonitor.com

The Atlantic says,

Quote:

Much of the coal in China is now loaded onto trucks rather than freight trains because China's rail system has numerous bottlenecks and is often over-taxed, which ends up creating supply shortages to the coast." Coal to Blame for China's Epic Traffic Jam? - Science and Tech - The Atlantic

Another article said, "China's roadways are increasingly overburdened as the number of private vehicles booms along with commercial truck traffic hauling materials like coal and food to cities."

Here in Iowa, we always have trains whizzing through, sometimes 100 per hour, carrying coal from the West through Iowa to feed (I assume) Chicago's and the East Coast's energy demands. I grew up near railroad tracks so I've had many opportunities to watch coal trains heading East. Without those trains, there would be a lot more traffic on Interstate 80, which is pretty busy as it is!

Burning Down · 08-27-2010, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

Here in Iowa, we always have trains whizzing through, sometimes 100 per hour, carrying coal from the West through Iowa to feed (I assume) Chicago's and the East Coast's energy demands. I grew up near railroad tracks so I've had many opportunities to watch coal trains heading East. Without those trains, there would be a lot more traffic on Interstate 80, which is pretty busy as it is!

Trains definitely relieve truck traffic on the roadways, and I think it's also a cheaper mode of transportation because more cargo can be carried in one trip. China has such a poor railway system that train transport between major cities is nearly impossible. Plus there's like 20 million people living in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, so you can expect bad congestion.

crash_override · 08-27-2010, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Trains definitely relieve truck traffic on the roadways, and I think it's also a cheaper mode of transportation because more cargo can be carried in one trip. China has such a poor railway system that train transport between major cities is nearly impossible. Plus there's like 20 million people living in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, so you can expect bad congestion.

Trains were a big cause of traffic in my home-town in Indiana. The city was built with railroads running through the guts of the city, and some of the busiest roads intersected with some of the busiest, and slowest railways in the area. There are even spots where the trains hang out into the road when they are being loaded by the various factories in town and being prepared for the trip. I don't know if you've ever seen a train loaded, but it goes like this: train moves, train moves back, train moves forward, stops, train moves forward, stops, moves back, stops, moves forward, stops, moves back, stops, moves back, stops moves forward... etc. etc. etc...

I've waiting in train traffic for the better part of an hour at times, several times a day. It can be very frustrating, especially when you have a job that requires driving around town all day.

08-26-2010, 12:33 PM	#14 (permalink)
chiron Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 71	I thought they were all about their bicycles in beijing. __________________ Exterminate all rational thought.

08-26-2010, 11:36 AM	#13 (permalink)
Burning Down The Music Guru. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Beyond the Wall Posts: 4,858	And I thought the traffic congestion here could get bad. Obviously I was wrong. Wow.