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Problem is, as the article points out, cul-de-sacs impose substantial externalities on everyone else. It would be "a great environment" for me if everyone else rode bicycles and I drove—after all, I'd be very safe!—but it wouldn't be so great for everyone else.

That's an extreme example, but the principle remains.

The cul-de-sac suburbia is probably pretty good for kids until they're 8-10 years old and want to do something else than ride a bike along their neighbours' yards.

Because of the cul-de-sac layout, it's nearly impossible to walk or take your bike and go somewhere, namely because: a) it's a long way because you practically have to detour towards your destination all the time; b) there's nowhere to go because it's just houses and other culs-de-sac; c) if you manage the gymnastics to find yourself out of the neighbourhood you're likely to bump into a large junction leading to an arterial road where there's no place to ride a bike; d) and if there was, you'd have to pedal for miles until you ever reached some place to go, like a mall, another suburban feature.

Same here. One thing I've noticed is living on a road or in an apartment you don't really talk to your neighbors all that much. On a cul-de-sac you do get to know them.