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 near the top end of a cup de sac (near the entrance to the road), but the cul de sac/dead end bit at the bottom is often used as a turning point for visitors. I always feel sorry for the people living in that part of the road as they have car headlights shining into their front rooms every time someone turns round. So that's something to bear in mind depending on the location of the house.

A cul de sac is just a street with only one entrance/exit surely? Whereas Close is the end bit of a street name, which may or may not be a cul de sac.

We live in a cul de sac in the corner of the loop part at the end. It is kind of overlooked, but the neighbours are all good people & the fact it’s overlooked is good for security (there were a lot of break ins & attempted break ins in our village, but none in our street).

Parking can be a bit tricky. There’s room for residents but visitors don’t really have anywhere to park.

Thanks for the replies, certainly a lot of food for thought!

I don't really mind the neighbour's watching our comings and going's. I think I'd probably try to avoid being at the very bottom due to the kids and vehicles turning

The IL's live in a cul de sac and they've been roped into all sorts of activities during the last twelve months. I know they don't really want to do them but they worry what other's will think and say if they don't take part. I'm not really like that though

I used to have a home delivery job and it's very clear to see in some cul de sacs that often one house at the end has tried to take over a patch of communal grass or turning area as their own and parked old cars there. Do you automatically have the right if you've lived there a certain amount of time?!

We live in one, we love it, the kids can play out safely and I can watch them out of the window. Down side for us has been applying for some planning permission which was problematic due to overlooking our neighbour.

I lived in one in London. No negatives, though I bet the people at the end were fed up with people turning their cars there (only the end ones had off street parking). You do feel like a little community, which can be nice in a big city, though mostly people kept themselves to themselves.

I would prefer not to live in a cul de sac but we do. We have a shared drive and our neighbours (pre lockdown) frequently had visitors parking on it so it stops our access. Never mentions it. Would just be polite to say. Thoughtless. Also they don't look after their side of the drive. Also everyone curtain twitches and one neighbour in particular tells everyone about everyone else. I like my privacy. Don't mind saying hello but not everyone wanting to know your business.

We live in one and it’s been a lifesaver. No garden so kids were able to play in the street safely. Plus we have lovely neighbours, though this this isn’t cul de sac related!
The literal translation of cul de sac from the French is the arse of the bag 😂

I live in a cul de sac and we do like it , nice neighbours and we know them all which I’ve never had before, they have events in the cul de sac in the summer which is nice , I also think it’s safer traffic wise if you have young children. Downsides, one elderly Neighbour who never goes anywhere and sometimes i feel a bit suffocated by it, If I go to leave the house she appears and I just can’t get away she’s lonely and just wants to talk - which is not always good if you’re busy and need to get stuff done! I find myself looking out the window , waiting til she goes in and then quickly getting in car with the kids 😆Also, they know all your business , I feel the nosey Neighbour could probably tell you my movements for the last 6 months! I know you can get that in any street but I feel it’s more intensified in a cul de sac . Noise - I had a row with my husband once and I felt the whole cul de sac heard everything - embarrassing! Sometimes I would love to live on a busy road that has people walking past and buses etc - the noise wouldn’t bother me. My mum lives on a main road and if I ever get the chance (which is rare) I quite like just looking out the window and watching the world go by, you hardly ever see anyone living on a cul de sac other than yeh Neighbours. We had some work men come and take up some man holes on our street and my little girl came running into me to tell me there was a man outside our house -big news! 😆

I lived in one, I found it so claustrophobic, we’ve since moved. If you don’t mind everyone knowing your comings & goings & what visitors you have and when, you may like it. I also found it quite territorial for people that have lived there years. I wouldn’t live in one again! Although I know some of my old neighbours absolutely love it and will never consider moving.

We're sort of in one. Very good for dc to play out and feeling like a little community. A bit tricky if you end up with one person who's difficult and it can be a bit odd during lockdown- due to the angles we can't see out so it's felt like the rest of the world doesn't exist.

I don't mind it. It was safe for the kids to play when they were young and we have nice neighbors

We live on a cul de sac now and it's lovely. Fortunately we have brilliant neighbours, which means anything out of the ordinary is noticed.
By and large its perfect for the kids to be able to go out and ride their bikes etc with no worries of a busy road.

We live in a cul de sac and have done for 20+ years. The easiest way to explain is with a diagram. We are the red spot. Green spot has a (small but ample) driveway but doesnt like to use it. So he parks half on the pavement at the end of his driveway and half on the road. When he does this myself and yellow houses have massive trouble leaving our driveways (without driving over someones lawn). Blue house refuse to use their garage for their cars. So on the driveway they have 2 parents cars. Their 3 teenage children then park along the road outside their house. Not over their drive (so not blocking them in), next to it. This makes it hard for the people in the purple houses to get out of their drives. Before lockdown blue house often had friends over so there could easily be 7 cars daily at the one house. People also assume that because its a cul de sac and a lovely little private road, its safe for their children to play out. So we have children kicking footballs and darting across the road constantly. The teens from blue house have had near misses in their cars with pretty much all my neighbours children. There are constant parking rows going on (not involving me as we luckily have a very long driveway so dont need to park on the road). Our issue is green house.

