Can you imagine being stuck in a traffic jam for 11 days?
Traffic jams are a nightmare and unfortunately they are part our daily lives – so we just have to cope. But, if you thought a traffic jam of approximately two hours is bad, think again. Here are five of the longest traffic jams recorded in history according to Gizmodo.com:
Woodstock – August of 1969
The number of people that was expected at this event was 50 000, however, ten times as many people showed up escending upon upstate New York. The roads were a mess and there were no traffic rerouting plans or efficient parking for the cars. Fans abandoned their cars and simply walked and performers got helicoptered into the festival.
Border of East and West Germany – April 1990
During the first Easter holiday after the fall of the Berlin Wall, some 18 million cars were stuck on the road. This was the first chance in about 40 years for many to see their family at either sides of Germany – which in turn caused a huge traffic jam. The backup stretched for 50 kilometres and there was a 4 hour wait at gas stations!
Beijing, China—August 2010
The 11-day, 100 km back-up…
This enormous and long traffic jam was caused by roadworks on the Beijing-Tibet-Expressway. However, people turned this into a business opportunity. As hungry and thirsty drivers sat in their cars for days, people came a long to sell food and drink at a 1000% profit. But, if they resisted to buy the vendors would damage their cars.
Chicago, Illinois—February 2011
These people were stuck in white-out conditions and freezing temperatures. They eventually abandoned their cars for safety and the road became a car graveyard. The city then had to tow the cars to empty lots for drivers to reclaim.
Sao Paulo, Brazil—November 2013
The city regularly gets 160 km traffic jams on Friday evenings – but on this particular Thursday traffic pushed the limits with an amazing 300+ km backup. This might be why this Brazilian city has been recorded as the worst city when it comes to traffic.