Sao Paulo: A city with 180km traffic jams

Next time you complain about being stuck in traffic, spare a thought for the drivers in Brazil's biggest city, which has some of the worst congestion problems in the world.

Friday evenings are a commuter's worst nightmare in Sao Paulo.

That's when all the tailbacks in and out of the city extend for a total of 180km (112 miles), on average, according to local traffic engineers, and as long as 295km (183 miles) on a really bad day.

Red brake lights stretch as far back as the eye can see, blinking repeatedly as drivers endure an exasperating stop-and-go journey, which can continue for hours.

"It's like a sea. A sea of cars," says Fabiana Crespo, as she slowly navigates the congested streets with her 10-month-old baby Rodrigo.

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We have become slaves of traffic”

Fabiana Crespo
"For a long time I lived with my family in the south of Sao Paulo and worked on the other side of town.

"So when I got married, I decided to move to the north of the city to be close to the office, because commuting can make your life hell," she says.

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