Exploring China's Huge & Fascinating Road Network | The Grand Tour
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- Опубликовано: 15 фев 2019
- With a motorway of 84,000 miles - more than any other country - the trio explore China's incredible and vast road network.
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To put that into perspective: the combined total cost of building an entire motorway network (300billion $) and high speed rail network (300billion $) in China is still less than cost of Iraq War for the US (1 trillion $)... it’s also about your priorities
But watching things & people getting blown up can be very addictive ... &, addictions can be very costly ... so, addiction should be blamed!!!
@@kangbool building can also be addicting. It depends what you're addicted to!!
Usa loves spending tax payers money wisely !
@@kangbool rican love do war for nothing and playing big brother role with their interventionalist behavior. I rather prefer building roads than invading for some fresh oil
@@felgercarb3803 it would have been more useful
The Chinese build 6000 miles of road each year. Meanwhile in Britain, it took a team of construction workers 3 weeks to fill in a pothole in a road near my neighbourhood
The M6 j13-15 roadworks to turn the hard shoulder into a running lane has been going on for like 4 years so far. Absolute shambles.
@@Josh_Roberts Yeah but imagine how good the sodding spreadsheet for it is...🤦🏻♂️
It’s actually 6000 miles of motorway each year, not including other types of roads.
Wait they actually fix potholes?!?!? I grew up on a road full of potholes which according to my Mum were there when they moved in 4 years before I was born. I'm 25 now and those potholes are still there.
Come here, potholes so bad trees actually grow in them
This is like one of those city simulation games where you just drag along your cursor and the road get built
City skylines
I wouldn't know, I actually have sex
@@DanceySteveYNWA I don't remember anyone asking skid.
@@DanceySteveYNWA alright beta male
@@DanceySteveYNWA sex is overrated
Man hats off to engineers,architects and workers,those bridges and highways are really one of a kind modern marvels!!!
In the U.K. meanwhile we’re unemployed and our country isn’t making use of our brains which we’ve got plenty of
@@doodyman911 Politicians and bureaucracy is really why some western countries are way behind on infrastructure projects...
@only the dead have no restrictions lol, you are funny
@only the dead have no restrictions Do you where the device you are typing with from? China
@@doodyman911 if the gov could enslave you to build roads and bridges they would have. You're just seeing communism at work
meanwhile in the UK it costs £20 millions to build a roundabout...
Far to much sharp intake of breath and scratching of heads it seems we have forgotten the industrial revolution now china is having one good on them they have more than a can do attitude
Bureaucracy and undertaking (and Clarksons' infamous hate on Health and Safety )
Australia is worse, Canberra is build a tram system, around 2 ks long, costing, Canberra tax payers almost 2 billion AUD.. Government has, for the past 5 years, taxed us to death !!
@@mixalis6168 I was driving through Canberra a few weeks ago (From Melbourne) and holy crap that road has more roadworks than anywhere on earth.
@@ashlyr4385 wow sir, so much iq
In my city in the US there's a section of road that's been under construction for my entire life.
😂 😂 What the hell are they doing there?
In my home state, the mark of an important road is not frequent, efficient repaving, but rather three layers of shitty pothole fillings on top of one another.
lol
Coz US is busy arguing about the genders... Bwahahaha
Damn what are they doing there for so long
The cinematography in this video deserves praise.
@Ahmad خان did he film it? Not bad with drone then is he!?
@Ahmad خان
الحمد لله رب العالمين
@Ahmad خان alhamdulillah
I think that it's the same film crew who filmed older(best) Top Gear. They've been absolutely awesome at filming spectacle for a long time. They have a magic to them, like much of what the whole cast and crew do really. As the trio have said though, they're not very good at filming wildlife. Yet... 😅😝
@@Johny40Se7en definitly the same people directing that's for sure.
If anyone was interested
Music:
Dario Marianelli - Summit (Everest OST)
Was about to ask who composed that kind of dumb annoying cliche music.
As if anyone listens to this. 😂
False. It’s clearly Sandstorm by Darude.
Thank You
Meanwhile in South Africa 🇿🇦 the roads pot holes can change a radio channel or even take you from front seat to back seat
Africa was doomed from day 1.
@@fdama Yes they were, and the saviour was mandella, and he lead them to victory!!! ...over themselves, nice job sa , you have improved so much since aparthied.
They can also fuck up your Shock Absorbers quickly.
You will always keep changing them every 1 - 1,5 years
In Uganda, the can change you from one relationship to another
@@fdama Ha!🚮🚮🚮
I was in China in the 1990's, travelled a lot. Lots of bad, scary roads, beaten up buses, locals on horses. In 2014 I trekked around some of those places. In the middle of nowhere on the Tibetan plateau at 3-4000M altitude there were hundreds of KM of gigantic elevated highways like in this video under construction. It was stunning.
I remembered travel in a brand new van that my uncle bought around 1996 China. There is a huge hole in the middle of a 100km/hr highway entrance. It almost killed us all.
And they've gone ahead with those. The bridges over Tiger Leaping Gorge were nearly complete by late 2019 when I was there. Most of the highspeed rail up to that point too.
wait, the BBC or CNN will be criticising the road is built by CCP to transfer troops to depress Tibetan, who are actually living in so much better life than the Slave age when Dalai lama was rulling.
China of 2021 is now a different China than in 2014. It's nice to see comments like yours telling the truth in a straightforward manner. Thank you
We can't get an infrastructure bill passed by our govt in a decade due to Moscow Mitch and the Republicans!!!
China is not like other countries. China is simply special. 5000 years of history, culture, civilization. Simply amazing.
Sure, I agree, though people love to idealize but forget that with 1.5 billion people you just build bigger and faster than countries with 70 million people 😂😂
And 75 years of socialism completely owning the west
@@tartopom2669partly true but they also have more efficient planning and high tech machinery. Look up chinas bridge building machines.
@@stupidvideoman3187 I mean it's 2024, it's a modern country now
@@tartopom2669 yeah but their building machinery is miles ahead of the west
I grew up in a rural province in China, traveling to the provincial capital for me was like visiting Beijing. Bearing in mind I live in a province that borders Vietnam. Beijing was unimaginable for me. I had no concept of my country as a whole. Now its so different, translation is so much better. It’s crazy.
