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Stuck in the Davos rush hour

• Tim Weber
• 25 Jan 08, 07:21 AM

Davos is a small town in a narrow valley. There are two main roads running in parallel, one called Tal (i.e. Valley) lower down, the other called Promenade (with all the swanky hotels and shops) further up.

The World Economic Forum, with its 2,500 participants and more than 10,000 support staff, brings a lot of traffic and never more so than this year.

For one week, Davos becomes a showcase for the latest in luxury four-wheel drive cars. Mercedes R class jostle with Audi Quattros, BMW X5s, Volkswagen Tuaregs and Porsche Cayennes for road space. It is a sight to make the heart of any German car industry boss beat faster.

The drawback, of course, is that the roads of Davos just can't take it.

Driving from venue to venue, whether you use one of the WEF's own shuttle buses or have the luxury of a VIP car, feels more like sitting in a parking lot.

Yesterday, I was late for a lunch session, stuck like many other participants in heavy traffic.

So I have resolved to stick close to the Congress Centre today. It won't lessen the traffic, but it will help keep me sane.

In case you wonder, the heavy use of all these cars with their big engines does not sit well with the professed green ambitions of many of the forum's participants.

One chief executive, who told me at length about his profound concerns for the environment, is using a large American SUV while in Davos. It's certainly eyecatching, with its chunky design and 6 litre engine.

How is the car, I asked the driver. Well, he said, I've driven 234 kilometres so far, and used up 70 litres of fuel.

Ouch.

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