China gridlocks helps make United States of America commuter traffic seem tame

Americans stuck in traffic shouldn’t complain too loudly. They should consider themselves lucky they aren’t driving to work in China. Bumper-to-bumper traffic stretched for 60 miles on the 10th day of the Chinese traffic jam. Road construction in Beijing has caused a pileup of automobiles on a road between the capital and also the city of Zhangjiokou that is expected to continue at a crawl until the project is finished. Chinese drivers trapped in the traffic jam watch about a kilometer of the countryside go by in a day. Some drivers trapped within the traffic have not emerged for five days. China’s rapidly expanding economy is creating skyrocketing demand for coal and trucks for hauling it to power plants. Exploding consumer demand for goods and also the shipping involved is also adding to the pressure on China’s highway system.

Burgeoning economy produces circumstances pertaining to traffic jams

China’s drivers are accustomed to congested zones, however the latest Beijing gridlock is testing their resolve. A Wall Street Journal story identified road construction that began on Aug. 14 as the culprit that led to the traffic jam on a main route to Beijing through Heibei Province. Accidents and breakdowns exacerbated the gridlock. Highway officials say the traffic jam could persist for a month as the road project isn’t really expected to be finished until then. Gridlock on this highway has become the norm as the capital city’s population of 20 million consumes more goods.

Consequences of Chinese coal demand

A principal contributor to China’s road traffic jam conundrum is the trucks shipping coal that is burned for power to drive the world’s fastest-growing economy. A Bloomberg report said the coal fields of the Inner Mongolia province to the northwest of the capital have outpaced Shanxi province to lead Chinese coal production. Numerous coal mines In Shanxi were closed by the government following a string of deadly accidents. Shanxi used an established set of railway routes to transport its coal. Inner Mongolia has not yet developed a railway system adequate to ship the growing tonnage of coal produced there. To ship the coal to port cities, using trucks, which have to pass through Beijing, is the only current choice. After fighting their way through Beijing, the trucks hauling coal proceed to port cities that ship the cargo to power plants within the south.

Emerging Capitalists within the strangest areas

Dealing with the frustration of the Chinese road traffic jam took many forms. NPR reports that road rage has been absent as individuals killed time by sleeping, taking walks or playing cards and chess. Individuals sustained themselves on food sold by locals, who were making a killing peddling their wares on bicycles. The Chinese traffic jam provided an old-fashioned capitalist lesson in supply and demand. Drivers complained about price-gouging by villagers who became their sole source for food and water. A bottle of water that normally costs 1 yuan (15 cents) was selling for 10 yuan ($ 1.50). Instant noodles that cost 3 yuan (45 cents) within the store were going for 3 times that.

Martin Rogen