Bloody fireworks

[givemushypeasachance]

AIBU to think late October and early November has become one big 'firework season' and it's inconsiderate? There were scattered outbursts of fireworks last night, and lots going off in the local area tonight - no doubt there will be more on and off till Thursday when there will be loads, then more again on Friday and Saturday - I've seen adverts for formal displays both this weekend and next weekend. Why does it have to be spread out over a period of ten days? I've got two cats who are scared of the loud noises, and one is still outside somewhere hopefully cowering in a hedge rather than being scared into bolting for a road or getting lost. It's just fucking antisocial. I don't want to stop people having their fun, but even if it was just limited to the 5th and the closest weekend that would make it easier to prepare for and to try to keep pets inside once it gets dark - but it seems to get longer every year.

[CMOTDibbler]

My mum who has dementia is terrified of the noise of fireworks. She can't understand what is going on and is crying atm. She can't express what she thinks is happening, and can't understand what dad is trying to say.

One or two nights, dad would put her to bed at 7 to hope she sleeps through it all, but for two weeks it would run the risk of her starting to get up at 2am which is a massive falls risk for her.

I like fireworks, I really do, but on Nov 5th and the nearest Fri/Sat only please.

[RaphaellaTheSpanishWaterDog]

So very sorry to hear about your friend's dog Greydog

They've started here again - around 6pm and have been going strong ever since with an especially explosive outburst as I post this......grrrr!

One of our dogs is particularly sensitive and will bark for an hour or more if spooked once they are shut into their supposedly safe haven of the utility room at about 11pm. They have cosy crates - doors open - and doggy duvets under the worktop, but despite having these 'dens' a single bang will set her off. As we prefer not to go back into the room once they are settled for the night (making a rod for your own back as my mum would have said!), she is left to bark in the hope that she'll settle back down.......luckily our neighbours are some distance away! We don't want to start letting them sleep upstairs on the second floor with us (anyway one cannot manage the stairs and is too heavy for me to lift) as we've never allowed them on the beds etc and I know DH wouldn't be able to resist!

Think I might try leaving a radio on in the room for them tonight.

[Topseyt]

Whilst I do enjoy a good fireworks display, I think that they should be banned from sale to the general public.

They should be available to licensed displays only. They are just far too dangerous, especially when they fall into the hands of the local yobs, who have been known to chuck them under cars which are driving along, and to sometimes even set them off in broad daylight too.

I have never bought fireworks beyond a small packet of sparklers for the children. I never will. DH takes them to the local Round Table display, and I stay at home supervising my poor labrador, who tries to burrow through walls, doors and floors in his terror of them. I do also have a cocker spaniel who isn't bothered by them at all and would put her head out of the cat flap to watch.

[limitedperiodonly]

That's kind of what I think theycallmemellojello. My cat isn't nervous. I sometimes wish he was because some people wish harm to cats and he'd go to them because he thinks everyone is his friend.

But if he was nervous about loud noises I'd hold him on my lap or give him a blanket to hide under in a dark, quiet room.

[theycallmemellojello]

I've got a cat in London, heard lots of fireworks last night - never occurred to me to be annoyed that other people are not organising their lives around my cat! If you keep a cat in a town then you accept that there are hazards - loud noises, cars and so on. YABU.

[Greydog]

I've just had the worst news from a pal of mine - her greyhound was spooked by a load of fireworks last night, and fell, breaking his proximal humerus (?SP) anyway he was in so much pain, that he's been put down. Family are beside themselves. I fucking hate fireworks

[WaggleBee]

Organised displays only would be really good. Then it'd only be between certain hours not random ones going off at 2am etc and you know which nights. Surely that'd keep everyone happy.

[WaggleBee]

Why do they have to be so loud? A whistle or a crackle is ok or even a little bang but they're huge booms now. They terrify all types of animals, wildlife, animals in zoos, pets. It's horrible.

My dog's fear makes him bark very loudly. One bang will put him on edge so every tiny noise then sets him off. He shakes, leans against you, ears pinned back, eyes scared. Plus I am very ill atm and his barking and the bangs give me really bad headaches that last hours. Dealing with one night of that is manageable but weeks of it is too much.

[WallToWallBastards]

Oh God fireworks are a nightmare. They send my anxiety through the roof. A work colleague with PTSD had an episode thanks to daytime fireworks, it was so scary :( sick of kids chucking them about, damaging property with them. It wouldn't be too bad if it wasn't constant from the end of October til January.

