On the National Expressway 110 between Inner Mongolia and China’s capital, thousands of motorists have been caught in an ongoing traffic jam that began August 14. The line of cars has stretched more than 60 miles, leaving drivers stuck and hungry. Some local residents have taken advantage of the situation by overcharging for food sold to those trapped in their automobiles. On Sunday, Day 8 of the traffic jam, trucks advanced a total of one kilometer, which is five-eighths of a mile.

 

The congestion is expected to last for several more weeks, as roadside maintenance continues to help clog the highway that’s become a busy route for truck drivers.

 

Taking one’s time is precisely the point on the other side of the globe, where racecar drivers compete in the 24-hour Citroen 2CV Race at Snetterton in Norfolk. There, drivers navigate a racetrack 738 times while topping out at speeds of barely 50 miles per hour in cars “seriously unsuitable for racing.” Some enthusiasts have described the French-made Citroen “deux cheveux” as having the aerodynamics of a brick, and participating in the race like being “on the brink of catastrophe at every corner.”

-Noel Brinkerhoff

China’s Massive Traffic Jam Could Last for Weeks (by Anita Chang, Associated Press)

Highway Jam Enters Its 9th Day, Spans 100km (by Guo Qiang and Fang Yunyu, Global Times)

Thousands of Drivers Jammed in Traffic Near Beijing (by Jim Stevenson, VOA News)

Quirky 24-hour Race of the Lemons (TheAge.com)