Fireworks - why are they still a thing?

I actually love them and find them thrilling but I feel there should be limits. Where I live, we had fireworks every night from before Halloween to mid November. It was too much. It didn't used to be like this when I was a child.

Fireworks are bloody marvellous, I stayed up specially last night to see the London ones on TV. In previous years (and younger days) I've travelled to London to see them in person. Loads of countries celebrate New Year with fireworks, from China to Iceland, Dubai to Paris.... Wonderful!
As a child, fireworks in our garden on bonfire and New Year were the highlight of my childhood, wouldn't have them banned for the world.
When there is so much wrong with the world and so much worse to moan about, give fireworks a bit of a break!

My friend’s horse was killed a couple of years ago. He’d tried to jump out of his field and had got stuck and died of a heart attack.

You should try some with the kids. They would love it!

DH has taken DD to an organised display on a couple of occasions which she has enjoyed. They go on for circa 10/15 minutes and not hours, even days, on end like at home. When she was smaller she was scared of the bangs. As for them being let off at home, she (a 5 year old) recognises that they are disruptive, stop people enjoying the peace of thejr home (especially if you have to blast music to mask the sound for dogs), scare animals, stop everyone living their normal lives when they have to try and manage things for their pets for evenings on end. We live near several farms who lost livestock because of eating firework debris and dying.
It is a real shame that a 5 hear old recognises all of this but many grown adults do not. Just for their 3 seconds of "wow.....Jim go light another one". Selfish.

They should be banned for private sale and only available on the appropriate night to formal public display's .

I like them, but I don't think they should be available to the general public and I suspect they could make them less explosive, as many of those at public displays are more of a 'whoosh' rather than a long 'bang'. 💥

It's been so windy here overnight that anyone trying to let off fireworks is likely to have had them blow back in their face.

Not sure drones are more environmentally friendly but they are arguably just as brilliant a display without some of the noise problems. I saw one a couple of years back that was an immense experience and far more awesome than any firework display I've ever seen.

I suspect it's only a matter of time before private firework sales are banned, tbh. That seems to be the way things are trending. I can't say I'd be sorry to see it.

Ok, I know some with a major dog phobia, people walk their dogs every day of the year, he is basically housebound as there isn't a time he can leave the house and know he won't have to encounter a dog. But hey! People love them

"Fireworks: bad because I don't see the fun of them, and they scare/harm wildlife and pets, and litter everywhere"

"Pets: good, because I do see the fun of them, even though they scare/hurt people, scare/hurt wildlife and shit everywhere."

"Also, my poor dog/cat who I definitely got when garden-based fireworks were a thing, is terrified, but I take no responsibility for homing an animal slap bang in the middle of a world where these things exist, and everyone else should just stop."

For the record, I don't do fireworks, I do have a couple of cats who don't enjoy the firework experience, and will be getting a dog soon. But my preference isn't the point, my choices are my choices, and I have to take responsibility for them.

I don't expect the world to change to accommodate me, or judge others for liking things I don't, and who make choices that have no greater negative effect on the world than mine do.

Also, while cars are a necessity for many in a way that pets and fireworks aren't, they still kill/harm/scare/pollute more people, pets and wildlife than fireworks do, and not only because of entirely necessary journeys, and safe and considerate driving - I'm sure everyone who hates fireworks never drives when they don't need to, or just for fun and always take public transport when available.

Because the world hasn’t gone totally crazy banning absolutely everything quite yet, thankfully.

Well obviously that’s excessive. I think it would probably be best to only have them at organised displays or to limit more rigidly the dates they can be set off. Ban them altogether though? No.

I did for 10 years. I don’t recall it ever being a problem. Maybe they’ve increased in use since then

Try living in London. They are a very regular occurrence here.

^ This

I’ve not heard any tonight thankfully.

As a toddler parent and dog owner, I agree with you. We spent most of our nye comforting and distracting the dog and watching the baby monitor praying the toddler wouldn't wake up with each bang. It sucked. Maybe it only happens a few times a year, but last night it was so loud with woke me up with earplugs in!!! That's loud! And it was nearly 1am!!! Luckily toddler slept.

I guess maybe I'm only saying this because I'm trying to just relax in my home in peace and there are loud noises outside that apparently are okay because it's new year? Maybe if I were the one setting off the loud noises I'd be happier about it...

I hear you.

Our guinea pigs hate them. Literally between Diwali & nye we have to agree that one of us stays in after dark, no matter what. They are so common here.

We ended up with one piggy so scared he climbed UNDER his brother.

You could try to be less of one in 2025?

Possibly the most depressing thread I've ever read on here. I knew there were cunts out there, but...

Yes adopt/rescue only.

That’s like saying just buy second hand cars. It’s not helping the wildlife is it.

I’ve never heard a person call butterflies ‘cunts’ before. That’s a new one for me. I sort of enjoy the concept, although I think they are beautiful, flying works of art. Cats are cunts. I like cats, but there’s no denying it.

Boring.

Yes adopt/rescue only.

I hate butterflys, they are fluttery cunts. I would love to explode a few of those arseholes!

Because there is nothing (imo) as spectacular as a good Firework display. For me, fireworks are up there with a visit to a butterfly house, or a room full of My Little Pony. So much prettiness.

In my opinion dogs are worse for the environment, and I loathe the mess irresponsible owners leave, so if it was between voting to get rid of fireworks or dogs, I’d vote to make dogs illegal.

I don’t think they should be sold to public no but to big company’s and displays yes