You live in the beautiful part of China! Those polluted coastal cities + Beijing are really awful to live in. Horrible work weeks, expensive living and too much stress...
@@janjan55555 yeah Guangxi is amazing, I love my home province
@@charlielee5906 Just too bad you don't have weather like Southern Vietnam ;)
@@janjan55555 Have you been in China?
@@netterdrachen1687 Yeah but just a couple of cities, happy golden week btw
Meanwhile in India : the bridge construction that started when my dad was in 4th grade got completed when I passed high school. 😒😒
Thank God dat it got completed😂😂
We will probably never catch up to China. Except for population
Same with construction projects in Germany. There is a dead-end highway close by which was supposed to complete the highway-circle around the city...
The first section was finished in 1995...
Guess what, it's still a dead end.
Now 50% are finished, 25% are in constitution and 25% still the planning phase after TWO decades xD
The entire thing is only 20 km btw 🤣
Funfact- India constructing 40km per day
I'm indian that's so true .
20 years ago it took 15 hours from my hometown to shanghai. Now it only takes two and half hours I love the high speed train
15 years ago, it used to 20 minutes for me to get to work. quicker coming back. Now it takes more than an hour because nothing changed except the whole of the United States descended upon my city and our infrastructure can't sustain changes in capacity.
I regularly travel between Chengdu and Chongqing. Takes 4 hours to drive at least. High-speed train takes just over an hour if you get the right train.
@@GerhardSchroeder a large populace is good for the economy. However it has to come with better management
Many respects to you Chinese people. Very hard working and intelligent people you are. We need more people like you in our governments in the west.
@@GerhardSchroeder Where in Germany? Because the total population of Germany has remained largely unchanged from 2008 to now.
This is a way to tell people to travel. I live in Europe and we always fancy ourselves quite wealthy and forward thinking. It wasn't until I started going to other places around the world, and especially Asia, that I realized that they are focusing on real problems on a giant scale while we rant on about if a statue of someone who has been lost to time can actually be moved 10 cm to the left to allow for a bike lane.
Would you rather be treated for cancer in a hospital of some small 100,000 town in China or in Netherlands?
@@veduci22 I´m thankfull I don't have experience in this matter in either country.
Lol, stupid question and brilliant answer
@@veduci22 would you rather be treated for cancer in China and it's free healthcare or USA with it's 2,000$ bill only for the ambulance drive? :D
Thank you
Meanwhile, the best Leicester City Council could do one year was give some of their lampposts a fresh coat of paint.
😂😂
To be fair, those massive motorways and bridges are national level expenditures, not city council expenditures. Not that I would trust western governments to ever build anything monumental again without it being overpriced and taking at least 25% longer than planned.
A fresh coat of paint you say. China is doomed
@@Swodah again is the write ohh how far have the west fallen
It took the Yeppoon council, in Qld. Australia. 3 years to build a single stretch of road that was 5 km long and within a fortnight of opening, they were out repairing it.
No surprise, after all we are talking about a nation that built the 20000km great wall 2000 years ago, on the top of mountains!
But don’t buy a Chinese motorcycle, their electrics are shit!
@@rocket5551 ouch jealousy 😂
@@rocket5551 zero price？High quality？
@@rocket5551 lol yeah I agree, the Japanese ones are far better for sure. you get what you pay for.
@@rocket5551 well, u got what u paid for.
I first went to China in 2012 and I came back raving about the motorways having seen the route from Chengdu to Kunming. Nobody I told about it seemed to really get how impressive it was, glad to see a video to back me up.
I visited Kunming in 2016, my favorite city in China with all the natural beauty around it
You have to admit China is seriously improving a lot in recent years, despite their political stuff.
@@amberlewis012 you know what? to most Chinese, it's not that important. White cat black cat, the one that catches mice is a good cat. Most people care more about their daily life, i.e., whether it is improving. Democratic India attracts no one.
@@cheval63sg india is democratic in papers only. You know PRIME MINISTER of india is now more or less like Hitler. Meaning of democracy in real life is very vague in real society. We can't even criticise govt. If we do than we will be put behind bars, now the govt want to remove end to end encryption in whatsapp and hand over every data to them and they did so publicly. India is not doing great, the political leaders are full of corrupted peoples. I am a bonafide indian and i can assure you that. democracy has its meaning in papers only not in real practical way. Plus the multi party system is harming the people. Thays why no one is attracted to India. Hope this helps in supporting your comment.
The Chinese rail network, like its road network, is also very impressive.
In the Netherlands it took more than 6 months to complete an underpass. For over 12 years Germany still works to finish the maintenance on Cologne-Dusseldorf highway.
You meant from scratch, right?
I love the way he ended by saying "In Britain, we are doomed". He should have added the US in there because in the US, "we are fucked".
Biden just called Xi a dictator 😂
Canada is fucked as well. We have a prime minister who taxes people out the ass, and hands out money like it candy on Halloween night. Takes almost 4 years just to complete an overpass bridge.
Not Texas - they build highways with an almost China-like zeal.
Now i really understand why they started using chinese companies to build bridges here in Norway.
Really? I didn’t know that as a Chinese
@@yangchen9556 中國去挪威蓋了一座橋，yt有人上傳。
it is cheaper and they make it happen faster, unlike westerners where they look on how to steal money from those kind of projects...
nowadays ,china have the best technology of architecture among all country ，明白吗？
i don't even know that
Had not seen this until now. As a son of a career-long civil engineer specializing in roadways with Caltrans, this was all totally mind-blowing. I was never interested in going into civil engineering myself, but thanks to everything I picked up from my father's career, what China is doing is simply astonishing.
God I wish you had your own way
Absolutely astonishing! I witnessed the Chinese building roads in Kenya, I was very disappointed in the workmanship. Then I see this video and it is over the top next level!
Wait until you know Chinese once build a bridge with the help of rocket.
@Impersonal Immigrant go to China as a English teacher, you ll get good pay. Internationally Schools there pay really well.
@Hello Jeffrey how are you doing
I was fortunate to work in China for 10 years and have seen the development speed of thiers cannot be matched with any country. What a hardworking dedicated people And thier govt vision to improve the life of all people at all levels is incredible..
So all these things has to tell you the countries development is not about Democracy or communist ,It's all about Good Leadership and initiations of People for a development of a Nation .
or cheap slave labor.
