Magic Roundabout

mimo2005 · 03-24-2008, 09:58 PM

The Magic Roundabout in Swindon, England, was constructed in 1972 and consists of one large roundabout containing five mini-roundabouts. It is located near the County Ground, home of Swindon Town F.C. Its name comes from the popular children's television series The Magic Roundabout.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon)

DonaldG · 03-25-2008, 01:43 AM

I've been round it.

(It's easy, once the police escort you out from the middle before you run out of fuel!)

**TheAtheist** · 03-25-2008, 05:10 AM

Heres hoping i dont get this on my driving test in a year or so, that would actually fry my brain!!!

Zazula · 03-25-2008, 05:20 AM

http://www.techsupportforum.com/766822-post2815.html
Craziest Roundabout You Will Ever See

DonaldG · 03-25-2008, 05:25 AM

Basingstoke, Hampshire, England is known as Doughnut City because of all the roundabouts

**forcifer** · 03-25-2008, 07:31 AM

wow that looks really annoying. kansas city only has 1 i think :)

mimo2005 · 03-25-2008, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zazula

http://www.techsupportforum.com/766822-post2815.html
Craziest Roundabout You Will Ever See

Thank you Zazu , i got dizzy ,just by looking at that picture.

Spin,spin,spin......

**1 g0t 0wn3d** · 03-25-2008, 07:48 AM

sedona just got 5 roundabouts ;,( *cry*

**-=Rousseau=-** · 03-25-2008, 10:44 AM

Gah! If they really have that, it would have to be the site of most of their small wrecks... What an overly confusing way of making an intersection!

**ashumann12** · 03-25-2008, 10:48 AM

They actually make sense but are not big truck friendly!

Zazula · 03-25-2008, 11:06 AM

@mimo: The way the Brits used to take revenge from their ex-colonies when they were forced to leave, was that they left behind their nauseating roundabout system!

@Adam: That's why one can't see too long trucks or road trains in Europe; the limit is 15 meters for semis and 18 meters for trucks with full trailers. Many narrow roads and old towns within the city limits, dictate these limits as well.

**forcifer** · 03-25-2008, 02:26 PM

whats the point of them? they wast more then they save. give me a few intersections over a roundabout any day...

mimo2005 · 03-25-2008, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashumann12

They actually make sense but are not big truck friendly!

I would like this semi on that rotary !

ebackhus · 03-25-2008, 07:18 PM

That thing looks positively EVIL.

There's a small roundabout here in San Antonio, but it's nothing compared to that one.

**sobeit** · 03-25-2008, 10:21 PM

theres a small roundabout not far from me in the middle of nowheres. I am all the time seeing cars parked in the middle of it with 4 flat tires because they did not realize it was there.

**EnglishPaul** · 03-26-2008, 03:18 PM

Do intersections deal with more than 4 roads per junction? The beauty of the roundabout is that the more the better. Of cause, if your town is built on a grid system you will never have the problem, but in Britain nothing is regular (as you would see with Google earth maps).
The magic roundabout was a stupid derivative of the roundabout, where you actually have to drive round the inner roundabout the wrong way! I would love to with a computer model whether it would be a lot better if the whole thing was just one roundabout.
IMO roundabouts don't work any more, and we either need to change them or change the laws of them, but that is a another topic.

**sobeit** · 03-26-2008, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnglishPaul

IMO roundabouts don't work any more, and we either need to change them or change the laws of them, but that is a another topic.

how else are you going to confuse tourist - besides driving on the wrong side of the road.

**WereBo** · 04-09-2008, 11:47 AM

To revive an old thread, I've been round that roundabout quite a few times. I have to traverse it when visiting my sister, who lives nearby.

There's several ways to deal with it, each is fairly simple - depending on your character/driving style.

1} The French method - poke your vehicle's nose out until you can see the road you want. Aim at the turn-off you want and accelerate until you reach your exit. Keep in a dead-straight line.

2} The Italian method - As above, but wave your hands around while driving.

3} The English method - stop just before the roundabout and plan out where you want to be. Being English, this will be 'instinctive' knowledge. When your route is planned, drive straight onto the roundabout(s) and take out as many pedestrians as possible, on the way. Pedestrians hit before or after the roundabout itself, don't count.

Any of the above methods will ensure you keep your sanity after a successful crossing. They won't ensure you keep your driving-licence, however.

03-24-2008, 09:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
mimo2005 Manager, Emeritus Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 11,142 OS: xp	Magic Roundabout The Magic Roundabout in Swindon, England, was constructed in 1972 and consists of one large roundabout containing five mini-roundabouts. It is located near the County Ground, home of Swindon Town F.C. Its name comes from the popular children's television series The Magic Roundabout. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Swindon) __________________ TSF has outgrown its server, again. Please help "Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi sed saepe cadendo"

03-25-2008, 01:43 AM	#2 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,171 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Magic Roundabout I've been round it. (It's easy, once the police escort you out from the middle before you run out of fuel!) __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

03-25-2008, 05:10 AM	#3 (permalink)
TheAtheist Mentor, Articles Team Join Date: May 2006 Location: Portishead, Bristol Posts: 1,317 OS: xp sp3 My System	Re: Magic Roundabout Heres hoping i dont get this on my driving test in a year or so, that would actually fry my brain!!! __________________ Submit New Articles "Freedom of thought is best promoted by the gradual illumination of men's minds, which follows from the advance of science" - Darwin Join the TSF folding team - Team 85015

