10-Day, 100km Traffic Jam?

[Thorin]

There is a traffic jam in China that has been ongoing for ten days (as of August 24th, 2010).  It has been as long as 100km, although it might be shorter now.  Imagine pulling onto the "Expressway", then turning your vehicle off for the next day while you wait for traffic in front of you to move.  Crazy!

source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-08/23/c_13457295.htm

[Lazybones]

More interesting is that motorists refused to detour as it would cost them more in gas.

[Melbosa]

And the Tolls as well...

[Mr. Analog]

I think it's telling about how the government there deals with problems like this.

I mean, at what point do you start blocking road traffic and force people to get off the highway?

[Thorin]

Yes, funny that they're willing to spend so much on meals to save on gas and tolls.  An' yeah, why didn't that highway get shut down and vehicles diverted to other roads?  Maybe these two points are related - maybe the government would have to pay for the truckers' tolls and aren't willing to.

I wonder, though, if "10 day traffic jam" means there's been a traffic jam for ten days, or if people have been stuck in it for the whole ten days.  It's entirely possible that people are getting through it in three or four days.

Which is still mind-blowing compared to our traffic.