Democracy probably has a higher rate of success, we've seen many succeeded, though many failed too. Whereas almost all one-party/dictatorship failed, except China. But you're right, it's too simplistic to put it down to the political model.
UK Government " we have £100 million to invest in roads " Contractors " We spent £90 million on sub contractors and their contractors sat drinking tea and eating biscuits looking busy doing nothing "
same here in belgium what's fucking lazy or scum contractors .
Nah. 90 million was spent on consultantcy fees and focus groups before a shovel was even picked up. Any civil works in Britain is an excuse for a siphoning off of public money.
Basically every western country, $100 million to invest on roads and bridges but 90% of the money goes todo some "research" aka environmental studies😂
@@notanumber1311 yeh definitely the case...that's why we still got the same shitty infrastructure for the last 50 years Albeit a few extra extentions and tolls..always called the nations pride..
Costa Rica 🇨🇷 is like: hold my beers 🍻 . . .
"In Britain we are doomed"
A welsh guy recently told me that near his hometown there was finally a road build, which was planned for since 60 years. Paid by EU funding...and then you see this.
There'll be no more of that EU funding now. You are on your own.
@@russcattell955i You do know that the EU gives us back about 50% of the money we gave them in the first place. It's NOT EU funding it's our own taxpayer funding. Less the 50% of course.
Hey I think I know the road you're on about, if not, then there's a similar one running from a place called abergavenny up the valley a small bit. Been going for years, and still isn't finished 😂
@Nick the chopper As if Britain already isn't a neoIiberal tyranny.
@@russcattell955i even more heartbreaking💔
The balance of the World's Superpowers has most definitely changed over the last decade. What a fun-time it would be to be studying Geopolitics.
The fact that your parent were poor doesn't mean that you have to be poor too. Bravo for China, a nation striving for progress with no hesitation...
As a person of Indian descent, I had tears rolling down my eyes watching this. Why?
1. This is what I wanted my nation India to be - developed and a leader in infra. Alas, nothing close has been achieved and China is what Indians exactly dream to be. Wet dream for next 200 years.
2. Clarkson's face when he says Britain is doomed - the dragon's rise makes west very very uncomfortable - and he knows they can do nothing about it.
Chinese expressway roads and high speed rail network is stunning in scale, magnitude, cost effectiveness, engineering and speed. Just amazing what they have done in last 30 years.
Here in US, a 5 mile section of elevated highway cost $1billion and 10 years to make. just 5 MILES !!!!
What is so sad is that the Indians are just as smart and capable, but they don't have an efficient system with the right leaders.
@@x-creator4460 Unfortunately there is no way India can replicate China, irregardless who is leading the nation. The issue is with the system, not the leader. India might have to go through many civil wars (like China) before it can unite all its people with one common language and get rid of all the local noble families who occupy most lands and monopolize most businesses. Without first having this condition, there is no way India can progress, let alone compete with China.
I don't think it makes us uncomfortable, but it is frustrating that our own systems are so backwards.
The rise of China is good really,it allows us to demand more from our leaders.
There's no (good) reason why Britain couldn't build good infrastructure.
If it takes shocking older people like Clarkson with Chins success. Then fine.
@@jdlc903 We (as we in the west) unlike China, have done it already - and it seems the only path moving forward is down not up. Main reason is that Costs are astronomical - 1 mile of roadways with a overpass and a small under pass cost here in New York City $1-$2 billion. Thats 1 mile or 1.6km. A simple net system to prevent suicide on GW bridge cost $500 million. Thats to install a made in China net to prevent people jumping on the Hudson River on a bridge. These prices means US needs $15-$20Trillion to revamp infrastructure to 21st century China standards. Where will this capital come from? Just not possible.
@@shekondog yeah a lot of structural analysis is needed to explain why costs are so astronomical in a supposedly "more efficient " capitalist country.(compared to communist China)
The best thing about the rise of China- is not so much that it will "topple"/"challenge" the west,but that it will blow through Western (boomer) religions like ultra extreme free market and phobia of government action.
I think if government intervention can boost efficiency and productivity it should be welcomed as opposed to being dismissed.
Regarding the examples you mentioned, it sounds like market concentration is possibly causing high prices and somehow a healthier more competitive market is needed.
In Southern England a council took years to fix a pothole. In the end they closed the entire road for two weeks and repaved the surface on a section that didn’t need doing at all but left the pothole...
And that's the improvement from last year. Lol.
Highways and city roads are built and maintained by different organizations. Not comparable. These problems are also present in Chinese cities.
The CCP runs China as a dictatorship and can just push though anything they want. Skipping over things like budgets, health and safety, construction standards (and make the people who disagree vanish). A few of these projects have fallen down and people killed, which wouldn't be acceptable in the UK. They also don't care about destroying untouched countryside or people's property to build them.
In Rotherham the college road roundabout has just had £5million spent on it for the 3rd time in 10 years. Shame about the potholed roads leading up to it.
Which council was that?
When you read about ancient people's describing how crazy advanced ancient China was you don't really appreciate it but I think in this century we're going to appreciate it.
As a Chinese I didn't really appreciate it either. I wonder what that would be like. Looking forwards to it.
Anyway, my history book also tells me for every 200-300 years, the rich nation would become lazy and clumsy, social wealth would centralised to few people and the sociaty would cripple, as what happened at the end of each dynasty in ancient China and what's happening in the US. I suppose PRC might repeat that cycle too.
@@jeffxie5067 Nations are like living organisms, they start off young and vigorous and die old and senile. No one can avoid this fate.
The China of today is related to ancient China but it is not that China the same way you are not your grandfather.
@@jeffxie5067 More recently, Britain is about to join that club as it is reeling in the aftermath of Brexit.
The glory of central planning, long term projects are not only possible but expected. China's rise from a collection of warlord states to the leading superpower in the space of 80 years is unparalleled in history.
britain: haha yes we will close off half the road to ease congestion
TBH, it makes sense to reduce lanes to make traffic flow easier.
Traffic congestion is caused by people switching or merging in lanes.
Texas found out hard way after spending billions to add lanes and made traffic actually far worse.
@@abdiganiaden hahaha yep
If Britain was a communist country it would cost next to nothing as well.