03-25-2008, 05:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
Zazula Manager Emeritus, I'm blond, James Blond Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 7,667 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Re: Magic Roundabout http://www.techsupportforum.com/766822-post2815.html Craziest Roundabout You Will Ever See __________________ "Time is the wisest because it discovers everything" Thales of Miletus (ca.624BC-ca.546BC) "Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca.535BC-475BC) "One thing I know, that I know nothing" Socrates of Athens (ca.470BC–399BC)

03-25-2008, 05:25 AM	#5 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,171 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Magic Roundabout Basingstoke, Hampshire, England is known as Doughnut City because of all the roundabouts __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

03-25-2008, 07:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
forcifer ole' Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Kansas City kansas Posts: 3,631 OS: Vista Premium 32 My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Magic Roundabout wow that looks really annoying. kansas city only has 1 i think :) __________________

03-25-2008, 07:48 AM	#8 (permalink)
1 g0t 0wn3d TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sedona, az Posts: 6,528 OS: Vista basic 32bit My System	Re: Magic Roundabout sedona just got 5 roundabouts ;,( cry __________________ Bench Test \| PC Wizard \| System specs \| PSU info \| PSU calculator \| Memtest86+ \| Speedfan

03-25-2008, 10:44 AM	#9 (permalink)
-=Rousseau=- Biker, Geek and Jock Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Nashvegas Posts: 827 OS: Windows 7 Ultimate My System	Re: Magic Roundabout Gah! If they really have that, it would have to be the site of most of their small wrecks... What an overly confusing way of making an intersection!

03-25-2008, 10:48 AM	#10 (permalink)
ashumann12 TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alabama-usa Posts: 3,945 OS: Vista Ultimate SP1 (64bit) My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Magic Roundabout They actually make sense but are not big truck friendly! __________________ Adam Sr.

03-25-2008, 11:06 AM	#11 (permalink)
Zazula Manager Emeritus, I'm blond, James Blond Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 7,667 OS: Win XP Pro SP2	Re: Magic Roundabout @mimo: The way the Brits used to take revenge from their ex-colonies when they were forced to leave, was that they left behind their nauseating roundabout system! @Adam: That's why one can't see too long trucks or road trains in Europe; the limit is 15 meters for semis and 18 meters for trucks with full trailers. Many narrow roads and old towns within the city limits, dictate these limits as well. __________________ "Time is the wisest because it discovers everything" Thales of Miletus (ca.624BC-ca.546BC) "Everything flows, nothing stands still." Heraclitus of Ephesus (ca.535BC-475BC) "One thing I know, that I know nothing" Socrates of Athens (ca.470BC–399BC)

03-25-2008, 02:26 PM	#12 (permalink)
forcifer ole' Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Kansas City kansas Posts: 3,631 OS: Vista Premium 32 My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Magic Roundabout whats the point of them? they wast more then they save. give me a few intersections over a roundabout any day... __________________

03-25-2008, 07:18 PM	#14 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,303 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	Re: Magic Roundabout That thing looks positively EVIL. There's a small roundabout here in San Antonio, but it's nothing compared to that one. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

03-25-2008, 10:21 PM	#15 (permalink)
sobeit TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: NEAR Posts: 7,433 OS: windows/linux	Re: Magic Roundabout theres a small roundabout not far from me in the middle of nowheres. I am all the time seeing cars parked in the middle of it with 4 flat tires because they did not realize it was there. __________________ there's been global warming since the ice age

03-26-2008, 03:18 PM	#16 (permalink)
EnglishPaul Still no avatar Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Sheffield Posts: 1,314 OS: XP SP2 Blog Entries: 9	Re: Magic Roundabout Do intersections deal with more than 4 roads per junction? The beauty of the roundabout is that the more the better. Of cause, if your town is built on a grid system you will never have the problem, but in Britain nothing is regular (as you would see with Google earth maps). The magic roundabout was a stupid derivative of the roundabout, where you actually have to drive round the inner roundabout the wrong way! I would love to with a computer model whether it would be a lot better if the whole thing was just one roundabout. IMO roundabouts don't work any more, and we either need to change them or change the laws of them, but that is a another topic.

04-09-2008, 11:47 AM	#18 (permalink)
WereBo Resident Village Idiot Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SE London, UK Posts: 14,512 OS: Win-7, XP-Pro SP3 My System	Re: Magic Roundabout To revive an old thread, I've been round that roundabout quite a few times. I have to traverse it when visiting my sister, who lives nearby. There's several ways to deal with it, each is fairly simple - depending on your character/driving style. 1} The French method - poke your vehicle's nose out until you can see the road you want. Aim at the turn-off you want and accelerate until you reach your exit. Keep in a dead-straight line. 2} The Italian method - As above, but wave your hands around while driving. 3} The English method - stop just before the roundabout and plan out where you want to be. Being English, this will be 'instinctive' knowledge. When your route is planned, drive straight onto the roundabout(s) and take out as many pedestrians as possible, on the way. Pedestrians hit before or after the roundabout itself, don't count. Any of the above methods will ensure you keep your sanity after a successful crossing. They won't ensure you keep your driving-licence, however. __________________ I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them.