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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To wonder why people live in London

243 replies

AtSea1979 · 01/12/2015 22:06

On the news just now, discussing the North/south divide. I live in the north. London seems a big scarey place where bad things happen often and I wonder why people want to live there.
But do people down south wonder why we live up north too with our poor health and education?

OP posts:

Orda1 · 02/12/2015 21:00

I wouldn't like to live in London either, nor any big city.

The tube can be scary if you've never been on it.

I don't really get the 'there's more to do', we do have things out in the sticks too. I only go to London for concerts.

dementedma · 02/12/2015 21:09

I love visiting London and actually like the Tube! Great to have the freedom to just hop and off visiting things.
But I wouldn't like to live there permanently. For me, too expensive, too crowded, too much traffic. My commute in Central Scotland is 40 minutes driving as public transport is shit, but I meander through country roads, watching out for sheep, deer and pheasant, and trying not to be distracted by the beauty of the woods on either side and the hills in the distance! Can open the window and breath fresh air. Can sleep at night in total silence. Can buy a reasonable sized 3 bedroom flat with garden, bay windows,period features for less than 90k.
London will remain for me, an interesting place to visit, but not to live!

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 02/12/2015 21:24

to live in London you have to have a London postcode

I lived in a borough of London for a while but it was surrey not London, god I felt homesick suburbia is not for me I was so so much happier when I moved back in to London and had a London postcode

never again

Blu · 03/12/2015 06:17

SpareChange and JibberJabber: what about Sydenham Woods? Actual woods! Accessible from Cox's Walk in Dulwich or at the top end from a road near the Crystal Palace transmitter.

Whatthefoxgoingon · 03/12/2015 08:58

I love living in London. I do realise most of that is I can afford to live well in London. If I was trying to fit five people in a two bed flat, or living in zone 6 with a huge commute, I'd probably hate it here.
I hope id still appreciate its wonderfulness even if I couldn't afford it though

sparechange · 03/12/2015 10:06

Blu, yes! Those woods are great, and there is that wonderful pub at the top, which does great Sunday lunches
When DH and I lived in Dulwich, that was our favourite Sunday walk.
I love how people kick off their muddy wellies at the door and walk around in socks!
I always thought that if I was going to find a dead body while out walking, that was going to be place

JassyRadlett · 03/12/2015 14:42

Spare, totally agree with you on driving. The further from London, the more selfish the drivers.

That would never work in London - no one would ever get anywhere!

Jibberjabberjooo · 03/12/2015 18:36

I totally disagree about the driving! I think London drivers are aggressive. Have you ever driven round the north circular? The lane changers around hanger lane are down right dangerous. I think London driving is a whole different level.

MrsKoala · 03/12/2015 21:47

I lived near Chiswick roundabout/kew station for years which technically was tw8, so not a London postcode, but it felt way more like London than when i lived near Croydon in se25.

I also agree about driving in London, its way better than driving in the country. I now live in Kent and its terrifying. Everyone drives over the 50 speed limit round country lanes/the bends, i don't know the roads so slow down a bit in the lashing rain and get people up my arse or overtaking. I let people out and wave thank you. I just get filthy looks and hooted for not driving into cars stopped ahead. Everyone knows where they are going so has no forgiveness if you might not. Ive never had that in London. You just weave on and out of traffic gloriously slowly. People pull in front of you, that's fine because you weren't going fast enough to hit them anyway and you know you might have to do the same in a minute because all the road markings are obscured by cars trickling over them and you are probably in the wrong lane too. Bliss.

Indole · 03/12/2015 22:50

In London, as a driver, you have to take a few risks. In taking those risks, you are trusting that other people will allow you to take them. Other people allow you to take risks and help you to do so occasionally (slowing to let you out at a junction or roundabout). We are cooperating in a slightly aggressive but perfectly choreographed dance. I like it better (I'm a newish driver) than driving in the countryside where if you are not perfect and don't know every road everyone hoots you constantly. Also, those tiny windy roads with everyone driving at 60 mph. Horrid and scary.

Blu · 03/12/2015 23:23

I think London driving tends to be very opportunistic rather than aggressive : you make swift decisions and nip in and out.

Twowrongsdontmakearight · 03/12/2015 23:58

Lived in London in my 20s and loved it. But I didn't want to raise DC there.

Previous posters have said that their jobs are there and that they earn a lot more than elsewhere. They must do! We'd have to pay 5 X as much for an equivalent home to ours in a 'posh' Manchester suburb!

Twowrongsdontmakearight · 04/12/2015 00:00

Agree about the driving btw. Most places an indicator means 'can I pull out?' In London it means letting everyone know you ARE pulling out!

Glastokitty · 04/12/2015 00:32

I'm old enough to have lived in Balham before it was trendy (I'm actually agog that it has a Waitrose now, in my day we had a really grotty Sainsbos). I spent my twenties in London, and my son was born there, and we absolutely loved it! Its one of the best places in the world, and we only moved away because I wanted a house with a garden, and with a new baby my party raving days were over. I'm glad I don't live there now (because I live in Oz and love it even more) but its a fantastic place.

Cellardoor1 · 04/12/2015 06:02

Lived in Chiswick for 4 years, loved it. My daughter was born there but we moved back home to Ireland when she was 6 months old. I'm sad that she doesn't remember living there but we still visit when we are back in Europe.

We live in the middle of the desert in the U.S. now and while I like it here, it doesn't feel like home like London did. I'd move back tomorrow if I could. I think it would be a great place to raise DD.

TheBlessedCheesemaker · 04/12/2015 06:31

OP should try living in Jo'burg, now that was proper scary, knwoing that every gunshot I heard probably was someone dying (and not just the next-door farmer after rabbits).
Or Tokyo - scared the shit out of me when i lived there and one of their earthquakes wasn't so little.
London? Nah. Its not scary. It's is utterly fab and alive and vibrant and mult-cultural. And no-one gives a shiny shit if you don't happen to fit into that nice little middle-class hetero conservative box that seems so important everywhere else.

You have to live before you die.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 04/12/2015 15:01

oh I am so pleased this driving conversation occurs

London driving is stressful and traffic clogged, agreed

but country driving, FUCK ME- yeah lets all drive at 80 mph on single lanes, and tailgate you when you drive at 50MPH, and aggressively overtake

I was literally a bumbling wreck after that

felinewonderful · 05/12/2015 17:01

I would love to live in London, I can't see why anyone wouldn't! It's so diverse and vibrant with lots of things to see and do. House prices and my dh stop me from living there

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