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  • On this episode of China Uncensored,

  • China's most dangerous roads.

  • Hi, welcome to China Uncensored. I'm your host Chris Chappell.

  • You know, China may have a Stairway to Heaven

  • but that doesn't mean you won't find yourself on

  • Well let's just say China also has a lot of really unsafe highways.

  • And I'm not talking about all the bridges that collapse from poor quality construction

  • and lax safety standards.

  • Like this one, which collapsed in 2011 because a large truck drove on it.

  • I'm talking about roads that were practically designed to be unsafe.

  • Because safety standards are really just suggestions, right?

  • So here are the 10 most dangerous roads in China.

  • Number 10 The Qinglong Road

  • This road is called the 24 Bends.

  • Can you guess why?

  • The steep grade and sharp turn make it extremely dangerous.

  • And also, this is true, the perfect spot for racing!

  • Number 9 Old Kunyi Road

  • Well, if 24 bends sounded scary,

  • check out Old Kunyi Road.

  • It has 68 bends in just over 4 miles.

  • Number 8 Tianmen Mountain Road

  • Want to get to that "stairway to heaven"?

  • Then you'll have to drive up this road.

  • With 99 bends a drop of over 3,500 feet, you'll be getting to heaven

  • one way or the other.

  • Number 7 Friendship Highway

  • This is the road that connects China with its BFF, Pakistan.

  • This 800-mile road took 20 years to build,

  • and more than 1,000 workers died during construction.

  • The border point, Khunjerab Pass, is nearly 3 miles above sea level.

  • So if you don't get sick from the altitude,

  • watch out for: Mudslides. Landslides. Giant pot holes. Flash floods... border

  • And Chinese police.

  • Number 6 The Beijing to Hong Kong Expressway

  • Now you might have heard of this from the massive 50 lane traffic jams that happen routinely

  • around Chinese New Year.

  • But a part of it running through northern Guangdong, the Beijing-Zhuhai expressway,

  • has been given the comforting nickname "Vehicle Killer."

  • It's famous for accidents

  • because overloaded trucks, steep mountainous roads, and extreme winter cold apparently

  • don't mix.

  • Number 5 Badaling Expressway Valley of Death

  • Yae, though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.

  • Except for the Badaling Expressway Valley of Death.

  • It takes you from Beijing to the Badaling section of the Great Wall of China.

  • But when you see this sign,

  • you know you've reached the Valley of Death.

  • I mean, it says it’s a black spot, doesn't it?

  • It's a little steep.

  • And if you're not careful

  • Number 4 Taike Road

  • But nothing can compare to what's expected of you on Taike Road.

  • One wrong move and...

  • Accidents happen nearly every week. So why would you drive here?

  • Number 3 The 213 National Highway

  • This highway connects Gansu and Yunnan provinces.

  • It's got everything.

  • Windy roads, steep cliffs, landslides, and it sometimes

  • simply gets washed out by the river.

  • Number 2 The Sichuan-Tibet Highway

  • Well, maybe calling this a road is giving it too much credit.

  • Not only is this one of the longest roads in China

  • —15 days to drive the whole length

  • but it's also considered one of the most dangerous.

  • You know, steep cliffs and landslides.

  • Of course, maybe this is intentional,

  • to discourage people from visiting Tibet.

  • Or to keep Tibetans in.

  • And Finally Number 1 The Guoliang Tunnel

  • The village of Guoliang in central China used to be so isolated that the only way in or

  • out was this staircase.

  • So in the 1970s, they decided to build a slightly less dangerous path.

  • 13 villagers literally dug this tunnel by hand.

  • One died during construction.

  • It's now become a tourist attraction

  • for those brave enough to drive it.

  • And it's become a testament to the ability of Chinese people to make impossible things

  • possible.

  • So what do you think?

  • And if you've been to China/live there now and are illegally using a VPN to watch my show

  • what's your most dangerous Chinese road experience?

  • Leave your comments below.

  • Thanks for watching this episode of China Uncensored.

  • Once again, I'm Chris Chappell. See you next time.

On this episode of China Uncensored,

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