Why can’t we have drone displays instead of fireworks?

[Nobumsonthetable]

My poor dog is wrapped around me with fear. Every time there is a bang I get a start. The point of fireworks is surely the look rather than the sound?? And as for letting random idiots buy them in bloody Lidl and set them off in their back gardens - this is insane. I live in a densely populated suburb of London. Setting off fireworks here is so fkn antisocial. Grr.

This is a comment about drones rather than fireworks. I have every sympathy for pet owners.

We went to a drone display this year. The novelty factor was great and we really enjoyed it. Would we bother with another? Probably not for more of the same. I wonder if that would be the same for others.

I'm not a fan of drones in general for personal use. The videos they produce can be stunning but they can be intrusive if you're in the area. There's a group meets at our local beauty spot and being on the ground can be quite scary with them whizzing around.

I once, in a peek middle class moment, made custard without sugar for DC because I was worried about all the sugar ruining them. The result was dire.

I think silent fireworks are like sugar free custard.

Do you feel the same about celebrating birthdays?

I think they’re bloody awful things. The thought of replacing centuries of tradition for more creepy tech makes my blood run cold.

Why do people celebrate ‘special’ birthdays? Or any for that matter if it will happen regardless

But not every dog or cat is scared, why does it impact some.

I wondered that. We’ve always had whippets and some have hated fireworks and others weren’t bothered.
Silent fireworks would be a good compromise - is such a thing possible?

When I told dog owners my daughter was afraid of dogs, this was deemed entirely my issue and I should teach her not to be. She was the problem and I couldn’t expect others to change what they did to suit her, she just had to suck it up. The same dog owners expect others to pander to their dogs and not let off fireworks a couple of times a year. Train your dogs not to be afraid of fireworks. It’s entirely possible it just takes time and patience. Ours is fine with them because we made an effort to desensitise.

Incidentally, my daughter hated fireworks too. Nobody ever thought they should be banned because of that.

😁 Great analogy.

TV never does fireworks justice.

There was only three loud bangs near us at around 8:30ish. My poor pup would not come out from the kitchen for the best part of two hours. I detest fireworks

Will you outlaw birds, foxes and deer too?

And sheep, pigs and cattle?

What about horses - it’s estimated half of dogs are afraid of fireworks, but that rises to 80% of horses. We should get rid of horses, right?

And obviously people with PTSD - jumpy fuckers. And babies, of course. And oh yeah, the poster with autism on this thread - people like that will have to go.

This.

People like the noise of fireworks, just as other people like dogs, and both sets put their selfish enjoyment ahead of the detriment to some other humans and animals. Pet owners simply don't have standing to complain about fireworks.

Yes. The bang is largely added. They aren’t completely silent but are infinitely better.

The volume of the bang is also controllable.

ChenDog doesn't bother about fireworks - they barely even register. I'm aware though that for many animals, domestic and wild, that they are terrifying and can cause terrible injuries. There are also people who find them really upsetting and traumatic. I'd happily ban them - or at the very least, limit them to organised and licensed displays a couple of times a year.

Who speaks for birds, deer, foxes, horses, sheep, pigs, cows….?

@Bloozie Thank you for answering my question. If some much quieter fireworks were to be made, it would be interesting to see if they sold well.

The Thailand drone display looked amazing - a huge walking elephant, and a moving dragon, amongst many others - so it can be done.

The mayor of London is all about air quality all the time, it’s all he seems to care about - except on NYE. Hypocritical much.

And god forbid that Londoners, who are after all paying for the display in the first place through their council tax, are allowed to watch them from outside without paying for the privilege for a second time (see: closure of Primrose Hill park).

Whilst the London fireworks last night were big and plentiful, it was nothing new or exciting, and I would struggle to distinguish one year’s display from another.

They even had to make it more interesting for people watching on TV by superimposing graphics onto the London Eye every few minutes. Yawn.

Not anyone who's got a pet, that's for fucking sure.

And horses owned for pleasure rather than work or farming are in the same category as cats and dogs- optional luxuries. Like fireworks.

Having been to a couple of quiet fireworks shows, they’re not as impressive in terms of the visuals. The colourful explosions are significantly smaller and so don’t have the same effect.

Ideal for back gardens but not for firework shows.

The last 5-10 years? Are you joking? I don’t even have a dog and know that’s absolute rubbish 🤣

More and more examples of Mumsnetters wanting to stop people having fun. Spurious reasons about H&S, noise or animals.
Live and let live? Tradition? Doesn't count Lets stop something!
Negative people and no resilience.

I’ve got 3 cats and two dogs. One is petrified of fireworks. But that’s not why I’d ban private displays. As i said upthread, there are things pet owners can do to mitigate the stress for small pets. Sedatives are available.

The impact on wildlife cannot be mitigated against.

Fireworks are a luxury that needlessly kills animals. But sure. Defend them to the hilt.

Your multiple pets are also bad for wildlife. I presume you'll claim to be a responsible owner, indoor cats etc, and maybe you'd be telling the truth, but the pet food industry alone does awful damage.

If wild animals are important enough for firework lovers to give up something they like, they're important enough for pet owners to give up something they like for the same reason.

In practice, attempts at banning either would be an incredibly stupid and unworkable idea, so obviously this is all moot anyway. But the hypocrisy of pet owners who have the cheek to talk about harm to wildlife is off the charts.

Becado se the places that do organised fireworks can afford those elaborate drone displays I imagine. I do agree that fireworks shouldn’t be sold to the general public. They were going off intermittently around here (sw London) most of last night. Luckily my dogs have never been bothered by them.

Cannot afford them!