China observes 'Car Free Day' with the usual gridlock - AFP

[Eugene]

Source: Agence France-Presse

China observes 'Car Free Day' with the usual gridlock

by Peter Harmsen
Sat Sep 22, 12:22 PM ET

BEIJING (AFP) - More than 100 Chinese cities including
Beijing staged a "Car Free Day" Saturday to fight
congestion and pollution, but the streets of the capital
remained defiantly clogged with traffic jams.

Beijing's middle class climbed into their cars to go
shopping and touring as usual, apparently disregarding
an injunction to leave the vehicles at home -- a pattern
that seemed to be repeated in the other 107
participating cities.

"It's the same as always," said taxi driver Dong Yongjun,
as he navigated up the capital's congested Third Ring
Road. "I don't see any difference."

The situation was similar in other major cities, such as
Shanghai and Wuhan, a vast industrial city in the
centre of the country.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070922/sc_afp/chinaautotrafficenvironment_070922114519

[AlecBGreen]

1. lol

Voluntary compliance? Looks likes Hu Jintao and the Chinese government have been borrowing from the Bush playbook.

"We'd like to ask everyone to NOT drive today, mmkay?"

"We'd like everyone to please filter their smokestacks and cut back on emissions."

What a joke.

[XemaSab]

2. Sounds like a real Chinese fire drill....

:hide: :spank: