The Magic Roundabout in Swindon, England, is a ring junction constructed in 1972 consisting of five mini-roundabouts arranged in a circle. Located near the County Ground, home of Swindon Town F.C., its name comes from the popular children's television series The Magic Roundabout. In 2009 it was voted the fourth-scariest junction in Britain.
In 2005, it was voted the worst roundabout in a survey of the general public by a UK insurance company. In September 2007, the Magic Roundabout was named as one of the world's worst junctions by a UK motoring magazine. In December 2007, BBC News reported a survey identifying The Magic Roundabout as one of the "10 Scariest Junctions in the United Kingdom"; however, the roundabout provides a better throughput of traffic than other designs and has an excellent safety record, since traffic moves too slowly to do serious damage in the event of a collision.
In 2010, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program concluded that the roundabout reduces injurious crashes by three quarters.
I thought this would amuse/intrigue you! I *love* it that it wasn't *officially* called the Magic Roundabout. That's what the locals called it. After a while the local council gave up on its real name and started officially calling it on signs what everyone was already referring to it as! Hilarious!!
We had a similar roundabout in High Wycombe where I lived for six yeas. It is really a collection of five mini roundabouts arranged around an island. It was on the other side of town so we only needed it when going to the motorway leading West or North but I loved it. I love roundabouts anyway, so much better than ordinary junctions.
It seems that roundabouts have a few fans - including me... [grin] Where my family live we had (for a while anyway) one of the biggest roundabouts in Western Europe. Too many people don't seem to know how to use them, but they do work well if used properly.
Not Spaghetti Junction, no.... But I have travelled through it MANY times travelling either North or South (plus it tells me I'm half way home when I can see it in the distance). The roundabout where my family live - in a small(ish) Lancashire town called Skelmersdale - was just REALLY big! Not exactly sure *why* though! [grin]
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I love roundabouts. This seems more like a hamster wheel, though... XD
From Wiki:
The Magic Roundabout in Swindon, England, is a ring junction constructed in 1972 consisting of five mini-roundabouts arranged in a circle. Located near the County Ground, home of Swindon Town F.C., its name comes from the popular children's television series The Magic Roundabout. In 2009 it was voted the fourth-scariest junction in Britain.
In 2005, it was voted the worst roundabout in a survey of the general public by a UK insurance company. In September 2007, the Magic Roundabout was named as one of the world's worst junctions by a UK motoring magazine. In December 2007, BBC News reported a survey identifying The Magic Roundabout as one of the "10 Scariest Junctions in the United Kingdom"; however, the roundabout provides a better throughput of traffic than other designs and has an excellent safety record, since traffic moves too slowly to do serious damage in the event of a collision.
In 2010, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program concluded that the roundabout reduces injurious crashes by three quarters.
Ohhh....my. I think an American driver would just freak out and stop in the middle of the road.
I thought this would amuse/intrigue you! I *love* it that it wasn't *officially* called the Magic Roundabout. That's what the locals called it. After a while the local council gave up on its real name and started officially calling it on signs what everyone was already referring to it as! Hilarious!!
We had a similar roundabout in High Wycombe where I lived for six yeas. It is really a collection of five mini roundabouts arranged around an island. It was on the other side of town so we only needed it when going to the motorway leading West or North but I loved it. I love roundabouts anyway, so much better than ordinary junctions.
It seems that roundabouts have a few fans - including me... [grin] Where my family live we had (for a while anyway) one of the biggest roundabouts in Western Europe. Too many people don't seem to know how to use them, but they do work well if used properly.
I'm not surprised that we both like roundsabouts, we are probably too sensible not too. So are you talking Spaghetti junction?
Also, in my eyes, roundabouts look far more scary from above than when you're in there. Just deal with one at a time.
Not Spaghetti Junction, no.... But I have travelled through it MANY times travelling either North or South (plus it tells me I'm half way home when I can see it in the distance). The roundabout where my family live - in a small(ish) Lancashire town called Skelmersdale - was just REALLY big! Not exactly sure *why* though! [grin]
Well, it's not always easy to see why something is happening the way it is. Maybe they just loved roundabouts. ;)
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