Do you really get used to road noise?

[Noodles17]

Hi,

My parents are moving to be closer to family and after a shaky start, think they may have found a house that works for them. Nice, well equipped area, close (but not too close 😉) to me, decent size house and garden, so doesn't feel like a big downsize, which is something they were worried about. Plus it's under budget by quite a bit, which is a huge, unexpected bonus! The only real sticking point is the road noise. The village is just off a very busy main road. Not so close you'd worry about pollution, but close enough to hear a constant whoosh, only in the garden, but a garden is very important to them, as is general peace and quiet and they do sit in their garden a lot.

I think because it ticks so many other boxes, they're wondering if this is something they'd get used to and perhaps not really notice in time - almost like white noise.

If you do live or have lived somewhere near a noisy road, did you get used to it or do you regret it?

TIA

We live on a busy main road. First week I thought we'd made a really big mistake but now I don't notice the road noise

I’d do some reading about traffic noise. It’s incredibly bad for your health and wellbeing. People who live near noisy busy roads are at higher risk of dementia, heart disease and a host of other issues. Being far from any fast and busy roads would be the highest priority on my list when looking for a house.

Surely that’s down to air quality rather than noise?

I live in a flat by a dual carriageway.
It is noisy, but honestly, it's white noise to me at this point. You do learn not to hear it, and I have to actively tune into it these days.
It's only really quiet between about midnight and 3am. And fairly constant from about 5:30am until 11pm.

I lived on a road which was a rat run. I never got used to it even after 5 years. The only quiet time was when it snowed, or xmas day. Even Weekends were bad.

It’s a hard line No for us, DH and I hate road noise and never get used to it.
But everyone is different- we have a much smaller house and a single downstairs bathroom (and paid a fortune) for a super quiet location. A lot of other people would rather have the space (and loos).

It takes 3 months. Whatever the road (or other background noise) situation, within 3 months, you won't notice it. Likely less than that. But it's not a reason to avoid buying somewhere.

I live one house away from a main road and I'm used to it, however it's loud in our backyard but neither my wife and I spend much time in the backyard wanting silence, we have kids and I'm sure the neighbours would prefer the sound of cars than our kids. But right now I'm sat and can hear the road, it's a steady road with no traffic lights or speed bumps which makes a difference

We live in city center but we went somewhere rural and it was odd and very relaxing without the background hum hadn't realised how much it was affecting us by day to day we'd stopped noticing it.

Another location in town centre this time by ring road - we found we lived in the back of the house due to the noise.

So yes you do get used to it or adapt to living with it.

We currently have a duel carriage way nearby but only hear it from two rooms one a bathroom due to odd road configuration and house layout - even the garden in quiet all walled down a slope from the road. So maybe some clever garden planting could help a bit.

No. We were in temporary accommodation for 8 months on a busy high street. It was constantly noisy including hearing sirens a lot too. Plus the whole house would shake when lorry’s would go zooming past.

I never did but I am ND so that probably didn't help

Of course you get used to it as it's a constant. If it's a problem a water feature on continuous pump covers it up.

We didn’t ever get used to it, even after fitting acoustic glazing and so eventually we moved. It was a particularly busy main road we lived near though.

I live on a busy road - definitely got used to it inside - barely notice it until it rains and then it's louder. I don't think I'll ever get used to it in my garden though. It bothers me that I don't ever have that feeling of absolute peace and quiet, just the birds... If they are big gardeners I think it will always nag at them and I'd say keep looking.

No, I live on a busy road and the noise is an annoyance.
We had to get triple glazing

https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/health-impacts-of-exposure-to-1#:~:text=It%20can%20lead%20to%20annoyance,the%20cardiovascular%20and%20metabolic%20systems%20.

It’s easy to read up on. Air pollution plays a role, but sleep disturbance is one of the biggest contributing factors. Also, our bodies tend to interpret traffic noise as threat (due the the inherent dangers that big, heavy, fast moving vehicles pose) so constant traffic noise makes means a higher state of alert on a constant basis, leading to stress hormones being higher than they should be, all the time.

I have got used to the constant, faint, vroom, vroom of passing cars. I don't like it, but I can bear it. What I can't bear is the sound of modified exhausts. You know, those idiots who do something to their exhausts so they crackle and explode like a goddam firework display. They also do something to their engines so they make a high-pitched screech. Apparently it's illegal, but the police do nothing. I just don't know how they get away with it. I'm often woken at night, especially at the weekends.

I live on a main road right next to a railway line and don't usually notice - I'm just by a police station, fire station and ambulance 'waiting spot' and often have them screaming past, sirens blazing, I do notice but don't particularly care. The only thing that really annoys me is 🤬ing motorbikes! Or people standing outside my house chatting - there's a bloody railway bridge 3 metres away, go gossip there if you need to! The location is phenomenal (believe it or not!) so worth it for me. I grew up rurally and I think I found noise more irritating there as an unexpected lawnmower interrupting lovely peaceful birdsong was much more grating than the constant rumble I have now. Where I am now is pretty much silent all night though, I used to live somewhere that was noisy 24/7 and I couldn't cope with that; here it stops about 10 and doesn't start up again until about 6 or 7.

Main A road through a village - only notice it when it goes quiet! We sit out in the garden in summer and we do notice the motorbikes first thing and late afternoon, but not the general traffic.

I live in a (admittedly small) city centre. There’s a large park in between me and the main through road but I genuinely never notice it. Neither do I even notice the trains going across a viaduct maybe 200 metres away. I also don’t notice the kids playground 100 metres away. The only noise that ever disturbs my equilibrium is sirens and dogs barking.

No, I couldn't get used to it in two houses I lived in. In fact, it just built up and became worse over time. I live somewhere quiet now - bliss.

My paresnt have alwags been city dwellers, they cant sleep withput road noise and street lights outside. So yes you can get used tonit, but J guess depends if you are used to silence and darknes, how ling it would take.

Hello OP.
I lived beside a very busy road for several years. Traffic all the time - it is a main road that crosses the border between NI and Ireland. Lots of lorries, yet very rural.
Single pane glazing in house windows.
I got very used to the noise yet people who were visiting would comment on it.
Very much personal to your parents whether they feel they would be able to cope with it.
Best of luck trying to get sorted out.

i hated it so much
but i have got used to it

the worst is occasional road works when people feel the need to have loud music in their cars while waiting at the lights in the middle of the night!