# There's been a setback **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 27, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188 "2023-08-27T17:13:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/1 "2023-08-27T17:13:59Z")
Or rather, there hasn’t been. A relative recently posted pictures of their new house in a historic area of their town, and it’s one of those greystone/townhouse-types where the front door opens _right_ onto the sidewalk. And even then, the sidewalk doesn’t have that strip of grass before the curb - the front porch is about 48 inches from car traffic. The place is beautiful (and huge, 5br/3ba, 2-stry), and the backyard/garden is surrounded by a 6-foot brick wall, which seems really cool to me. But that lack of setback, though - gives me the heeby-jeebies. Has anyone lived in a place like this? How was it? If you haven’t, would you? The relatives haven’t moved in yet, but discussion among the family reveals I’m the only one with misgivings. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/2 "2023-08-27T17:28:27Z")
I would have misgivings about living so close to the road. There was a really nice house for sale when we were in the market last year, on a country road (55 mph, going down to 40 just a few hundred feet past the house), but it was just way too close to the road for us to consider. Like, 50 feet from the road, but it was just too close. I wouldn’t want to sit in my living room and wonder if a truck going 55 is going to swerve through the wall. 48 inches from traffic, even on a slow road, seems too close to me too. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/3 "2023-08-27T19:25:41Z")
Yeah, when in some old towns like that, I’ve often wondered how odd it would be to step out your front door RIGHT into traffic, Would take some getting used to. And good window coverings, I suppose! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/4 "2023-08-27T19:28:16Z")
Parking on the curb would be so close to your door. Wow! ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/5 "2023-08-27T19:31:57Z")
I wouldn’t want to live there if I had pet(s)/kid(s) because … well, sometimes a cat or dog or toddler will rush headlong as soon as the door is opened (“FREEEEEEEE-DUUUUHHHMMM!”) and it’s helpful to have a safety buffer between the door and the traffic whizzing by. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/6 "2023-08-27T20:06:11Z")
I just saw a video on Reddit yesterday for this situation. The first person out the door knew what they were doing and made a turn onto the sidewalk, The second person stepped right in front of a car. Maybe you could drill and set a pole or two? ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/7 "2023-08-27T20:11:02Z")
I live in a one bedroom apartment and my front front door opens right to the sidewalk (about 3 feet wide) and then the road is right there. Lucky it’s residential, but folks still drive up/down the road 35 mph or so. I park roughly 3 feet from my front door. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/8 "2023-08-27T23:14:21Z")
Many million people live / lived this way all over the world and all over the USA. It might be weird to you if that’s not common where you live. It’s not a crisis. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2023, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/9 "2023-08-27T23:25:22Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Maybe you could drill and set a pole or two? Bollards with chains between them, [like this](https://www.reliance-foundry.com/wp-content/uploads/R-7571-bollard-13.jpg). They would help protect the house from stray cars, and provide a nice visual boundary. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2023, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/10 "2023-08-30T18:46:09Z")
That’s what I was thinking of. Although if you did it yourself the bollards would be smaller so no crash protection. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2023, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-been-a-setback/989188/11 "2023-08-30T18:49:19Z")
Get a giant red ball like Target stores have. Yeah, I want one of those.