Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wish fireworks for home use were banned?

246 replies

ValiantMouse · 06/11/2015 19:57

People have been letting them off for over a week now. I'm sitting in my house and it sounds like the Battle of Britain is going on outside, mainly thanks to one neighbour who thinks it's ace to let off very powerful fireworks. I really hate it, my nerves are shot and if it's anything like last night, it'll be midnight before they stop.

AIBU?

OP posts:
tywinlannister · 07/11/2015 00:00

YANBU. At all.

In 2002 a group of boys were throwing fireworks at people getting off the bus and walking across the green. I called the police, they didn't come. 2 hours later a boy was dead after being hit by a firework.

And yet STILL, in 2015, there are children throwing fireworks in to the road, at alexandra palace one year one was thrown at a train, a police officer was hit last week. Age restrictions mean nothing when kids can just take them from home.

TBH I care nothing for losing the right to buy explosives so that children can throw them at me as I innocently go about my business.

m1nniedriver · 07/11/2015 00:10

i wasn't suggesting your cat is thick, it's a cat Hmm I was trying to be helpful Shock

BillBrysonsBeard · 07/11/2015 00:20

Totally agree OP.. It's dangerous and anti-social. Babies and pets disturbed, nervous people on edge.. My neighbour let a rocket off in his garden once, instead of going up it went sideways into our garden and swooshed past my 10 year old face narrowly missing it! Too many amateurs about. Organised displays only..

HelenaDove · 07/11/2015 00:29

Sorry Minnie Its just it sets me on edge every year. We live in a very built up area. Blocks of flats. Not a suitable place for fireworks.

ScouseQueen · 07/11/2015 00:42

YANBU. It was bloody ridiculous around my house last night. The cats were terrified and they were going off so close to the house that DS, who likes fireworks, was saying they were scaring him. We have a very good free local display and the risk of serious injury or death, when you don't have to miss out on seeing them because of the displays, is too high.

wanderingwondering · 07/11/2015 00:49

Yab a bit u. I am torn. We have a dog who is not keen on fireworks and children who adore them. One of the highlights of their year is sitting in the conservatory whilst daddy sets off some garden fireworks.

I think there should be restrictions and that only smaller, quieter ones should be purchased for home use. I also wonder if they should be banned apart from bonfire night itself and the weekend either side.
Although I do like watching them on New Years eve...
Splinters in my arse!

Hoplikeabunny · 07/11/2015 00:51

YANBU- Happy to have a 'nanny state' if they control things like this. It makes no sense whatsoever to allow untrained people play with explosives. You have to have a driving licence to drive a car- yet you can merrily buy and set off fireworks with no training at all?! You're even allowed to set them off while intoxicated if you wish! It's absolutely crazy. Besides, Guy Fawkes failed his mission, so why do we even make a big deal about it?!

I like fireworks, but am 100% behind the idea that they should be organised displays by professionals on pre-agreed dates.

Costacoffeeplease · 07/11/2015 00:56

I'm so glad I now live in a country where fireworks are for organised displays, and where bonfire night isn't celebrated. There are a few at new year and local feast days, but they are organised displays - and that's it - no garden displays hosted by idiots - bliss

Cocothecat · 07/11/2015 01:00

YANBU! As a teenager I witnessed a little girl receive a terrible burn when one exploded in her face. She spent weeks in a burns unit in a lot of pain. It kind of put me off ever since...

And the thing is, this was not a bunch of drunk teens that caused this. It was at a family fireworks evening, with fireworks being lit by sensible adults, well away from houses. She snuck up behind her father as he lit one, he stepped away and it went off in her face. It took a second & her face was a mess.

wasonthelist · 07/11/2015 01:03

Yabu. A ban would be unenforcable, with the result that decent folk would have their enjoyment curtailed and the idiots would continue. It might be an idea to limit the power and loudness and it would certainly be a good target for a bit more tax.