[Arcadia]

Still going. Police can act if loud music after 11 or so, why should this be different?

[Arcadia]

Yanbu I am really pissed off, sitting in my kitchen having a snack and mumsnetting due to fireworks waking me an hour ago and going on ever since. It is like new year! We live in a quiet residential family area. DD will be getting me up in about 6 hours. I don't mind new year as one off but this is annoying!

[Dollymixtureyumyum]

Sorry about typos and my appalling punctuation I just can't get to grips with typing on a phone

[Dollymixtureyumyum]

It's alright to say you it's bonfire night so expect fireworks displays and yes I agree with that, but on the whole with the exception of new year organised displays finish at a reasonable time. Also organised displays are advertised so people in advance know to keep there pets in and maybe try to delay bedtime for little ones half an hour or so.
Round us It's mainly kids letting them off around us late. How are these kids getting hold of them so easily and are shops who sell them to underage kids being prosecuted.
Organised displays should be the only places fireworks are allowed and I know some people will moan about the cost but it is a lot cheaper then buying your own fireworks!! I have never actually paid to get in an organised display. If you stand near enough you will see them. (But my parents where cheapsakes and now so am I
And accidents from fireworks would near enough be wiped out.
Not to mention garden fireworks are crap!!!

[DontStopBelievin]

I'm badly asthmatic and one of my triggers is the smoke from fireworks which means once it's dark I'm literally housebound

OK, I'm genuinely not trying to sound flippant or uncaring, as I suffer from multiple allergies and intolerances myself and know what it's like to have to avoid things.
Curious, though. How are you literally housebound once the dark rolls round from October until February?!
The smoke from fireworks you would have to be pretty close to to react to them. It doesn't just hover in the air in great swathes over cities/villages.
The smoke is non existent unless you're practically (not literally) on top of them.

[Tartyflette]

Huh? Fireworks can and do injure people every year and a few years ago now a man was killed while setting off a large one. (imported from China afaicr.)

[Starsignsharer]

Were i live Fireworks are sold from 15th October until Mid January, I'm badly asthmatic and one of my triggers is the smoke from fireworks which means once it's dark I'm literally housebound. It's been ok this year as I have a 4month old but this time next year I'll be back at work coming home after 7pm, I'm dreading it. It seems to get worse every year here. DD isn't bothered by them but I have an indoor cat that was badly abused before we got her she's terrified and hiding under the bed. Its 11.20pm and they're still going off, didn't stop til midnight last night.

[limitedperiodonly]

It's not that big a bang.

I went to the Imperial War Museum's simulation of being in a bunker in the Blitz.

It was quite cosy but we were only there for 10 minutes, not 12 or more hours.

And then, at the end of it the bunker shook with the horrific replication of an explosion.

My mum, who went through it, said it was an accurate representation.

She said that fireworks are not the same.

[DontStopBelievin]

The weekend before and after Bonfire Night you have to expect that there will be Bonfire Night firework displays, especially when it falls in the middle of the week.
The displays are going to be on either weekend either side.
Why moan and groan at ones going off this weekend when it's Bonfire Night in a few days? Surely you realised that?!
The weekend before and after are obviously going to be firework heavy.

[DontStopBelievin]

YANBU hate fireworks they terrify me


Why? Genuinely curious. They can't do you any harm.

[ElementaryMyDear]

In my area the fireworks are down to the ending of the World Cup. Could it be the same with you?

[BabyGanoush]

People are on the whole more selfish and less considerate now.

Some big fireworks event last year close to fields got 3 ewes tangled into the barbed wire in a panic, and 8 horses in the area escaped, pushing through their fences in a panic.

It was a nightmare for the farmers and horse owners who were not warned about it.

Some of the townies tutted about the fuss the farmer made.

Clueless and ignorant.

Gets worse every year indeed

[TamzinGrey]

Loads of fireworks going off here. Our old cat couldn't care less, but we live quite close to a big cat sanctuary and the lions are making one hell of a racket. No doubt all of the farm animals round here are terrified - they've got lions roaring as well as fireworks to contend with.

[limitedperiodonly]

A big bang went off just now

[limitedperiodonly]

Some nights it sounds like a war zone

Have you or your pets lived in a war zone?

[pictish]

I love them and find the fizz pop bang a cheering, autumnal festive sound.
I know they can be a pain for pet owners and I do sympathise...no one wants to see their pet in distress.
But I haven't got one so fireworks don't bother me. I dash round the windows and go outside to see if I can see them.