World's Worst Intersections & Traffic Jams

They should pay you to enter these interchanges!

There is a difference between "going mental" and making mental calculations how to get out of this traffic mess... at least we hope there is.

The complexity of modern interchanges can be daunting (for some aerial shots of most convoluted ones head over to another article). Here is an exaggerated vision of what the future may look like

(image credit: Syd Mead)

And this is present day in Japan (does that make your heart beat faster?)


(original unknown)


But here are a few more that definitely ask to be included into the
"Most Complex Junctions" Hall of Fame:

- Shanghai, China
(see that little circle on the side: this is a trap for amateur drivers, in which they swirl around forever)




- Arc de Triumph, Paris
(Place Charles de Gaulle - pretty much free-for-all there)



Nice Chicago arrangements:




Golden Glades interchange in N. Miami Beach, FL.



Looking like some strands of yarn: Rt. 440 in New Jersey:

(images courtesy Google Earth)


Magic Roundabout

Something to shock you into disbelief, and leave you utterly shattered: getting in and out of the "magic mushroom circle" in England:







There are three intersections like this in UK: in Swindon, Hemel and in Cardiff. See exactly how it works here .

A cheat sheet "how to get out" is more helpful:




China is at the forefront of traffic circles (and spiral bridge approaches), as well:





Russians recently put a huge "flying saucer" mall on top of major intersection: see here




Traffic Jams from Hell

What a better way to greet Monday than to publish a collection of horrendous traffic congestion pictures, which may cause even most patient driver to shudder and say "Boy, am I glad I'm not in this mess right now".

First picture is taken from the window of Red Hat's offices in Sao Paulo, Brazil, followed by various location around the world, with Russia featured quite prominently -


(image credit: Glommer's Mind)




Bucharest, Romania



Here is the classic traffic jam that terrorized Moscow Sadovoye Koltzo (ring road) in October 2007:


Continuing well into the night:

(images credit: Anton Nossik)



Jacek Yerka's unique solution to urban traffic problems, in surreal light:


(image credit: Jacek Yerka)

(other sources: Razorbiker, AutoExpress, Freedom Trail Riders)

From Dark Roasted Bled
A site for 'Weird and Wonderful Things" - where you can see more pictures like the above.


Blessings

Dan Benor, MD
http://awesomewholistichealing.com/