Talk:2842: Inspiraling Roundabout

First edit. I'm unfamiliar with the road rules in the comic so I just added the transcript in it's most basic form. OmniDoom (talk) 02:00, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

don't worry, even a wrong explanation is better than no explanation because it tricks people into being correct for you Me^{[citation needed]} 03:15, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

New here, not sure of the procedure for discussing interpretation: I disagree with the interpretation that this is navigable by entering all the way into the center then driving out in a clockwise direction - that would be driving against traffic, which would be illegal and seem to violate the assertion that this is "technically navigable" (anything is "technically navigable" if you have a big enough vehicle and disregard for other people's property, but I'm assuming that we want to stay legal). I believe that the "correct way" to navigate this would be to signal and change to the right-lane until you get to your exit. The inward spiral may give cars a circuit or two to wait for a clear lane to the right, but the deeper you get, the faster you have to change lanes to get out again? --Candu (talk) 14:37, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Dangerous, probably, but 'illegal' is kind of out the window here, since Randall has thrown all notions of sensible road design language out of the window. The lanes permit access to the other lanes at the centre, even if it's not a sensible move.172.70.85.50 09:39, 18 October 2023 (UTC)

This IS Clockwise, look at the arrows. For some reason Randall drew a British roundabout. I assume because North America doesn't really have them but they're famously common in Britain? The thing is, driving clockwise each entering lane ends just at the next exit, meaning Randall conceived of this as a counter-clockwise spiral after all. NiceGuy1 (talk) 04:28, 29 October 2023 (UTC)

added longer explanation Me^{[citation needed]} 03:05, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Could we create a category for these "traffic" or "driving" related comics? This would include this comic and the previous, and others that relate to driving/cars/traffic. 172.70.211.37 04:02, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

in left lane driving countries this would work pretty well as a roundabout

... Except going clockwise (as the arrows indicate), each entering lane ends at the next exit. :) NiceGuy1 (talk) 04:28, 29 October 2023 (UTC)

I've heard the Spanish and British road authorities are planing to implement this for roads going to France. 172.64.236.144 06:39, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Actually, the correct solution is an out-spiraling roundabout, which if properly designed means that if you start in the correct lane, you end up at the correct exit without changing lanes. RIIW - Ponder it (talk) 07:37, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Well if it spiralled the other way it would be a great roundabout design.162.158.203.28 08:14, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Out-spiraling roundabouts are getting more popular in the UK - they recently repainted the Wandsworth Bridge Roundabout as an out-spiral, and it's gone from one being one of the worst roundabouts in the area to one of the best. 172.70.90.153 10:04, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

An example I designed several years ago... :https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5071913,-3.1457705,18z/data=!3m1!1e3 RIIW - Ponder it (talk) 19:34, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

About driving in circles for hours: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAgX6qlJEMc --Itub (talk) 11:32, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Uzumaki??? 172.71.22.99 12:24, 17 October 2023 (UTC)Bumpf

I think the author of the explanation completely misunderstood the design. This is the turbo roundabout, except instead of getting everybody out it pulls everybody into the center, just like the highway supercollider from early xkcd. 172.70.242.239 12:29, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Alternative ending/version - there is a singularity at the center of the roundabout Dllahr (talk) 12:42, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

I think the explanation as currently written is way overcomplicating the situation, it seems clear to me that this roundabout is designed (much like in the recent comic #2728), to require lane changes for some paths, and the inward spiral is simply to guide anyone that's indecisive or otherwise missing their exist out of the way of other drivers, and forcing them to make a decision rather than circling indefinitely to avoid a collision. The current description of having you go backwards out the spiral after reaching the end seems ridiculously over complicated and doesn't match any of the design elements of the path. PotatoGod (talk) 14:36, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

I agree. The broken lines indicate that lane changes are intended. 162.158.230.25 15:42, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

This design has a regulating effect on the traffic mass. (Assuming changing lanes is allowed.) When there is light traffic, cars can easily change on the next lane to reach their destination. When there is heavy traffic, some cars will fail to change lanes quickly enough, and they become trapped in the spiral. When the traffic becomes light again, the outermost cars will be able to leave the spiral. I estimate that up to 50 cars can be temporarily removed from the local traffic this way. --172.69.150.31 16:57, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Should there be a category for this comic, 2728: Lane Change Highway, 253: Highway Engineer Pranks, and similar ones? --172.68.253.137 18:12, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Why hasn't the next comic been added to explainXKCD yet? I thought a bot posted the comics on explainXKCD. 162.158.90.228 04:16, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Magic Roundabouts

See these two "unusual" roundabouts in England

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Roundabout_(Hemel_Hempstead)

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

Actually, they are (no longer) roundabouts, but Ring Junctions. Effectively mini Ring Roads. RIIW - Ponder it (talk) 07:37, 17 October 2023 (UTC)

Yeah, I've never quite got the mystique of the "Magic Roundabout" - yes, it's kind of pretty and neat to look at, but in terms of usage, it's just a load of mini-roundabouts near each other. And "mini-roundabouts near each other" is just another name for "Britain's road network". Yorkshire Pudding (talk) 20:14, 19 October 2023 (UTC)

Swindon, I've heard of that place... I wonder if that's 5he "Roundabout of Roundabouts" I've seen pictures of... NiceGuy1 (talk) 04:33, 29 October 2023 (UTC)

In France at least this design would not create any conundrum because roundabout rules are clearly stated and independent of ground markings. It could still be somewhat confusing. 141.101.68.239 (talk) 10:43, 17 October 2023 (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

Pretty sure it isn't a reference to the Inspiral Carpets, but thought I should note them in passing... 172.69.195.103 22:17, 18 October 2023 (UTC)

The added link to the hours-long roundabout circling bicyclist is my first edit on this site, let me know if something should be done differently 172.71.254.43 04:40, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

Looks good, as it is. The sentence in which it is set could be slightly rewritten, perhaps, but that's just a personal reading (and not yet sure how I'd improve it) and doesn't make your workable markup addition at all wrong. 141.101.99.123 05:43, 20 October 2023 (UTC)

Uhhh, why did American Randall draw a British roundabout? Look at the arrow indicators, he has drivers driving on the left... I mean, sure, roundabouts are uncommon (almost non-existent in my experience) in North America and notoriously common in Britain, but still... Plus THAT way each entering lane ends at the next exit, meaning Randall meant it as right side driving spiral after all. ??? I feel like something should be said about how roundabouts take skill and experience to flow through smoothly, meaning that in areas where drivers aren't used to them they're actually more dangerous. I mean, imagine a driver who is used to 4-way stops having half a second to align and merge with cars flowing in from the circle? It takes SUCH instant decision making to align, at least with highway entrances you have the on ramp to assess the traffic you're joining to find your gap! My brother lives in a newer area where the local idiots just put in several roundabouts where there used to be straightforward 4-ways before, so I've seen the difference, the new way spikes the adrenaline and triggers anxiety (except, I guess, in people who have been using them every day and got used to them, and I have to think always SOME). To me, needing to get used to them makes them a bad idea. And it's WEIRD! Just 3 days ago I was introducing a new driver to those roundabouts near my brother! NiceGuy1 (talk) 04:28, 29 October 2023 (UTC)