To not want a NYE fireworks display outside my front door?

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

ARRRGGHH!!

Am fuming. DH took the dog out for a walk this morning and happening to notice a poster up advertising a big fireworks display to take place on our street on New Year's Eve, and inviting the whole town.

He went on the Community Association website and discovered that it was accurate, and there is a plan for a big event on our road and everyone is invited to bring their NYE parties along for the fireworks.

For background, we live on one of the mainish roads in our small town/large village. The road is about 3/4 residential, with 5 or 6 commercial properties as well, a chemist, hairdresser, etc. It's next to the river, hence the choice. However there is a big field elsewhere in the village that can be and is usually used for this type of event.

Because our house is right opposite the river, the event will be literally outside our door, with hundreds of people, mostly drunk probably, and extremely loud fireworks. We have two small children and a puppy.

At no point have residents been consulted about this at all, and we only found out about it by accident this morning, otherwise we would have been non the wiser.

AIBU to be absolutely fuming?

DH has rung the Community Association this morning and been completely and unapologetically fobbed off.

[PessaryPam]

So glad I do not live in the same village as the OP!

[PessaryPam]

I hope (gulp)

[Bilbobagginstummy]

Yanbu at all - I would be outraged too!

I live overlooking the local "community gathering" space and everyone gathers at midnight outside and the church bells are rung (that was a shock the first year I was here!). There are loads of events on in the year and I do get fed up when the road is blocked with no warning; we get notified of official closures but some events aren't official closures, you just can't move your car for the throng of people.

I am glad you are checking up the safety and licensing side: as someone has already said, the rules are there for a reason and particularly fireworks, drunkenness, cold, dark, river and traffic is a mix that needs careful handling.

If it goes ahead you'll probably have to put up with it and ideally take advantage of the view. But YANBU at all.

[PessaryPam]

Why don't you go back to town Bilbo?

[LadyBeagleBaublesandBells]

Pam.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

No idea what your point is, sorry, Pam.

[DoesntTurkeyNSproutSoupDragOn]

Really? I could work out her point.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Well we've heard back.

They hadn't bothered to do any kind of risk assessment.

They have now done one.

They haven't got official road closure because its too expensive, instead they plan to put unofficial road closed signs. No idea how legal this is, but from a safety perspective it's probably fine.

They have identified the risk to wildlife and their solution seems to involve swans, ducks etc all staying in one place once the fireworks have been sited. Not sure how cooperative the local bird population is going to be

They are passive aggressively "surprised" (ie offended) that we are questioning their ability to hold a safe and well organised event, despite justifying our concerns by not having done a risk assessment til yesterday.

What's most disappointing is that they have not even acknowledged our main issue being the fact that they didn't consider that it might be considerate not to invite the whole town to a 45 min party with music and fireworks right outside someone's front door without involving them at all. They've just ignored that part of DHs email completely. Definitely no sign of an apology!

[Bilbobagginstummy]

Care to explain, please, Turkey? I'm not actually a huge Hobbit fan in spite of the name so a reference may be over my head.

[Bilbobagginstummy]

Flowerytale - that doesn't sound much more satisfactory! Hope the various authorities will put them on the right track.

[bamboobutton]

Bilbo - i think they are insinuating that you are a city dweller that has moved to the country and are now moaning about country village things like church bells.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

The thing is, despite what some on this thread may think I am in fact a reasonable person.

What they could have said is:

"We realise it we should have informed local residents of our plans before going ahead, and sought their input, and we are sorry about that. We hope this risk assessment allays your concerns, however should you have concerns that have not been addressed, or wish to discuss it further, please do not hesitate to contact us"

If they'd said that, I would still not be overly happy about it, but would have been feeling much more mollified this morning than I am.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Sorry, there was an extra 'it' in there.

[quoteunquote]

you could make lots of jacket potatoes or hot dogs and make a fortune, selling them from your front door.

or sell these

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Loving your entrepreneurial spirit there quoteunquote !

[PessaryPam]

Bamboo - bingo!

[StanleyLambchop]

HOWEVER I would want assurances that the proper procedures have been followed, road closures, risk assessment, policing, insurance which will cover any damage caused to my property either by the fireworks or any people attending the event, somewhere other than my house available for toilets, and that there will be an efficient road cleaning crew out at 9am on NYD. I realise the last two are maybe cloud cookoo land, but you can at least ask.

This. I don't think UABU. Does anyone in the road have any medical conditions? My DD has a condition where she sometimes needs an ambulance , how would the emergancy services get to any of the residents, or the crowd, for that matter? If worrying about that would make me a NIMBY, then so be it.

[StanleyLambchop]

Are you going to have to move your car? I would not like mine to be left on a road used as a party zone. What if you had wanted to go out that night, and had come back to find you could not even drive up your road due to their 'unofficial' road closures that they had not informed the residents of? I think it is actually a very poor show on their behalf and you have every right to be annoyed.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Stanley we are lucky in that our house is actually on the corner with another road and we have a little drive accessed that way. Similarly in an emergency we could get out down that other lane as well, but some of our neighbours aren't as fortunate.

[MagicHouse]

Last year the neighbours had a few fireworks which disturbed my two very young children and I remember being a bit bah humbug about it!!!! But, really you expect a bit of noise on NYE.
Having said that, I don't think I'd be happy either with your event, especially like you say it seems to have been organised without much thought and without a risk assessment! But hopefully it will be done and dusted quickly on the night. People won't want to hang about in the freezing cold! And if your two wake up, chances are they'll love having a warm, close up view of it all!

[Bilbobagginstummy]

Bamboo - thanks. I thought it must have been something amusing I was missing as it was followed up by a big grin.

Um, no, Pam. Sorry to disappoint you but your insult/joke/whatever is neither funny nor accurate.

[PessaryPam]

We have become so totally risk averse in the UK. Suggest the OP and other like minded never travel to other countries where fireworks are commonly let off and enjoyed by the inhabitants.

[TeamBacon]

YANBU at all.. I can picture the set up - sounds like the river front near us. Row of houses, narror pavement, road, then river. There's loads of places like that near us.

Where exactly are they going to be setting off the fireworks if the road is full of people? What happens if there is an accident? Don't public fireworks displays have to have first aid and procedure in place should anything happen?

I think I'd be ringing the local fire station and asking them to do a risk assessment. Its probably going to be fine, but my issue with this would be safety.

[flowerytaleofNewYork]

Are fireworks not commonly let off and enjoyed in this country?

[TeamBacon]

Ah, that'll teach me to only read half the thread :)