@@abdiganiaden Except Britian is littered with "political riff raff" everyone waste 90% debating rather than doing anything. Road congestion occur in Britain because they decrease speed limit and when some vehicle accidents happen they prefer closing off entire carriage way rather than letting traffic through.
there is evidence to show that closing lanes to an extent will reduce congestion
only x amount of people need to use a certain road. if the capacity is above that x amount, more people who would otherwise commute differently will use that road too.
When I was a kid I watched Top Gear which is my favorite on TV, I always dreaming about traveling in western countries and driving on the road.
15 years later now, I’m watching my hometown in one of my favorite shows, still.
That feels amazing and proud~
My hometown is the place which the highest bridge located and I’ve been driving there many times!
I love my hometown and I love this show!
Best wishes for you 🍀
I have been watching since I was kid for 15 years. I dream about driving in the East! ☺️👌🏼
How are you even on RUclips because it is blocked by the government in your country?
@@cameronmurray9026 he is probably from Hon Kong since he has an English name
@@error8849 are you from the US or UK because your name is in English letters?
Isn't youtube blocked in China?
Hahah the local council in Gosford NSW, Australia has named its main road, ‘Central Coast Hwy’, yet its 60km/h speed limited, dozens of traffic lights and two lanes wide at best. Hardly changed since my grandparents came to Australia during WW2.
Haha, I know right? But the view along the road is amazing
Very impressive.
I guess it was like the UK building rail systems to anywhere and everywhere back in the 1800s.
Just on a larger scale
I like to think of it as a cultural phenomenon by government. Japan has the same no bullshit approach as China does when it comes to transport. The US and UK on the other hand see it as a drain of money, and take forever to do it to save money in the short term. It's simply priorities. Why make a more efficient and costly road or railway just for a bit more efficiency when studies show that doing so leads to more people on the road, and then more congestion? It's like the NHS, shit but gets the main job done.
The UK built railway network around the globe in 1800 for looting others riches and bring back those to UK. It isn't exactly same as what China is doing.
And more modern. Most of their railways are electrified upon construction.
I don't fear China.
I absolutely respect China. It takes guts, dedication, smartness to turn a vast country into a success story.
I forever love China and will always love the good people of China.
Thank you China for all the infrastructural assistance you give to my beloved country and continent.
❤ From Nigeria🇳🇬
just wait till they want what they are due and they WILL have it one way or another
@@Zinkx. such as? When the Western countries slaved the continent, they took ppl as slaves, they took all resources they wanted, did NOTHING for the local ppl. Now, China comes to build infrastructure, bridges, railways, teaching agriculture, stations, ports etc. All benefits for the local ppl. The Western countries come again and WARN them, "be careful, its debt trap, China will do the samething in the future". In the meantime, those DEVELOPED countries and bankers, refuse to lend money, technology to help the continent. Even more ironic, they want more money from China. how much does USA owe China? The USA now wants China to buy more its Debts.
@@shengchen4553 Yeah, many former French colonies are still paying colonial tax
They're bunch of hypocrites
@@Zinkx.projection much lol
Meanwhile in Romania 🇷🇴, the holes in the road are so big you can go fishing in them.
As Meastro Johan Cruyff said once: every disadvantage has an advantage as well :) Happy fishing !
@@ronnie9187 😂😂
@@ronnie9187 😂😂😂😂
I thought you were going to say its a hole through earth where the end of the hole leads you to chinas concentration camps in Xinjiang
@@bigsmoke1787 😂😂😂😂, they are big, but not that big
It’s taken 10 years for Manchester to renovate the town hall building 😭
The Berlin airport is still not finished. After 15 years 🥴
China was also quicker to manufacture and produce a global pandemic.
@@SteveJobIess when the result comes out then u can speak u smartarse
Every vehicle owner has to pay maintenance fee for the roads in china. Every mile of china highway is accounted in the highway toll. Communists charge more oil price. The sea bridge shown on this video, it charges at least 7 USD for single direction. These payments charge on billions of people! There are 600 million people gain less than 153$ salary per year! Communists never ask what we really want. In china, we just slaves of communist party! There are several slavery societies prospered in history and there is one in current people republic of china!
@@ivanjohnson4383 lmao would australian gov like to give my money back that I paid on the tollway? if u r well educated u should know that that bloody bridge is for those businessman's special use as they want to use their own vehicle if u don't want to pay the fee to cross the sea then the ferry and the metro will be a better choice, there is no one say 'u have to use it!' u smartarse
China : This is just road, you forgot high speed railway.
especially the Tofu Dreg ones, absolutely brilliant.
@@pramod_p5 Tofu is better than nofu, when people get cramped into trains like cow in herds. Come and see, what the Hindutva ideology turns India from the much wealthier nation in 1970's to a shithole compare to China.
The Chinese: I built 6000 miles of road last year.
The Chinese parents: Not good enough. You should do 10,000 this year.
Now you guys know the reason.
You missed one point. Chinese parent thought 6000 miles is not good only because some kids from their neighbor can do like 7000 miles XDDDD
The country that uses slave labour and has over a million chinese muslims locked up in camps can do things cheaper and faster? No way...
@@loglog7 sounds familiar
@@icemike1 to Hitler and maybe a few other dictators? Pretty much yeah.
@@loglog7 Slaves work in very low efficiency. Take a true example from history, American slave owners couldn't compete with their northern fellows, because capitalism was way more superior than slavery on production.
"I'm telling you, in Britain we're doomed, we're doomed", we probably are already.
Have been for years our empire finished after world war 2 quite frankly england and France have been punching above our weight for decades
"probably" Lol, you dimwits were been doomed the moment you lost world domination.
@@Kronos0999 Us dimwits were been doomed? Kronos who is the dimwit here? Think for just one second....
The West was doomed 20 years ago....
Why? Because of the Opium Wars? Can't wait to see them taking revenge.
When we moved to Spain, we were shocked. Nice clear motorways just like this. The A-8 crosses the Basque mountains easily. The AP-68 is a quick way across the desert. And then you pass past the HSR tracks, and sometimes you're lucky enough to see a train. It's great, and it's still quickly improving.
1:27 No matter what you think of China, you gotta tip a hat to the engineers and workers who built that section of the bridge. It is truly a feat.
I am a Chinese engineer .in china we have built 80km in one year. Now I am in the Africa already two years only finished 3.8km😂
China: Let's do it.
