Abandoned car on the road in Sichuan – Tibet – Photo: Sohu
Many people prefer to travel alone rather than in groups for several reasons: more freedom, going wherever they want… One of the popular trends in solo travel is backpacking. In China, the Sichuan – Tibet route is many people’s favorite backpacking route.
In addition to having many beautiful scenes, this road is also associated with a strange phenomenon. It is easy to see many abandoned cars on the side of the road. Some are quite new. Some are expensive cars. There are even off-road vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler.
The Sichuan-Tibet road is very beautiful, but it is not easy to conquer. Even specialized off-road vehicles can “give up”. Even tourist guides advise people not to take this backpacking route – Photo: Sohu
According to Sohu, the Sichuan-Tibet route is known for being thrilling, dangerous and exciting. Before leaving, everyone was excited. But along the way, many people faltered. Some people didn’t even go half way and had to go back. Some even leave their cars behind and walk home.
The reason is very simple: the car breaks down and the road becomes very difficult to drive. If on another road, when the car breaks down, just ask people in the area or call emergency personnel. But with the Sichuan-Tibet route, broken cars are a big problem.
Sichuan – Tibet is one of the most dangerous roads, located at the highest altitude, and when walking, the roughest, “deadliest” in the world. In particular, the route is located at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level, the further you go, the more “altitude sickness” occurs. Altitude sickness can progress to pulmonary edema or cerebral edema and lead to death.
There are almost no mechanic shops here, or not close enough. When someone comes to help, when you come back, the car may have been “boiled” with some parts by thieves or damaged by animals.
Calling the rescue team is unlikely. Even calling is not necessarily “saving” the car because the road can be very bad, the car can be in a very dangerous position. Waiting times can be very long, but living outdoors in a mountainous area is also a challenge, even when driving.
These scenes are not very rare – Photo: Sohu
Some people might question why people in the area don’t bring these abandoned cars home to fix, use, or sell. Firstly, the cost of towing a broken down car here is very expensive. If the cost was the same as elsewhere, the owner would not have been forced to abandon the car.
The road can be so bad that the car towed home is even more “shattered” than when it was discovered, worth even a scrap metal, selling it just can’t cover the cost.
Second, abandoned vehicles are often heavily damaged. Repair costs can be even more expensive than the real value. Third, it’s easy to get involved in lawsuits. Just because the owner left the car doesn’t mean the owner will never come back.
Other photos of abandoned cars on the side of the Sichuan – Tibet road:
