Congested traffic, traffic jams: being stuck in Paris is nothing new

Traffic jams since Antiquity

We tell ourselves that this really is the evil of our age! And we're wrong. Bah yes, traffic jams in cities, traffic embarrassments are old! It's had crazy, even tragic consequences throughout history! Traffic is a problem as old as cities. Look at Rome, mistress of the known world for over 4 centuries, whose inhabitants are famous for their superb Roman roads, veritable freeways for their time. Well, in their city, it was hell! Rome was built without a plan, as time went by. There would hardly be Nero's great fire to improve things. The last straw.

Middle Ages: pigs and royal accidents

Paris was no exception to the rule. In the Middle Ages, we're super-squeezed between wooden houses. A central stream carries away filth, sewers don't yet exist. Pedestrians, mules, double-parked carts, and... stray pigs! That's right, pigs act as garbage collectors. But in 1131, it's drama. Philippe, 15, son of Louis VI the Fat, is thrown to the ground by his horse, scared by a pig. He dies instantly. Since then, pigs have been banned in Paris.

A pig causes the death of the heir to the throne of France in Paris / Enluminure Par Auteur inconnu - [1], Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91105888

Henri IV: a king who fell victim to traffic jams

Another king dies because of traffic. Henri IV is riding in a carriage rue de la Ferronnerie, when he gets stuck. The carriage is opened, stopped. Ravaillac takes the opportunity to jump aboard and assassinate him. Without the traffic jams, the attack would have been impossible.

While Henri IV's carriage is stuck in the rue de la ferronnerie in Paris, Ravaillac climbs on a wheel and stabs the king / Illustration chosen by Monsieur de France: Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1360989

Haussmann and Napoleon III: Paris redesigned for better circulation

It was Napoléon III who decided to settle the problem for good. He entrusts Georges-Eugène Haussmann with the task of transforming Paris. Large avenues are pierced, neighborhoods are aerated, the modern Paris is born. And traffic improved... for a while.

But then again, a few decades later: the traffic jams return. More people, more cars. Here we go again.

Percement de l'avenue de l'opéra à Paris / Haussmann makes Paris reborn on itself by piercing major arteries and having them rebuilt. The city becomes smoother for a few years, but traffic jams soon return / Illustration chosen by Monsieur de France: By Charles Marville - photography, Domaine public, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10708571

🚀 Eternal traffic jams, even on Mars?

In reality, we'll never totally escape traffic jams. Even with flying cars, there will always be plenty of us wanting to get to the same place at the same time. Maybe in a few centuries we'll even be grumbling about traffic jams on Mars!

Illustration image: by StockSnap de Pixabay