UK: Let's talk it.
India: Let's meditate over it.
UK, break a leg, and drink some tea.
China, break a peasants skull, and make some ¥
..and abandon it, as it is unpopular with voters.
Uk: is there any county we can loot.. british endpire
@@SW-fy8pq actually it is : lets advertise it. And Neva do it.
I always loved when top gear and GT let Clarkson go off on these educational bits with intense music behind it. I could watch hours of documentary with him commentating
Educational? Its propaganda, and the fat man probably got a big fat check from China. China has very little modern roads per capita, they just have a lot of people. He showed the best roads, but most of China is smog infested on poor quality roads constructed of the cheapest possible quality with massive traffic on them, not these beautiful pristine empty roads. China recently had traffic jams that lasted weeks... not hours, not days, weeks. A huge number of Chinas guard rails and other such systems were found to be for show only, and were only built to look like their function but without actually being strong enough to fulfil it with posts buried only a few inches deep and made of metal so thin that it would just fold like aluminum foil if a vehicle were to actually hit it.
@@BoopSnoot Thats reassuring to hear, because as an American citizen within the age of being drafted, I fear that china is in the process of starting the next world war
@@eatspancakes Drafts aren't going to happen, as today's wars aren't won by numbers anymore. Military systems are quite complex, so by the time a draftee has mastered them, the war will likely be over. In Iraq for example Saddam had some of the most advanced weaponry available, but the entire military was destroyed within hours due to lack of training and experience compared to the US military that is almost in a perpetual state of war somewhere in the world. China is also massively dependent on trade with the West even to just feed its people, yet alone sustain its housing bubble. Traditional warfare with China would never happen, but what is more likely is that China will use its influence to wage a political and information war, funding its own puppets into positions of power in the US and other governments and spreading misinformation by taking control of much of the entertainment and news industries and recently even purchasing control of the WHO to change the narrative in their favor. I'd be more concerned about China taking control of Google or the executive branch of the US government than trying to actually use military force.
@@eatspancakes As a non American I'm more worried about the next country America decides needs democracy and starts dropping freedom bomb's on it.
@@roydowling2542 as an American tax payer I'm also worried about that. Time for America to stop being the world police
Chinese infrastructure in general and not only roads are incredible
Subways, fast rail, airports, roads everything
Nope, China shill
@@mitchconner403you’re so mad 😅
Meanwhile, in the UK, it's 21 years and counting for the upgrade of the motorways between Manchester and London.
We're literally in the stone age compared to the Chinese.
Here in Norfolk, they debated a bypass north of Norwich (Norwich Northern Distributor Road) from 1995 to 2005 before putting the motion forward. Another ten years of debate and it was finally given the go-ahead in 2015. It was completed in 2018. It cost 178.5 MILLION pounds.
It's 12.7 miles of dual carriageway.
23 years, 178.5 million pounds, to produce 12.7 miles of road.
Except that our workers don't die or get abused building those roads. No, they're maybe not in the stone age, but definitely in the dark age.
Jeremy is 100% correct. "In Britain we are doomed". China is far ahead of any countries. Whereas in London, everything has been stolen from other countries, and build London out of that. If you ever visit British Museum in central London, you will understand, this country has looted Every single countries. Except China. I understand that, it is a communist regime country.
Interesting to hear what a big city kid's perspective is. Remember that north of Perth in Scotland we have no motorways and once you go past Inverurie there are no dual carriageways. This road system from the 1980s supports commercial & agricultural traffic and an almost completely motorised population of half a million people here between Aberdeen and Inverness.
@@AdityaRaj-jg1cl strong people have always taken advantage of weak people.
in china, they build 6000 miles of road every year, meanwhile, in my hometown (a small city in Iran) they start to build a small bridge over 10 years ago, and still didn't finish it!
I am not really joking, they're still like halfway through!
Never mind: 6000 miles of road per year doesn’t make china a better place to be - on the contrary.
In the United States back when all the highways were first being built. There was one guy who said they should have 6 lanes for both directions. Everyone laughed at him. They decided to go for 2. They didn't account for population growth and the growing ease of owning a car in the late 20th Century. Now, I'm watching as every highway is being expanded to 4 lanes per direction. Still crowded. Who's laughing now? Not me because I'm caught in traffic again.
Sully998
I’m kinda surprised that this is coming from an American! I mean come on these are our third world problems lol
I thought things are better over there!
@@radiumdude well, when chinese uber eats cost 50 cents USD per delivery, cash is not accepted in most places because everyone relies on Wechat, when full 5G coverage of some big cities are completed within a years time. Its honestly not too bad of a place to live temporarily. I travel back and forth from canada to China, a decade ago, Beijing smelled like public urinal, now its so convenient, efficient and clean its almost comparable to Seoul, or Taipei. But not on the level of Tokyo yet.
anonynous person oh man... I don’t where to begin: the last time I was in Beijing I couldn’t breathe, the pollution there is among the worst. Traffic, social credit system... I have been living in many places across Asia over the past 15 years, now I’m in Taipei. I’m ok to live almost anywhere - except china.
They build 6000 miles every year, meanwhile in Romania there are 550 miles of highway *in total*
The good news according to the same Jeremy Clarkson you have the best road in the world...
Well, Romania is much smaller and less populous
@@franks4986 yeah but wanna know the funny thing? We hired Chinese people to help us.
@Nihongo Wakarimasen A country in Europe
@Nihongo Wakarimasen like yours 😂😉
Watching these Clarkson, May, and Hammond GT/TG specials makes me yearn for an around the world tour. Now , all I need is several thousands of dollars to spare, and one or two friends with some spare several thousand dollars to go with me, and my dream will come true!
And for this pandemic to die out
Meanwhile in Preston they are building a junction for past 10 months.
Pennsylvania..?
yes and Leicester they filling 1 pot hole every 3 years wow progress
In Harlow they've been working on the same roundabout for 6 years!
Fun fact, Chinese shipyards build the equivalent of the entire Royal Navy fleet worth of warships EVERY year with designs that are more modern and advanced
@@slslbbn4096 I wouldn't really call it fun, I'd call it sinister. They are one of the world's more aggressive countries, along with the USA.
We've been waiting for a new bridge in my town for over 35 years.
UK might be doomed, but so is Australia.
