Cul de sac living

[CyberdyneSystems]

We would like to live in a cul de sac in the near future as we live just off a fairly busy 30mph road. The thought of no constant passing traffic and noise is very appealing

To those of you that live in a cul de sac, is there any negatives?

We would want a driveway, I know parking can be hard in some without

We live in one and we are lucky enough to have a wider road and all houses have drive ways and also only few cars that get parked on the road. We love it.

I wouldn't like it because everyone can see all of your comings and goings.

It can be a bit claustrophobic. Depends if it's an area where people are going to watch your every move or not.

Kids kicking balls, riding bikes and playing out in summer. It’s kinda safe for kids isn’t it. Great in that respect.
I work nights, so that noise would drive me insane.

We live in one, however we are the end house. I love it, but we are lucky that all the residents of the cul-de-sac are lovely. No nosy neighbours at all.
I feel safe letting my two daughters aged 5 and 9 play outside together on their own.

I must add we all have driveways as the houses are spaced (albeit they are semi detached) so it feels open and spacious.

All I can say is avoid. There was an odd sense of the territorial when we lived in one. Parking was a problem and driveways don't always solve that, and it was a general playground despite everyone having decent gardens. We lived at the far end so very little traffic (good) endless gatherings of children outside (less good). But it was the unspoken 'rules' which were the most off-putting.

We've lived in a normal through road for some years and it's so much better. I'd never live in a cul de sac again.

Ours is lovely- we’re at the end and it’s great not having any passers by or traffic.

I live in the middle of one. Most people have a drive and in our 9 years in here, there’s not been a problem.

We live in a cul de sac and are in the bottom corner of the turning circle. Everyone is lovely but keep themselves to themselves - there if you ask for help friendly relationship with dc playing out in the road. One grumpy neighbour who doesn’t like the dc playing but his older neighbour loves seeing them dc out so put him in his place - can’t really argue with a 94 year old

Depends on your life situation I suppose.

For me personally, I despise having neighbours (they're mostly nice people I just hate forced socialisation) and it's annoying that people can see you out and about and if people are inclined to curtain watch then there's not much privacy in your garden etc. I don't like how claustrophobic it feels & kids constantly shouting and riding bikes around the place annoys the life out of me. If you're a sociable person you'd like it.

Also, we have a DD(7) and it's amazing for her. Kids live around us that go to her school so she's out almost every night with them playing, there's a park out the front and a communal little green bit with play stuff which she loves. It's within walking distance to her school so handy for her.

So whilst I really don't enjoy the whole cul de sac life it can be really great for kids.

The neighbours know everything, the kids play out, visitors & randoms & residents constantly use the cul de sac as a turning circle rather than their own drive.

We live at the top of one, everyone has driveways for 1 to 4 cars and theres a paking bay area half way down that fits 4 or 5 cars depending who parks. Because it's a hill we have wonderful views, and so it doesn't feel closed in like some. That and no kids on bikes or with footballs as it's too steep.

What the difference between a 'Close' and a 'Cul de Sac'?

I live in a Close it is a dead end.
The road/housing was built in 1952.

We have 10 houses and 2 sets of 4 flats, so 18 dwellings to find parking for.
5 houses have drives. The rest Park on the road, if they can!!

We're lucky, we have a drive that can fit 2 cars on, 3 at a squeeze, as and when my children pass their tests, I have no idea where they will park.

We live in one (well it calls itself a "close")...

I like it. It's very quiet and tucked away. Everyone is friendly but not intrusive. We do all have our own decent drives though. I can imagine there could be parking stress otherwise.. !

Hmmm, some things to take into consideration I think

FIL mentioned kids playing too. So many replies mention it also. I'm not overly sociable and I am quite nosey lol

Funny, we live in one and if we move again would rather live on a through road!

Issues:

• parking, we have space to park 3 cars but sometimes can't access it all
• kids playing on the road. One person didn't like her kids playing football outside her house so would send them to play outside other people's houses
• access, same neighbour, lives at the entrance to the cul-de-sac. Parks on the road despite having a parking space. Can't park for toffee so frequently obstructs entrance to the cul-de-sac but can't see the problem!

I live in a close but of only two houses...its bliss...love the fact no one can look in on us. Our neighbours children and ours play out all the time (in normal times!)

I live on one
Three dickheads constantly rev their cars/motorcycles for hours
No parking- people with big drives don't use them
Nosey fuckers and one family will always think they own the cul and act like god of the sac
Kids everywhere

I've lived on one nearly my whole life, on my fifth now.

Don't know all my neighbours' names but on nodding terms.

Really quiet, our kids are adults but young kids play out, they aren't noisy. No parking issues, no nosiness I'm aware of.

I grew up in one with just 12 houses, lived there for 25 years until I bought my own place, my parents have lived in that house for almost 40 years. 3 of their neighbours bought around the same time as them, so they've all been there a long time.

There's no interference from anyone, nobody takes that much of an interest in other people's lives as they're all older and all on nodding terms with the neighbours.

All the houses have their own drives, but everyone has at least 2 cars, sometimes 3, so parking can get a bit tricky, as you can only park on one side of the street. That's the only downside I have seen.

Growing up I loved it, and have actually got my eye on a house in another cul-de-sac near my parents to move to, and am thinking about writing a letter to the owner of that house once we've sold.

I live on one. It is generally very quiet. We know our next door neighbours but everyone keeps to themselves, just on hello terms. Parking is a sodding nightmare as the road is narrow, we can't have a drive and most neighbours have 3+ cars (lots of multi generation households here).

RandomMess I'm confused by your comment - I thought that was the point of the wider section of road at the end?

I grew up in one and now live in one. I love it so much. As a child you know all the kids to play with. As an adult you know all the neighbours to wave to! It's so incredibly peaceful.

Well sort of it but it gets wearing when none of the other 20+ households in the street each with at least 1 car, most 2 use their own drives so they and all their visitors drive past their houses and use the end but turn around in and drive past again. So instead of it being you and your immediate neighbours - 4 households worth of traffic and deliveries it is the entire streets worth!!

Understandable if it was a street with only on street parking but it's not.