fireworks

[honeybee]

Just wondering what peoples opinions on fireworks are? While I was in the countryside I only ever heard them on bonfire night or new years. In the town loud bangs have been going off over the past month or so and it gets me really angry. I don't care if I sound like a killjoy, the amount of animals scared and injured by them, not to mention people. I think we should only have organised displays at special times.
I also think there should be stricter limits on bonfires, although ofcourse nobody has time to enforce the law. There was a massive one in somebody's garden the other evening and you could hardly see or breathe along a long stretch of road.

[speckled wood]

November 5th now extends from late September until around 20th November, Firewarks have been going off all evening and I expect they will still be at it until well after midnight.

Simply seems to be no genuine will power by the authorities to do something about about. Not against it in its time and place ie the real November 5th. Seems now that if someone's pet mouse has babies they have to let off fireworks to celebrate.

[honeybee]

I went for a late night wander along the cheese rollers hill in glos and looking down over chelt and glos and beyond, the amount of flashes from fireworks was startling...it wasn't even a special day.

[lewisa]

I nearly had a fight with a farmer for letting fireworks off in my back garden.

I refused to back down from my stance because the farmer in question had woodland he used for Deer hunting.

If the sound of his shotgun doesnt kill sheep, neither do my fireworks.

Envoironmental health rebuffed his complaint, and Im free to let off fireworks at the two times of year appropriate in law.

Law of the Land 1, Farmers 0.

[honeybee]

i think fireworks are beautiful but do they have to be so darn loud, you can buy quieter ones but I don't think they're on general sale with all the mega-rockets.

My mum's little terrier nearly dies every time one goes off and it makes me mad. Kids just let them off in the street, even in daytime.

[Paul mabbott]

One point on fireworks tonight is that it the high point of Diwali so many hindus, sikhs and Buddhists will be celebrating.
I agree generally that there is a problem with an extended 'season' of firework explosions. They are disturbing to humans and animals and, obviously, polluting. But I'm not totally against them - there is something in our psyche that needs lights at this time of year! Oddly, this was never a problem when I lived in London - most local authorities organised big shows and everyone went to them rather wasting their money on piddling little events. We were amazed, even shocked (!) when we came to Sheffield and found that, despite large organised displays, individuals seem to put on their own display for any party throughout the year.
Should displays be confined to certain dates or to authorised users? Possibly but I don't know how you'd do it ...

[Wild-Woman]

There going off here as I write this because it's Diwali.
Personally I hate the things. I know someone who lost the sight of an eye because a stray rocket from a display hit him in the face.
I also think they are too damaging to wildlife. Must scare the hell out of roosting birds.
Wild-Woman the killjoy.

[honeybee]

I lived in Doncaster for a short time and the problem there was similar to here, there are a lot of yobbos setting them off, where they get the money from I don't know. ...Yes and at Chinese new year they set them off... I do like them but not all the time...you should know when to expect them.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

There going off here as I write this because it's Diwali.
Personally I hate the things. I know someone who lost the sight of an eye because a stray rocket from a display hit him in the face.
I also think they are too damaging to wildlife. Must scare the hell out of roosting birds.
Wild-Woman the killjoy.

thats's awful and it happens every year that people are killed or injured. Over the past few years there's been at least two features on the local news where the peoples houses have been seriously damaged by big rockets. I suppose like most things they generate a lot of money so shops continue to sell them.

[Paul mabbott]

Well done - amazing how these landowners see one law for themselves and other for the peasants!

Originally Posted by lewisa

IIf the sound of his shotgun doesnt kill sheep, neither do my fireworks.
Envoironmental health rebuffed his complaint, and Im free to let off fireworks at the two times of year appropriate in law. Law of the Land 1, Farmers 0.

[RogerTheCat]

I like fireworks but in thier place. I agree that they seem to be used for any reason and disagree with the way they are sold. Most shops in my area are offering them "Buy One Get One Free" as a result people end up with twice as many.