The Whole Western World is doomed. China has won.
well realistically, Australia is huge with a tiny population and high labour costs. Our infrastructure is pretty good considering
lmao you think you aussie is doomed, try livin in Indonesia but outside of java
@@thicc800ty indonesia is good though, try living in India!
@@thicc800ty indonesia is good though, try living in India!
The very 1st modern highway China built, happened to be the hardest in the history of man kind. The Qingzang highway, which connecting Tibet to the main part of China, costs about 253 million Chinese Yuan per kilometer, and 179 people died during the construction. It was built in 1954.
Since it was about conquering Tibet the cost was never too high
The soundtrack along with Jeremy Clarksons voice and scenarios; this is an amazing video on its own. Just wow
Cities Skylines players: "I see nothing unordinary here!"
Love that game!
Haha
dude thats what I'm thinking exactly, damn
only with inf money
Fact xD
A a civil engineer I would love to work on these projects in China. My eyes were almost popping out when I saw that road.
How’s the job? I’m thinking of maybe getting into it in uni. Love the whole roads, surfaces, terrain, designing structures, all that stuff and I live in a pretty promising country in terms of development of this kind.
@Wilson Zhang building a great country takes hard work and effort. Lazy people achieve nothing.
@Wilson Zhang 还没富起来就开始懒惰，剩下的只有贫穷
@Wilson Zhang 恩恩，我也没说接受资本家的剥削就是好的啊？我仔细看了看我的回复，也没什么讽刺的意义，能让你这么恼羞成怒，不过能出去也挺好的，祝你一路顺风~
@Wilson Zhang 不同意你的想法就是低智商？？
India: Let's promise it during election rally.
(It gets repeated after every five years during election)
@Saksham Mishra tere baap ne tereko foreign already bhej diya? 😂
So much potential in India wasting away....
The funny part is that this also applies to Brazil
@B I N O D GAMER before him in previous governments it was 11km per day ... after him it increased alot ...Now it is 40km per day upon that with very little to no delay in work
@@lucasprudencio9811 governments all over the world are getting lazy
Yup its nice to see someone from the West and a Brit at that realize the monumental task it is going to be to take on / Compete / Coexist with China. China was one of the Worlds Premier Civilizations for thousands of years. It had a 200 year bad period say from the early 18 hundreds when it came up against the industrial revolution powered West as it struggled to adapt. People in the west see that period and use that as a baseline and not the full history. And that's the issue the West has not in the last 200 years really come up against a non Western power that is as good if not better at what gave the West its competitive edge.
After British sell drugs to China
in Toronto Canada here we are talking about to build a subway for 20 years and still did nothing.
Katch Ya Out of all the cities I’ve been to TTC is the worst, even worse than Ottawa’s OC transpo.
The sandwich joint? I think there's plenty in Toronto already.
Same as in UK
Been to China since 2006 and seen the enormous progress and transformation. The infrastructure is amazing
You should move there. They will work your Western ass for 14 hours a day or face jail time.
@@SCORP1ONF1RE Inaccurate, because unlike America or Europe, we don't discriminate against outsiders.
@@SCORP1ONF1RE hahaha. If all westerners think like you, y’all are doomed
I bet your social credit score is good
@@birchthebirch4593 you lost deal with it!
In the 80s I saw bicycles all over China. Now I see EVs made by China in my country.
in ireland we were raving lately about opening a bridge thats 800 metres long, not even 1 km long, it took FOUR years to build
Maybe the engineers in your country spent too much time arguing with each other instead of showing teamwork
@@anonymousplayer8174 there's no maybe about it it's definitely the case
@@shaneryan9076 ok yes you are right
Regardless of your political view, the road system being constructed looks incredible!! The amazing engineering feats, design, & planning done in a earthquake zone country, fair play to the Chinese, they get things done!!!!
And China can achieve it because of China's political system. Because in a democratic country people will argue with each other all the time, and try their best to stop their opponents from achieving anything. So it's not going to happen in any of so called democratic countries.
@@huyifan83 When you basically force people to live in villages and if they are in the way you have to move it is very easy to build stuff wherever you want. Do you think the West never kicked people out of an area back in the 40's and 50's to make way for roadways? The problem for the West is the amount of money it costs to rebuild all of its infrastructure. When China has to do some remodeling in the future it will be far more expensive than it is today.
@@Tom-oz7iy Actually it costs a lot moving them from where they live even today. I was born in the city but we all envy those whose house have been demonished, it's like winning a lottery. Most of them don't need to go to work anymore in the rest of their life after gettiong compensation. But government didn't pay all of that, they will be compensated by let's say 1 or a few apartments in the city, which worth 2-20 times more than their old house. But when government built the apartment it doesn't cost them that much.
That's what I am trying to say, here in NYC, subway fare jumped again two days ago, without seeing significant infrastructure improvement. I wish US could spend more $ on domestic issues than overseas operations, that's the only way to make America proud again.
The fact that their roads around mountains cause such a little environmental impact is unbelievable
That's why they're elevated, to conserve the terrain.
I remember reading that one of the biggest backlashes to the more free market reforms was the environmental impact
And since then been trying to be more green
@HK ROTTEN the US mility burns more oil than China i bet
That is chengdu to xichang highway, after yi ethnic minority areas of China
Minimizing environmental impact is a good thing. The Chinese engineers learn from the West. And practiced what they learn.
US has 11 aircraft carriers while our bridges collapse and once a month our trains go off the rails. USA! USA! USA!
Comment made on American website, using an American device
@@Anakin_Sandy_High_Groundthere's a 99.9% chance their device, and yours, were manufactured in China.
I mean say what you will about the current state of China (and I personally have some choice options on the matter) this is objectively an incredible human engineering achievement!
Some update: Two years later, in April 2021, the total mileage of China's expressways has exceeded 160000 kilometers (100000 miles). Due to the epidemic situation, the progress has actually been a little slower than expection
Yet they still make more progress than most developed countries. lol
In just 30 years they've become the biggest world power. As the video said they had no motorways in 1988. Incredible what a country can achieve if dedicated enough.
And if it's resisting to American influence hard enough.
every one of those bridges looks sketchy as hell. and it makes sense since china is number 1 in the world when it comes to collapsing bridges.
