I think it is safe to say that none of us like being stuck
in traffic. We have all been in a traffic jam at some point in our lives that
really drove us crazy. It is very doubtful, however, that any of us have ever
seen anything like the traffic jam that occurred this past weekend in Russia.
After a few days of heavy snowing, part of the main highway
between Moscow and St. Petersburg was backed up 125 miles. Traffic was at a
complete stand-still with the only movement being foot traffic, not vehicular.
The Emergencies Ministry reported that traffic would return back to normal by 6
PM on Sunday. However, the traffic jam still spanned 34 miles long on Sunday night.
The traffic woes began on Friday after one of the heaviest
November snowstorms in the last 50 years pummeled the Moscow area. When
everything was said and done, three feet of snow had fallen in western Russia.
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Drivers complained that authorities weren’t offering enough
assistance to the stranded travelers. Restaurants reportedly tried to take
advantage of the situation by increasing their prices and gas stations ran out
of fuel. The Emergencies Ministry soon stepped in to assist with food distribution
and setting up warming stations. Traffic started clearing up on Monday, with
cars being able to travel at speeds of 3-6 mph for large sections of the
highway.
Although this traffic jam sounds horrific, it pales in
comparison to some of the worst jams we have seen recently. In 2010, drivers in
China were stuck for 10 days waiting for a 60 mile back up to clear near
Beijing. In 2009 there was a reported 183 mile traffic stoppage during an
evening rush in Sao Paulo, Brazil. So the next time you’re cursing the world
while stuck in light traffic, just think of how much worse it could be.
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