On a more technical point the outdoor fireworks sold to the public are what is known as Catagory 2 or Catagory 3. This catagory indicates the fallout area from the firework and hence how far away from it you and your property must be to stay safe. Cat 2 is 5m and Cat 3 is 25m. Cat 3 which is what everyone buys are actually unsafe to be used in most back gardens. Most people do not have a garden so large that they can position the Cat 3 firework 25m from themselves, their property and thier neighbours properties.

[carlj]

What surprises me, is the nanny state that is Britain at the moment, with health and safety preventing you sticking a ladder up against your house without a full set of checks being applied, allows explosives to be openly sold on every high street.

When I was younger, my main memory was of being violently sick with a massive headache due to fumes from numerous tyres stuck on bonfires.

[spideyj]

Although I like fireworks and they are nice to see, the problem has got completely out of control. Where I live people seem to have fireworks all year round. It's about time the government clamped down on the sale of fireworks. Perhaps limit the sale of them to two days before bonfire night or other celebrations. Another thing could be done is the government force the manufacturers to put a limit on the amount of noise they make. There are 'quite' fireworks available but it seems only to professional display companies. How many more people have to die or be seriously injured before something is done????

And finally, if your having a bonfire, don't forget to check for Hedgehogs before you light it!!!!

[Garden Carpet]

Originally Posted by spideyj

Although I like fireworks and they are nice to see, the problem has got completely out of control. Where I live people seem to have fireworks all year round. It's about time the government clamped down on the sale of fireworks. Perhaps limit the sale of them to two days before bonfire night or other celebrations. Another thing could be done is the government force the manufacturers to put a limit on the amount of noise they make. There are 'quite' fireworks available but it seems only to professional display companies. How many more people have to die or be seriously injured before something is done????

And finally, if your having a bonfire, don't forget to check for Hedgehogs before you light it!!!!

on a personal level I would agree with this... I live in a small country village where the young have been setting off fireworks for the last week or more.

Others have pointed out that at various times of year other religions use fireworks in their celebrations, although in this country we have used them to celebrate Nov 5th. Fireworks have been around for many hundreds of years in use for all manner of celebration. Much as I enjoy SEEING them I hate the noise, and would welcome 'quiter' types being available. I would prefer to see fireworks banned from sale to the general public and only organised displays to take place within one or two nights of the actual date. Perhaps our hard working firemen would be less hard working if they organised such events thereby keeping a greater control over fire and fireworks.

Am currently digging in to avoid the fireworks my suggestion sets off
Jaki

[matt_xyz]

I'm also no longer a fan of fireworks anymore. They go off far too often for my liking and cause significant distress to animals. A few days a year would be OK but it's getting out of hand where I live.

Originally Posted by lewisa

I nearly had a fight with a farmer for letting fireworks off in my back garden.

I refused to back down from my stance because the farmer in question had woodland he used for Deer hunting.

If the sound of his shotgun doesnt kill sheep, neither do my fireworks.

Envoironmental health rebuffed his complaint, and Im free to let off fireworks at the two times of year appropriate in law.

Law of the Land 1, Farmers 0.

that's great So because the farmer doesn't care whether he scares his sheep you felt you didn't need to either? The fact is fireworks do scare sheep. Plus shotguns don't tend to make prolonged ear-splitting screaming noises. Anyone whose gardens border land containing livestock should really think twice before letting off fireworks surely? Law of the Land 1, Animals 0.

