remember remember

[nightshade]

I know it is early but my local newsagent, is selling huge fireworks some the size of a baked bean cans,with rockets nearly 5 feet tall along side.
this does seem like overkill for what used to be a single evenings celebration,
however lock up your animals(tranquilising if necessary) and check your bonfires for Hedgehogs
I wonder how haloween and bonfire night would look as a health and safety risk assesment?

[Helen]

Frankly I care less about the "Health and Safety" risk to people who choose to participate in bonfire night, than I do about the seemingly endless nights it appears to go on for these days, and the rocket launchers that pass for fireworks.

Bonfire night is fine - on bonfire night. Even a few days either side isn't a big deal (not for me anyway). But it does get a big deal when "bonfire night" takes on a "season of its own" happening earlier and earlier and finishing later and later into the year these days. Hey, in fact, why don't we just continue bonfire night right through until New Year's Eve?

Rant over.

[John]

It's been going on here for almost a month now. Our Jasper (the Golden Retriever) is affected but nothing like our Max (Alsation cross Collie). Poor Max crawls under my computer table (if I am on the computer) or jumps onto my lap, whilst I sit on the sofa, and buries his head in my lap. He is very frightened by all of this.

I have said for a very long time now that Fireworks nowadays are far too powerful for garden displays and that it should now be made illegal to sell that sort of firework to the general public.

I know it sounds like being a killjoy but these things are bloomin lethal and should be confined to organised displays.

Or am I getting old. lol

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by John

Or am I getting old. lol

John, just to put your mind at rest its not your views on fireworks that means you are getting old, its your birthdate that means you are getting old

We have a shop now opened in Mere Green high street that just sells fireworks. It was being fitted out yesterday, as I passed, and no doubt will close as soon as Bonfire night is over. What on earth is the need for fireworks this premature to Bonfire night? (Just goes to show what profits are being made by these companies) In my experience fireworks (not let off on Nov 5th) are let off to cause the greatest annoyance to those they are targetting and anyone that lives close to a hospital will hear a massively increased level of sirens on bonfire night. I am all for organised parties, the likes that the military put on for example, but is there any requirement for private individuals to host there own three minutes of 'fun'?

It should be illegal to sell fireworks before 3rd November, then not after the 5th.

Does this make me old? - Cue John

[Helen]

What I'd like to know is this, since when has it become obligatory to have fireworks at every celebration possible known to man, in order for it to be deemed "a success"?

[John]

There are certain religions where fireworks are used for all sorts of celebrations and when I used to live in Sparkbrook, in Birmingham, fireworks would go on right through the year. Funnily enough I accepted that as they were done at night, usually at weekends and for a good reason. I can't argue with any of that. What I do complain about is the wilfull selling of fireworks to the young and immature. Those fireworks are used for nothing more than to create noise, confusion and irritation.

I haven't forgotten when I was young (boy, that's a long time ago.lol). I hold my hands up and admit that I set off fireworks well before bonfire night but the difference between then and now is the power of the fireworks. They are like bombs now in comparison. How on earth the firework industry has got away with their uncontrolled selling of fireworks is beyond me.

One day this, or any future, Goverment will realise that this is not what the majority of the general public want and will do something about it. I just wonder how many maimed and injured people and animals will have suffered before that happens.

[pxl8]

Originally Posted by John

One day this, or any future, Goverment will realise that this is not what the majority of the general public want and will do something about it.

Hang on, you mean the Gov. is meant to act on public opinion? Are you sure about that??



Old, not quite... cynic... oh yes!

[John]

Originally Posted by pxl8

Hang on, you mean the Gov. is meant to act on public opinion? Are you sure about that??

Oh silly me!! what was I thinking of. lol

Originally Posted by pxl8

Old, not quite... cynic... oh yes!

That's little ol me

[Helen]

Originally Posted by John

Funnily enough I accepted that as they were done at night, usually at weekends and for a good reason. I can't argue with any of that. What I do complain about is the wilfull selling of fireworks to the young and immature.

