November 2, 2006: Moscow stands still in massive traffic jam

Undertoad · 11-02-2006, 12:12 PM

Apparently, the other day, Moscow suffered an inexplicable six hour traffic jam. This shots are from this page, which Babelfish translates to suggest that nobody knew why things were coming to a standstill. Apparently it was the first day of snow, but that hasn't caused this level of traffic in the past.

I'm thinking one reason is that six lanes of traffic each way stop to merge with each other. I'm betting the number of cars has grown past the city's ability to manage it. This International Herald Tribune story says:

Quote:

Traffic police blamed the tie-ups on a higher than normal number of accidents on the two ring roads that accommodate much of the city traffic, energy shortages that caused some traffic signals to fail and a large number of foreign delegations.
...
Traffic lights failed near the Garden Ring, the main street that circles central Moscow, and there were 1,700 accidents instead of the usual 1,000, Vasilyeva told the news Web site Gazeta.ru.

1,700 accidents. Instead of the usual 1,000.

The lede of the story is that a soccer team nearly missed an international match, and lost, after being forced to walk and ride the subway to get past the gridlock.

Don't go there. This is not the first time this has happened, as the city suffered an 18 hour jam a few years back.

lumberjim · 11-02-2006, 12:18 PM

ya know, I was going to go there, but if the traffic is like that? fuck it, I'll just stay here.

Emrikol · 11-02-2006, 12:59 PM

In Soviet Russ....

nevermind.

Flint · 11-02-2006, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emrikol

nevermind.

too late...you meant this?

milkfish · 11-02-2006, 01:25 PM

Maybe someone found that TMX Elmo was going on sale and the word spread.

barefoot serpent · 11-02-2006, 03:07 PM

ДОИТ БЛОСК ТНЗ БОЖ

Sheldonrs · 11-02-2006, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barefoot serpent

ДОИТ БЛОСК ТНЗ БОЖ

Что, черт возьми, Вы говорили?

Leah · 11-02-2006, 04:59 PM

Oh my god, where's the lollie pop lady/man when you need one.

xant · 11-02-2006, 06:50 PM

That is undoubtedly the stupidest street design I've ever heard of. It's just about the stupidest street design I can even imagine. I think the only way they could make things worse is if they had airplanes landing there too.

footfootfoot · 11-02-2006, 07:39 PM

Those russkies are pikers! That's normal traffic leaving NYC at 3:30 pm! I could park five hundred cars in the spaces between those bumpers!

What is the world coming to?

vocalperk · 11-03-2006, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheldonrs

Что, черт возьми, Вы говорили?

думаю, что нам нужно читать эти слова как будто они были английские буквы (глядя на них с американской точки зрения, не зная русский язык) То есть, "don't block the box"?? или что-то в этом роде.

вы русские? американец, который знает русский? или переводили с английского на русский через какой-то сайт?

Dypok · 11-03-2006, 08:57 AM

I think they have one of the most extensive subway systems in the world. This traffic jam must be a choice of some kind.

CaliforniaMama · 11-03-2006, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Those russkies are pikers! That's normal traffic leaving NYC at 3:30 pm! I could park five hundred cars in the spaces between those bumpers!

What is the world coming to?

Seriously! It makes them look awfully polite . . . which totally boggles my noggin after getting belly bounced off a bus by a Russian mama

wolf · 11-03-2006, 07:08 PM

I think they just miss the standing in lines that the Russkies lost as a result of the fall of Communism. It's a cultural thing.

Nao · 11-04-2006, 12:31 AM

Makes me wonder how it all started ?

footfootfoot >
They're awfully polite. At least they know that they are to care for each others' property. I hear people in the US aren't that courteous. Actually in where I live, cars bump off motorbikes and the motorists like to fling their ciggies outta the window. Pricks.

11-02-2006, 12:18 PM	#2
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	ya know, I was going to go there, but if the traffic is like that? fuck it, I'll just stay here. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

11-02-2006, 01:25 PM	#5
milkfish A serene breakdown Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Northern NJ, USA Posts: 266	Maybe someone found that TMX Elmo was going on sale and the word spread. __________________ A genius is one who can do anything except make a living. - Joey Lauren Adams

11-02-2006, 03:07 PM	#6
barefoot serpent go ahead, abbrev. it Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lawrence, KS Posts: 2,623	ДОИТ БЛОСК ТНЗ БОЖ __________________ Chooses rowing vs. wading

11-02-2006, 07:39 PM	#10
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	Those russkies are pikers! That's normal traffic leaving NYC at 3:30 pm! I could park five hundred cars in the spaces between those bumpers! What is the world coming to? __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

11-03-2006, 08:57 AM	#12
Dypok Fuel the body, build the muscle, burn the fat, free the mind Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 27	I think they have one of the most extensive subway systems in the world. This traffic jam must be a choice of some kind. __________________ There follows an untranslatable play on words with the use of local idiomatic expressions.

11-02-2006, 12:59 PM	#3
Emrikol Compatriot-at-Arms Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 107	In Soviet Russ.... nevermind.

11-02-2006, 04:59 PM	#8
Leah Love my Heffalumps Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia (best place in the world) Posts: 346	Oh my god, where's the lollie pop lady/man when you need one.

11-02-2006, 06:50 PM	#9
xant Belt Conveyor Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 65	That is undoubtedly the stupidest street design I've ever heard of. It's just about the stupidest street design I can even imagine. I think the only way they could make things worse is if they had airplanes landing there too.

11-03-2006, 07:08 PM	#14
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I think they just miss the standing in lines that the Russkies lost as a result of the fall of Communism. It's a cultural thing. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

11-04-2006, 12:31 AM	#15
Nao 出来れば... Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Asia Posts: 24	Makes me wonder how it all started ? footfootfoot > They're awfully polite. At least they know that they are to care for each others' property. I hear people in the US aren't that courteous. Actually in where I live, cars bump off motorbikes and the motorists like to fling their ciggies outta the window. Pricks.

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