Not pleasant (Picture: REUTERS/China Daily)

Next time you are stuck in a traffic jam, spare a thought for the people of Beijing.

This was the horrific sight faced by many Chinese motorists as millions of people took to the roads during the week-long national holiday that China recently celebrated.

An incredible 50 lanes of motorway were gridlocked after a new checkpoint was installed outside the capital, causing a nightmare-inducing bottle neck in traffic.

People returning home after the national holiday were forced to wait for hours as more and more cars joined the queue, stretching out as far as the eye could see.


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(Picture CEN)

(Picture: CEN)

(Picture: REUTERS/China Daily)

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Many motorists chose to leave their vehicles and walk around the impromptu car park to pass the time.

The National Tourism Administration in China estimated that more than 750 million people (almost half the country’s population) would be traveling during the national holiday, known as the Golden Week.

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(Picture: REUTERS/China Daily)

Things are a little less cluttered over in Copenhagen, where their rush hour looks like this.