In the former Soviet Union, the dream of owning a car like a Land Rover was beyond the average Russian, who needed to slave for decades to afford a car like a Lada. Now that Russia has embraced capitalism, however, there are plenty of cars of all shapes, sizes and values on the road. While that’s good for the average Russian citizen, it also produces regular traffic jams of epic proportions, since many of the roads were built when only a fraction of the population could afford cars to drive on them.
What’s a well heeled Russian politician / gangster / businessman to do when he needs to get to the office or strip club, pronto? If you own a Land Rover, the answer is “whatever it takes to beat traffic.” The video below (from The Smoking Tire) may start on the slow side, with our anti-hero driving behind a street car to dodge the epic traffic jam on the main road, but I assure you it isn’t just four-and-a-half minutes of “follow the trolley.”
Take note of the various traffic jam avoidance techniques used, since they may come in handy on your next vacation in Moscow. I suspect the start of the video has lots of disposable income, and plenty of friends in high places, so getting caught would be only a minor inconvenience. Unless you’re equally hooked up, getting caught would probably mean a lengthy stay in Russia, as a guest of the state, so deploy the video wisdom below at your own risk.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