[cherrybee]

I agree it is getting out of hand they have been going off in my area for a couple of weeks now and thay were still being let off after midnight last night.My dog has always been afraid of loud noises and as most of you know she is still recovering from a bad road accident and last night the poor girl was shaking all night.She has just started to get more confident and walking around the living room more steadily when we let her out of her cage.We have to be careful not to let her overdo things as she not only broke her hock but has a hairline fracture of the spine hence the need for the cage to help her rest.All these bangs are doing her no good at all

[SueR]

time to rain dance!!!!every day until about mid december.....I will be praying for a heavy downpour every day ....today it did pour and i thought "yeh soggy bonfire stacks "
I hate fireworks and everything that goes with that dreadful night and all the nights around it.Who really does enjoy it?Small children don't, i used to run a club which had a so called bonfire night extraveganza and no sooner it started with those awful loud bangs the parents would be leaving in there droves with crying children in arms.Old people hate them.Pet lovers hate them.The fire service dreads it as do the hospitals and police.So that just leaves the simple minded people who cant think of any other way to amuse themselves or there offspring other than to annoy everyone else.You know the sort, we have loads of them here in Essex the"have to haves":the biggest four wheeled drive motor with huge lights all over it:the noisiest motorised thing available for christmas to squeal up and down the road in for hours..up and down up and down and the loudest car music systems to let everybody know they are home at 3am!!!Thats if they haven't had the loudest party themselves ,in the garden of course!And as for the animals what a terrible time for them.Hedgehogs and small mammals burned alive..Rabbits dying of fright in their hutches(my friend found all five of hers dead in her shed the next day)horses terrified and the poor birds...Lewes in sussex has a huge firework night i have been twice until someone told me some of the birds in the area fall dead from thier roosts terrified to death as there is no escape for them , bangs and fires all around them.I came away gutted and never went again.I remember seeing a swan and her youngsters swimming near town at 2am and wondered how bad a night they had had .So for me its a sad and pitiful way for people to get there kicks :and what ever happened to old lang zine and a good knees up on new years eve?? ?So its rain dance time folks!!!!And a huge tax on bangs!!

[cherrybee]

I am not against fireworks at the right time as I have had five children and they always loved them.My grandchildren also have a wonderful evening at an organised display.I also love to see them.I take exception at the phrase you wrote and I quote "So that just leaves the simple minded people who cant think of any other way to amuse themselves or there offspring other than to annoy everyone else."
I and my children are not simple minded and I do not go out of my way to annoy anyone.The simple minded are the ones who set them off willy nilly whatever the time of year.It used to be just NOV 5th when we all knew to prepare as best we can keeping our animals in,comforting them or turning tv up louder or whatever we could for them .I love animals too but every day animals are frightened by all sorts of things and die of fright for other reasons not just fireworks.Does this mean that every noisy thing in the world are owned by simple minded morons

[honeybee]

Cherrybee, don't know if you use it for your dog but my mum has to use a DAP pheramone plug which helps calm them down a little. Are quite expensive but last a while, ebay prob cheapest.
Dogs and Fireworks

P.S let's not all fall out about this, people who've had bad experiences are going to react more strongly

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Cherrybee, don't know if you use it for your dog but my mum has to use a DAP pheramone plug which helps calm them down a little. Are quite expensive but last a while, ebay prob cheapest.
Dogs and Fireworks

P.S let's not all fall out about this, people who've had bad experiences are going to react more strongly

Thanks.I am not falling out just also speaking my mind.Just thought that one sentence was a little over the top thats all.I dont want to fall out with anyone.Anyway my Tammy was out of her cage and we lifted her on the sofa and she laid beside me having lots of cuddles which she loved

[aeshna5]

Last night around here sounded like being in a war zone-non-stop bangs. With rain this pm, hopefully less Diwalli celebrations. Fireworks look pretty, but why do they have to be so damn noisy!

[Wild-Woman]

I can't understand how the huge rockets are allowed to be sold. If you carried that weight in explosives(which they are) you'd get arrested.

[honeybee]

wasn't there recent legislation to make them quieter, they still sound pretty damn loud to me, the sound travels for miles. Wasn't it David Blunkett's guide dog who ran off once due to fireworks. Think RSPCA have a petition against them.

[Garden Carpet]

raining heavily here tonight so no fireworks... hooooray!!!!

[honeybee]

sad though isn't it that we have to pray for rain just to get a bit of peace and quiet! last years big display went ahead in the pouring rain.