To want fireworks banned from public sale?

[JellyDiamonds]

I'm not a killjoy, but I'm sitting here with a fucking terrified dog. He is not a dog who scares easily, but it sounds like the Blitz out there tonight I've got the TV turned up loud to drown out the sound, I've shut the curtains and he is still cowering in the corner. Not even the lure of a treat is bringing him out.

It's the same every year, selfish fuckers buying bombs to set off in their gardens with little consideration for neighbours with pets and young children. At least pets have shelter from it though, farm animals and wildlife don't.

In fact I hate the entire concept of bonfire night really. Burning a catholic on a bonfire. How is that still acceptable in 2014.

Just go to a public display and stop inflicting this noise on your neighbours please!

[AnyoneForTardis]

fukity fuckity fuckity fucking fricking foreworks.

theyre not firworks theyre bloody bombs!

when the fuck are they gonna stop?

Ive got a dicky heart and the sudden explosions are not bloody helping.

bloody fucking anti social nasty things.

SHUT THE FUCK UP!

[Greengardenpixie]

and if we're going on the safety angle, then I want dogs phased out Stat! 200,000 people a year bitten in the UK, with over 6,000 hospital admissions. Plus their sh1te being left in parks and on pavements.
Totally agree with this.

[ChoochiWoo]

Council regulated displays have decreased a lot in the last decade, so people will look elsewhere. Although really powerful ones shouldn't be allowed to be on public sale, its dangerous plus my neighbour had some last night, sounded like bombs going off.

[alemci]

we had some last night in the garden. they were over by 7.30 and were mostly Traffic lights types. i don't like noisy ones. my ds likes helping with his dad and inlaws came. i bought them.

i hate crowded displays.

[TaliZorahVasNormandy]

My Neighbours also had massive fireworks too, pissed me right off.

[ourbabybeau]

There were fireworks going off in the field behind our back garden tonight- the house was actually shaking and the inconsiderate twat was letting them off when their is animals kept in the field next to it. I snitched to the farmer who owned said fields- so hopefully the tosser will of had a mouthful by now.

I don't have anything against organised displays- but letting them off for over two weekends in back gardens is just fucking ridiculous. Bonfire night is ONE night- not two fucking weekends of endless parties so you can show off to your friends.

[sickntiredtoo]

I like fireworks, although I would support a ban on selling to under 21s
Since when should pets come before people!

[Boleh]

Making them illegal won't make them safer. They are illegal here in Malaysia, still set off at every possible occasion in the road outside people's houses only they are illegally aquired dodgy Chinese imports, totally unsafe.

Personally I love them but at Chinese New Year it is absolutely bonkers from dusk to dawn. A lot of people who don't enjoy it just leave for the main evening - if I did that I'd be worried about damage to the car and house in my absence though.

Keeping them legal and well regulated and as far as possible encouraging people to go to organised displays seems more sensible.

[londonlivvy]

Well most public displays are late - not starting til 730 or 8, which is too late for our DD. They are also very very big, very crowded and loud, which I think would be terrifying for her. So I think that a few gentle fireworks at 6pm in our garden is a good compromise and hardly an unreasonable stance. We didn't do this in the end, because hubby went out, but that was the plan.

In the end, dd was awake anyway til 930pm cos of all the fireworks. Sigh.

[JustAShopGirl]

I hate all the air pollution too - you can taste it in the air this morning - foul...

[sniffle12]

Tbh why focus just on noise? They're dangerous, hurt people and animals, put a strain on the emergency services, pollute, litter, exacerbate respiratory conditions... I don't see any reason not to limit them to organised displays at set times (bonfire night/new year's/religious festivals).

[sniffle12]

Not to mention one just went off while I was writing that... this isn't the celebration of a popular festival, this is just an excuse for people (usually the least sensible people) to play with exploding toys for two weeks.

[mytitiferssungtheirsong]

I read this thread last night and agreed with OP. Now sitting having my dinner having put dd to bed at 7 and agree with OP - like the bloody blitz out there! The neighbours must have burnt at least £100 at the rate they are going. I can see no joy in this. It is noisy, expensive, dangerous and just flipping annoying to listen to when I am just trying to relax on a Sunday night.

Keep it safely to public displays I say!