@@jebes909090 what is why you're doomed, too many people like you
@@davidz7858 i respect chinas grand vision and hard work, but they are missguided with the implementation
I travelled through the Karakoram Highway 4 years ago n saw mega elevated highways under constructions! It was in the most remote part of China with high mountains n rough terrains! Incredible!
Thanks to China, the Karakoram Highway has brought prosperity to my hometown, Hunza in Northern Pakistan. It is the backbone of our tourism and small business based local economy. The sacrifice of the valiant Chinese labourers building the KKH from 1966-78 is not forgotten by our people.
Watching this, I recall a book my father had, written maybe in the 60s or 70s, called "When China Awakes".
They're awaken alright...
You have to remember that China has been 'awake' for most of history. This is not some abnormal period of China suddenly remembering it's a pretty big country and should maybe do some stuff. The last two centuries were the abnormal period.
Gives me goosebumps everything i watch this segment
That's why in the game Civilization, China's talent was assigned as "Builder"
American’s talent is?
When you have a billion of slaves, you can do anything.
@@mudman189 Propaganda
@@brainzor777 400 million middle class. Go cry in your corner.
@@1ewi5 and 12 million uyghurs in concentration camps
Meanwhile in London a signal failure on the tube has put the whole city in standstill.
hahaha... forget manmade issues... every year if it isnt too much leaves or snow or heat FFS i mean i got used to the dreary leaves on the line or too much snow... but then one year it was too hot and either trains or rail were expanding was the excuse.... i think the 20 years it took china to transform from fishing village to futuristic megalopolis the poxy tiny HS2 still hasnt been greenlit yet
@@antwango lol. Even the Elizabeth line. Wasn't that supposed to open in 2018 and there is still no completion date.
Meh they don't gaf about how it looks against a pristine environment...just stick it there, and there, and thru there and over here. It would take 50 years worth of paperwork to get any of it done in non communist countries
@@bigadz0r They actually look kinda cool in my opinion, but yeah anywhere else idiotic environmentalists would complain the project into the ground.
Yes, because TFL boss doesn’t has to go to prison.
The music the cinematography and jeremys narration ❤❤
For anyone else wondering: The background music is called Summit by the incredibly talented Dario Marianelli (originally composed for the movie Everest)
Now I believe China will build ten thousand space engines to push earth out of the solar system.
Solid
Not just China. It’s UE
Watched too much cartoon....... :)
@@MichaelChuanPG @Roy Ji is talking about the blockbuster sci-fi The Wondering Earth
Lol...... That just science fiction man.....
Just imagine how time turns the tables- China was the nation that Imperial Britain once sold its own opium to by force. But look where it is now on the world stage. That too by its own diplomatic efforts - not by invasions and resource monopolising like the Wild West.
Well........about that...
Amen
@@maxpoweroverdrive about what?? You're trying to tell us something but please spell it out
@@SiisKolkytEuroo Palestine, syria, iraq, Libye, west Africa, aphganistan, birmany, Caribbean ilands, south America and more all receved bomb and billion people has been killed by OTAN countries for supremacism and ore...
@@imrokwasiba9027
Can you not post racist lies and misinformation? Thank you.
Also it's NATO.
The music selection is just so on point. Gives literal chills 🎵🎶
Of course, because this is chinese propaganda...
@@Generlj you must be feeling really proud
As a matter of fact, as Chinese, many people don't know about this, and they only know about the infrastructure made by the government through British programs. As their own people, they feel that our propaganda is very poor....
I love that it's all elevated as to not disturb nature/animal life.
Hahaha chinese dgaf about the animals. Theyre doing it cos they dont want to waste the space and the land there, that's money
@@muhammadamirasyraf5728 Never claimed that they did, maintaining a healthy eco-system means money for them as well. Regardless of reasoning I appreciate the side-effect.
@@muhammadamirasyraf5728 I only see a sour grape.
@@muhammadamirasyraf5728 jealous
@@NaViAgain-ts9lj jealous of what 😂
one road near my home, only 1 mile, it took more than 10 years to get it built (from budget approved to its construction completed), this is USA!
And it broke in 3 months...
They've been building a tiny canal bridge near my house for 2 years, the road to the village has been closed the whole time and it's a 5km detour to go around. Netherlands.
Sheer greed of goverment contractors
Yes Mr ducth council we got just the machinery to doo the job
@@TRSF1RACING
It's taking so long because the council approved a really cheap design, residents complained that it was ugly and too steep / dangerous for bicycles so the council closed it to spite the residents. Now they won't open it and have declared it illegal to climb through the fence to use it. They're in a war with the residents and are basically not going to open it until the residents withdraw their complaints. So yeah, greed basically.
That’s nothing. Few years ago they closed a 2mi section of A1 between Baldock and Stevenage southbound and the diversion was 50mi. Luckily I knew the road and had fuel left in the tank, others were just confused. Unbelievable.
Same thing has been happening here in Poland for the past year. They replaced a nice looking, though quite dilapidated small wooden footbridge, with a new ugly concrete structure, and the whole process took them entire year. I guess we're doomed too...
@@Lee-xs4dj there's no complaining from residents in communist China! They can build what they want, where they want.
I thought for a few of the shots it was virtual reallity.. Then I did some google map searches and I just was left speechless. It is magnificent. I need to bring my motorcycle over there and just drive. That roadnetwork is a gift to petrolheads the world over.
The last part though.. *doom* Lol! 🤣
Beautifully China. Chinese are the most hard working and the great Civil Engineers in the world.
Engineering is easy if you disregard physics and nature. Don't go overboard on the Chinese Engineers as there are plenty that don't know sheet. Do you think they are monitoring all of the structural integrity of those pylons? The maintenance costs will be tremendous over time as even China will have to endure higher worker costs in the future.
@@Tom-oz7iy
Stop hating, just appreciate greatness. You don't think they planned all that?
@@Tom-oz7iy The typhons and frequent floods pose a real challenge, they lack the regulation and regards to comman mans life though. If CCP wants it built, it will be built disregarding safety or human cost
@@Tom-oz7iy Who do you think is footing the bill? Default on the loan and they own a port, a bridge etc.
@@Onserio. so what different if you dont pay your mortgage?