You're a better man than me then. To me, fireworks are fireworks, regardless of the reason they are being set off. The ones I used to hear when I lived in a town were of the same sound, at all times of the year. Young or old, immature or mature, makes no difference to my ears.

Yep, they were all set off at night too. Again, same difference.

[Boddie]

I have a friend whose dog is terrified of kites. It cowers at the sight / noise of them even at 200 metres. Has anyone else come across this?

[wildone]

Boddie, do you mean the birds or 'childrens' plaything. It is so easy to mix them up. Sometimes when I am at Ferry Meadows somebody will be heard to say the word 'kite'. My heart always skips a beat in case it is the bird, which have been known to fly into the area. Wildone

[John]

Originally Posted by Helen

You're a better man than me then. To me, fireworks are fireworks, regardless of the reason they are being set off. The ones I used to hear when I lived in a town were of the same sound, at all times of the year. Young or old, immature or mature, makes no difference to my ears.

Yep, they were all set off at night too. Again, same difference.

I didn't say I liked it Helen because I don't. Not for me personally but because of the dogs. They were just as frightened in Sparkbrook as they are here in Coventry. The difference was that those fireworks were more or less justified as they were being set off for legitimate reasons. Here in Coventry, in the area I live, we haven't the multi national society we had in Birmingham. Therefore the reasons for letting off fireworks, well prior to Nov 5th, aren't valid.

I'm afraid with this multi-culture society we have now things have become far more acceptable, and rightfully so too. It doesn't mean we necessary like some things that go on more that we tolerate them.

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by wildone

Boddie, do you mean the birds or 'childrens' plaything.

Childrens plaything - I'll have you know that I have a fantastic stunt kite and Cannock Chase sees more adults playing with kites than nippers. No I mean the non bird variety. They seem to spook the dog in question, it really does not like them and would rather not go walkies.

If you haven't tried it for a while Wildone, you should invest in a kite, they are great fun. I often go to Cannock chase with my old boy and his daughter and have to say she is considerably more accomplished than I am. Most of the kite flyers are adults and some have these strange contaptions like a sit down skateboard and a big canopy and they are pulled along by the kite. Looks like fun but I'd rather master my own stunt kite first before being raced along at speed inches of the floor

[wildone]

Boddie

I did put the word children's in parenthesis. Ferry Meadows also has many adult kite fliers including members of a local kite flying organisation. My posting in the Great Outdoor Gallery was taken on an organised kite day.

A grey-haired old woman sitting on a battericar and flying a kite is not going look awe inspiring Anyway that would take up my wildlife watching time. I enjoy seeing people enjoying themselves in whatever way they choose but I know how I enjoy myself best.

Wildone

[Helen]

We have a few stunt kites, made by "Prism". We bought them in California, and flew them on a small Hawaiin island called Molokai.

These are the mother of all kites, and are devils in the air. What I do enjoy is skimming the kite barely inches above the ground. They are sooooo fast, and are capable of fantastic things.

Anyway I digress!!

[John]

Errrr!! I thought this thread was about fireworks.lol

[wildone]

You are right John. Apologies to nightshade for going off thread Wildone

[Pat]

I've not long been back from feeding my foxes and there were fireworks going off everywhere, the poor things were terrified, for good ness sake it's only Oct 21st. Fireworks are very pretty but do we really need need all these loud bangs they're like bombs going off Last year a fellow dog walker lost 2 of her dogs when yobs were letting off fireworks in the field where she walked them, they both were so terrified they ran off and were never seen again, I'd loved to have got my hands on those morons. Fireworks should just be confined to Nov 5th and then only public displays. I'm not a killjoy but alot of animal lovers dread this time of year, also if it was only once a year it would be more of a novelty.
ps Have you seen what they cost? what a waste of money

[Boddie]

Sorry I think it was me that went of on one - it was just the connection on kites scaring dogs and my wanting to know if it was a common occurence.