PHOTOS: May Day Traffic Madness in the Middle Kingdom

By Matthew Bossons

Much like May Day in other parts of the world, people in China have taken full advantage of the long weekend – getting out of town for some well-deserved R&R.

Unfortunately, rest and relaxation doesn’t usually go hand in hand with massive ‘escape the town’ traffic jams, which have become as synonymous with Chinese holidays as peanut butter is with jelly.  

To fully explore this weekend’s crazy highway congestion, we have assembled this photo roundup for your enjoyment! Most of the photos profiled below were taken along the G2 Highway, which connects Beijing to Shanghai.

Standstill traffic near Dezhou, along the G2 Highway, which connects Beijing to Shanghai.

More gridlock...

Traffic at a standstill? Perfect chance to wipe that bird poop off the back bumper!

A family stretches their legs on the roadside.

Southern China also experienced some holiday highway mayhem, with traffic near Shenzhen suffering some delays:

Traffic...

And more traffic...

[Images via Weibo]

Click "Read more" below to read Chengdu Named China's Worst City For Traffic