In 2001 I was studying in Beijing, I went back home for two weeks on holiday, and when i got back i barely recognized the area I was living. There was no metro station taking you to downtown only busses, when i got back two weeks later there was metro station right across the street of the university, still not functional, but it was there!
thats incredible ... here in Prague there are talks of building a new metro line ... Im 30 and I still dont expect seeing it finished before I retire :D
China looks like a good country to live in.
@@bbbnnuuuhgg7016 it is absolutely not a good country to live in, for a whole magnitude of reasons.
@@LelouchLamperouge235 Ahh yes the famous tunnel Blanka ... how many times it collapses in past? 5 years?
@@balrok9959 no idea but the name in itself is funny for a tunnel :D while it is a normal first name, it can still mean "a small membrane" and with a stretch even "hymen" :D There were a lot of sexual jokes about that when it was new :D
Bridges and roads CONNECT! When people are connected with resources and opportunities and physically getting there is not a concern, you create something wonderful!
One day I want to travel to China and do a mega road trip all across China and try to do as many timelapse road videos as I can…
Good Luck!
Sounds exciting
Welcome
Guizhou province has the worlds most highest bridges and tunnels because it is a very mountainous province
That is why we must bring freedom and democracy to China, slow slow down their progress of building a better future for their citizen.
What? Are you ok?
@@christinaswp3376 There's a thing called sarcasm...
Most intelligent comment I have seen today
You are one of the few Westerners who know the truth.
@@christinaswp3376 That's western media for you.
I live in NYC. Most of our bridges are aging. Whenever I drive on the 94 yr old George Washington Bridge going to New Jersey, I have fear that it might collapse. Every car pays $16 for using that bridge, but I don't see they are properly maintaining it or build a new one. Over 100 yr old Queens bridge that connects to Manhattan is the same condition. They would rather spend our taxes on something else. We elected one corrupt politician after another as Mayor.
Military need to use those money to fund rebellion and overthrow some country's leaders, should be proud that your taxes is doing God work in spreading freedom and democracy to those who need, or actually those who have resources we want
the MTA is incharge of maintaining those bridges, and the govenor is incharge of the MTA not the mayor. So basically you have to elect a better govenor.
You must planning to attack som country’s and rub the money or oil or gold , than bring them freedom of speech with democracy’s so you can offered building motorways
Problem with America is they spending more than chuna and russia and india and Europe.on defense infact more than rest of world.all.together. They in trouble
At least there is some hope. In the north the Mario Cuomo bridge replaced the old bridge and having state run parks around the Hudson is good.
This episode is one the best and amazing. tought of that episode from time to time
Which episode number is this?
in the city, I live in Tunisia they waste a year building an overpass on top of a roundabout ( and they didn`t say how much it cost ) to solve traffic jams caused by rain but in the end, they fix 50% of the problem the roundabout still get closed by rain
I admire Jeremy Clarkson's impartial views, which is incredible and admirable
So do I. There are very few media personalities that tell it as it is.
do you think its hard?
@@strafniki1080 judging by what a lot of other media tells the west what china is like, yeah it probably is hard. i’m sure if he was still at the BBC this would have been a much different episode.
The military corporations aint paying him.
Meanwhile here in the UK, at my city, it will take a whole year just to rebuild about a mile of road in the city centre
A whole year? Wtf, your council clearly works fast
Because UK is a developed country, it stopped developing a long time ago.
@@CarlsGarage1 You still need to rebuild. I wish we had roads as beautiful as yours. :(
@@jackwood7726 I am sorry, I should have said, they said it will take a year, normally take longer time
U sure in one year???
The ending is pretty prophetic given his country just cancelled an already messy high-speed rail project. The video is about highways but China's rail development has been just as impressive.
How is this video over 2 years old and still has a typo in the title? Absolutely facinating...
He missed "there ain't no river wide enough".
Ocean/sea*
@Ungregistered User that would be usefull as it would be symbolic
China would find a way to stick a motorway across that too.
Missed "to keep me from getting to you, babe"
The idea being, that all traffic from China will be halted and all traffic from Japan will be stopped from entering China. The traffic will back up all the way to Japan and then the Chinese will press the big red "Collapse Bridge" button, exacting some revenge for what the Japanese did to the Chinese during WWII.
Mean while in the U.K., we can’t even fill a pot hole correctly
Ah yes, want a pothole filled? Heres a new speed bump for you!
__ that’s literally it! Let me fill this pot hole with low quality tarmac I got from corner shop
As Jeremy said, we're doomed.
This is why it never happens when you want it to:
Before it gets filled, Meredith had to clear her desk, which is covered in letters from residents urging the pothole to be filled, so she can write post-it notes to Carl about his turn to get the milk. It cost the taxpayers over $3 million for the office to organise the milk roster - the staff spent weeks in meetings brainstorming it - but Carl never honours it. It will be a very stern post-it note.
The letters, which are now stacked on a dusty filling cabinet behind Meredith's desk atop a much larger pile of letters in a structurally compromised tray dating back to the mid-80s, are set to be collected by Harriet, the community liaison officer. She was supposed to, but she went on holiday fifteen years ago and has yet to return or fill in her notice of leave. Until she does, nobody in the office complex is responsible for the collection of these letters as the job description shouldn't be listed to more than one person.
The reason why the pothole was filled was due to an old lady crossing the street, and happened to trip over it. To avoid a civil suit and public outcry, the council gave her a hefty lump sum and repaired the obstruction immediately afterwards.
Meredith would later organise a new set of meetings so the staff can co-ordinate an efficient method of dealing with potholes more effectively. The time the meetings are allocated, however, will coincide with the meeting co-ordinator's days off - Daniel works part-time at the office - and a such will probably never happen.
Judging from how much your government suddenly loves totalitarianism and surveilling the population; don't worry, you too will be slaves soon enough.
“In Britain, we’re doomed”
And he was right
84k miles of road when this aired... Now its 160k+!
Australia will take 5 years to do a feasibility study...and cost 20 million
The nbn took more than a decade and was obsolete before it is even finished.
and 5 years later they will ditch the study report for another new idea.
So true, lucky country, we have resources, no worries
@@user-vv4df8cj2x The rest of us have resources, its the politics that gets in the way. There is no comprehensive plan in the West as to how they move forward and this slows down progress. China has an unlimited credit card, the politics is my way or the highway and the people are numb to the fact that they are just ants.
@@Tom-oz7iy West Country people get reports, Chinese people get jobs and infrastructure