Other downside is how overlooked everyone is. Its a very nice street with decent size houses and everyone has a driveway and front garden to set them back. But in reality you can see into everyone elses houses. Also everyone knows when you are coming and going as you have to drive past/turn around outside their house to get home. Because you are in a semi circle you all face one another so you end up with 10 close neighbours rather than the standard 2.

I would move away from a cul de sac if I moved again.

We live in one. It a close I suppose as the road is a dead end and doesn't go anywhere. It's a wide street and each house has a big driveway. A few kids play out, all the neighbours are gorgeous and in better times we pull out chairs and sit and have a chinwag. The pets are safe. It's all good.

@MagentaZebras

I moved to one a couple of years ago, never lived in one before. I love it. So safe for the children and tucked away so that even people who've lived around here all of their lives said they had no idea it was here. Beautiful big gardens that are hardly overlooked, big driveways so hardly anyone ever parks on the road, very quiet and safe for children. People here were so welcoming and friendly but no nosiness.

There are about 50% older couples who bought 30-40 years ago and the rest are young families who've moved in in recent years. I only know this though because a group whatsapp was set up during the first Covid lockdown so have got to know my neighbours better through that, especially the older ones, so we can look out for them. There is a big effort from everyone for Halloween, Christmas etc and everyone is so nice to the children but not intrusive. It's great here.

I should add to this that I'm a massive introvert and very private, so was a bit concerned how it might be! But it's been lovely - a sense of community without any feeling of pressure or being spied on.

it can be a bit odd during lockdown- due to the angles we can't see out so it's felt like the rest of the world doesn't exist I agree, this can be odd so check the views from the house.

@ChameleonClara

it can be a bit odd during lockdown- due to the angles we can't see out so it's felt like the rest of the world doesn't exist I agree, this can be odd so check the views from the house.

How wonderful: an oasis of peace away from the madness of 2020/21. Ours is secluded, but not so much so that it seems like the rest of the world/ universe doesn't exist. Perhaps you'll survive the construction of the intergalactic superhighway.

Our friends live in the back corner of one and hate it because all the neighbours kids play football outside and make lots of noise (they don't have kids)!

What exactly are people doing that they don't want their neighbours knowing? You leave the house, you return to the house, they aren't going to know where you're going or what you're doing?? Some bizarre paranoia going on there.

I love it. We have a communal gathering every year, it feels very safe and the children have a ready set of playmates nearby. Play is more spontaneous because they spot each other out the window they want to go and join them. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

The kids playing can be fine or it can be a nightmare, it depends on the parents.

There are no children living on my grove (bungalows for disabled or elderly), there are two lovely boys who visit grandad are they hardly play out at the front but if they do and you go out to your car they go and stand still on the pavement so you can see them.

When I first moved in the grandchildren of a person who lived around the corner were a nightmare because gran insisted it was safe for them.

Luckily for the grandchildren I drive at 5 mph on the grove because they pulled out on their bikes from a drive that is hidden by a fence. Then I had gran come round to threaten me.

When we had snow we had a visit from 3 children and dad who seemed to be making the world's biggest snowball. The children made snow angels and then they left.

To a certain extent you do know other people's business but you also know all your neighbours by name and someone will knock on your door if you do something like leave your car lights on.

Inevitably with elderly and infirm people there have been a few deaths over the years, there is always a collection for flowers and usually people stand outside and bow their heads as the hearse passes.

We live at the top of one. It's a long steep hill so it doesn't feel hemmed in and we have great views across the valley.

I did, loved it. But things got more complicated once everyone became two (or three!) household car owners - especially on bin day, food shopping delivery day or having friends round for dinner. Parking became a real issue.

I lived in one and would never, ever do it again. The children were a nightmare, always out at all hours, running across the road, across gardens, up and down drives. It was so noisy, I hated every moment I lived there

I had no idea cul de sacs were so contentious! Ours has three small car parks attached to it - one either side at the top and one halfway down. That seems to solve a lot of the problems? I hadn't even considered that we live on the turning circle, it doesn't get used for that.

It's lovely and quiet, I would hate to live on a busy road. The neighbours are friendly but not obtrusive, the kids do play outside but it doesn't bother me. During early lockdown last year it was nice to be able to see so many other families during the NHS claps.

I really can't think of any downsides! Perhaps it's a very well designed cul de sac.