The permanent jam?

K. writes and tells me that she imagines someone writing a novel based on this incident and that I will assign it in my Law and Literature class.  Here is the excerpt:

A number of people have written in, or tweeted (and don’t forget to find me in the tweetosphere), to tell me about a traffic jam in China, currently in its ninth day, that seems to be on the verge of evolving, as per Cortazar’s story “The Southern Thruway” (an inspiration for Godard’s Weekend), into some kind of makeshift settlement.

This has struck an enterprising verve in some locals, notes the BBC:

The drivers have complained that locals are over-charging them for food and drink while they are stuck.

Then again, what is the “market price” for selling food and drink to 100 km traffic jams?

Instant noodles have risen to four times their market price in this new Chinese city.  This account, sent to me by Joshua Hedlund, notes that the jam is 62 miles long and offers good photos.

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