Grrr purses lips into shape of a dogs bum

[ravenAK]

I love fireworks. They make me smile. I know they're horrible for pets (ours aren't bothered by them, but I'm aware that many are), cause litter, create unnecessary work for the Fire Brigade - but I really, really enjoy them.

& yet I've got to the age of nearly 44 without ever putting a match to one, or it ever occurring to me to buy them.

Because a) there are loads of free public displays I can go to & take my dc b) I don't actually even need to leave the house - I can currently see a load going off outside - have opened the curtains to enjoy &
c) it is manifestly irresponsible for me, as a private householder with neighbours I don't wish to upset, to start dicking about with explosives in the back garden...

I'd restrict their sale such that you at least had to fill in a form saying when & where you proposed using them, with space requirements & a curfew, & that you had read & understood the instructions. Legal comeback if you then set them off other than in the circumstances you'd put on the form & a complaint was made. Might make people take them slightly more seriously, at least.

[LilMissSunshine9]

And how many of you moaning actually signed the petition?

[thoughtsbecomethings]

I too totally agree that they should be banned from public sale, due to the random setting them off and terrifying nearly all animals, and the cost of them.

[mrsannekins]

Oh, I'm definitely with you OP. We've had 9 nights now of random bangs of various degrees of loudness, and I'm fed up.

I'm all for the large displays, don't get me wrong, I think they are lovely, but I think fireworks shouldn't be on sale to the public at all, and displays should be licensed, and controlled.

The wanker across the road from us had a display in his garden last weekend, and we actually had rockets hitting our windows, and the road outside our house was littered with rocket casings, and unexploded powder.

[ravenAK]

Didn't know about the petition, LilMissSunshine9.

Not moaning - I like fireworks. I make a responsible decision to leave setting them off to other people, preferably people who know what they're doing & have a non-residential space to do it in.

I think it would be sensible for others to voluntarily do likewise &, given that some won't, I would welcome some degree of restriction on their sale to the public, on the grounds of common sense.

But I've got a longish list of things I'm much more bothered by, if I'm honest! .

[FlankShaftMcWap]

We have spent a portion of this evening trying to catch a heifer who was so panicked by the noise of fireworks that she managed to get over the shed gates, injuring herself in the process, and ran blindly down the road completely distraught. Dangerous for her, dangerous for us trying to round her up and frankly distressing to see her in that state for the sake of amusement. Days after the so called event. Could have done without it tbh. We know to prepare for the 5th and it's usually quite grim but should we have to write off the entire autumn because people decide that one night just isn't enough for them?

[GuiltyAsAGirlCanBe]

A firework veered into the crowd at an organised display and hit me in the side of the face/neck when I was a teenager. Luckily the burns were superficial and didn't scar. If I had been facing it I could have been blinded.

I can't believe they sell them to every tom dick and Harry either.

[SeymoreButts]

Apologies if this has been said upthread but in some parts of Australia backyard fireworks have been banned. In NSW you can get a licence for a one off display but it is heavily regulated and has to be approved by the state. As far as I'm aware they don't grant the licences to individuals but rather schools, businesses etc. A certified provider then handles the display for you. I was surprised at first, and I do miss the 5th November celebrations, but I absolutely think it's the right way to go.

[EmilyGilmore]

How about a quid pro quo: no more fireworks when pet owners stop allowing their dogs/cats to piss/shit outdoors, on pavements and in parks. I don't care if you pick it up, some will remain on the grass where I want to play with my toddler or enjoy a picnic but can't because I'm so revolted by the sight of your dog crapping wherever it likes. As for standing there watching while your mutt pees against my wall - how about you teach it to pee/shit in your own garden or on your own doorstep so I don't have to witness it, smell it or guide my children away from it.

What do you reckon? Do we have a deal? Thought not. And pet owners think the rest of us are anti-social for letting off a few fireworks - you know, with which to entertain actual human beings.

[ravenAK]

Ahem. Not being a particularly yee-haw fan of the not overly bright playing with small bombs in tiny gardens does not necessarily equate to a love of dogshit.

Fireworks are great - but the stick has to come down somewhere; dogs are also great - but they do have to take the occasional crap which someone has to clean up.

To be fair, though, if I wanted a dog, which I don't, it'd be quite hard to convincingly replicate dog ownership via an annual local dog display, whereas I can watch as many fireworks as anyone could reasonably desire by popping to the park or just looking out of the window.