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Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

en.wikipedia.org

21–30 of 199 posts

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#21
post #8

I live close to this magnificent piece of engineering, AMA.

It’s not easy to understand why it is structured this way. As a local do you have any idea why it’s composed of five mini roundabouts instead of just a single one? Does it feel like it handles high levels of traffic better?

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#22
post #8

I live close to this magnificent piece of engineering, AMA.

Thanks ! I’m curious to know your viewpoint ! Do you notice more accidents than on standard junctions ? Is it really that confusing for newbies ?

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#23

My favourite part of the entry is that it lead me to the discovery of the UK Roundabout Appreciation Society. Never change Britain. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roundabout_Appreciation_Societ...

Someone gave me the book "Roundabouts of Great Britain"[1].

I haven't read it for a while, but I think there's an explanation in the book from the printing company -- they wanted to test out their new colour printing press, so sent someone round the industrial estate with a camera and made a calendar. Potential clients were given it as a sample, but they then received requests to purchase them, and eventually made the book.

[1] https://books.google.dk/books/about/Roundabouts_of_Great_Bri...

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#25
post #21
post #8

I live close to this magnificent piece of engineering, AMA.

It’s not easy to understand why it is structured this way. As a local do you have any idea why it’s composed of five mini roundabouts instead of just a single one? Does it feel like it handles high levels of traffic better?

You can travel both directions around the roundabout this way, if you need to get to the exit that's to the right of yours, you can do it, whilst a traditional roundabout would require you to go all of the way around, which would improve congestion I think.

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#26
post #22
post #8

I live close to this magnificent piece of engineering, AMA.

Thanks ! I’m curious to know your viewpoint ! Do you notice more accidents than on standard junctions ? Is it really that confusing for newbies ?

I enjoy it! you can avoid lots of traffic and queuing if you take a different route around the whole roundabout.

Personally never witnessed an accident, but I have heard of them.

They tend to be caused by indecision or drivers speeding -- drivers that think that they have a right of way i.e when everyone has stopped, two people go onto a mini roundabout at once.

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#27

That's not even the best "Magic Roundabout", the one in my town is much better! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Hemel_Hempst...

Ahh yes, this roundabout where I managed to enrage a white van driver who then proceeded to tailgate right up the A1

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#28

That's not even the best "Magic Roundabout", the one in my town is much better! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Hemel_Hempst...

That one at least has the normal sign, with the small roundabouts marked as black circles.

Swindon is a weird exception for using the blue mini-roundabout sign on this type of junction. I think that makes the junction look more confusing than it really is.

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#29
post #11
post #4

The traffic engineer who managed to convince authorities that this was the solution to their problems must've been very charismatic.

They look scarier than they are in practice. What I hate more is those massive roundabouts with traffic lights on where dual carriageways meet. On those things you still have a mix of cars who don't know where they're going and lanes to be away of, but in addition you have traffic lights and cars moving at much higher speeds than on magic roundabouts.

I've resigned myself to a massive detour to avoid one of those beasts. After a few incidents that were a bit scary and a few where I just went round it three times trying to figure out when to change lanes I just gave up and found a different route.

Re: Magic Roundabout (Swindon)

#30
post #22
post #8

I live close to this magnificent piece of engineering, AMA.

Thanks ! I’m curious to know your viewpoint ! Do you notice more accidents than on standard junctions ? Is it really that confusing for newbies ?

> Do you notice more accidents than on standard junctions ?

I think the whole point of the design is that there are fewer accidents at the same time as higher throughput.

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