Costacoffeeplease · 07/11/2015 01:11

Why would it be unenforceable? It's managed perfectly well here, fireworks are not for sale in any normal shops, and to buy them from an approved supplier you need a licence - hardly rocket science Grin

GinBunny · 07/11/2015 01:17

I signed the petition - no point in signing it now, the government have come back and said there are enough restrictions in place. Well, enough to them anyway.

I used to love fireworks until I got a dog. Now from 5pm until gone midnight they are going off and he goes batshit - he's not scared so nothing the vet can help with, he just barks. At every single bang. We've tried a ThunderShirt, Calmex and an Adaptil collar, all no help.

So fine, keep with the fireworks for home use but why can't they just be the pretty ones that are all colourful and ban the noisy ones except for public displays? That would be a compromise surely, then all those that want to have a home display can have them but they don't make the god-awful noise that stresses little uns, pets and parents of both?

lampygirl · 07/11/2015 01:17

I have a pyrotechnics ticket. I hate badly done garden fireworks. I don't mind them as a thing but if one more bit of debris lands in my garden because someone can't work out the wind direction and expected fallout zone and go round to pick them up I'm tempted to fire one through their letterbox...

My dog isn't bothered by them. We have a professional display on the 5th in the field behind my house, and I'm working at one tomorrow. Organised displays to music etc are much better to watch

shadowfax07 · 07/11/2015 02:37

Gin if people continue to sign the petition, and it gets to 100,00 signatures, then it will be debated in Parliament. Here's the link, it's worth a read of the government response.

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/109702

Quite frankly, II think that not selling fireworks from the 15th October, but from the 30th October would be a major step forward. I also don't understand why younwould wanr to buy fireworks to celebrate Guy Fawkes night on the 10th November. It's interesting to see how much leeway is given for Bonfire night as opposed to Diwali and the Chinese new year. All three should be treated equally.

WallToWallBastards · 07/11/2015 03:57

It's nearly 4am and they're still going off Angry my neighbour has PTSD and I'm very concerned about him now

Wagglebees · 07/11/2015 05:16

YANBU

Public licensed displays on the 5th of November and the nearest Saturday only would be ideal. At the very last they need to completely ban those ones that sound like small bomb going off. They don't make any sparkles just an enormous boom and tend to be set off randomly on their own at 2am. Angry

I've spent Thursday evening and yesterday from
4.30om, shut in a room with my dog barking constantly, who only paused to pant and look at me wildly. The tv or radio has also been on loudly. I have a chronic illness and the past two nights have left me very ill indeed. I literally can't bare much more but I guess it'll be the same again tonight.

It's a certain type of person who likes big loud bangs and shiny things more than being thoughtful to others.

Wagglebees · 07/11/2015 05:17

Excuse the spelling and grammatical mistakes. My brain is fried.

kinkytoes · 07/11/2015 05:42

Thanks for posting the petition shadow. I do think they missed a trick though as clearly it wouldn't just benefit animals, but many people too.

Stanky · 07/11/2015 05:50

YANBU

ShelaghTurner · 07/11/2015 08:23

YABU. I am utterly with Soupdragon. From the week before Halloween to new year, MN is one mass of unrelenting misery. Complaining about everything, moaning about everyone. None of this is new. I'm 44 and remember fireworks going off for weeks yet to listen to some of you, you'd think they were invented yesterday.

Luckily RL people seem to be more measured in their responses.

FindoGask · 07/11/2015 08:28

I agree too. You should only be able to buy them with a licence to use at planned events for a certain number of people. They are dangerous and frightening for many, not just animals: I work with vulnerable adults and I know several who are basically prisoners inside their housesat night at this time of year because they're so frightened of gangs of young people letting them off in their neighbourhoods.

kinkytoes · 07/11/2015 08:39

Easy to see who are the selfish ones on this thread. No consideration for others whatsoever.

Bunbaker · 07/11/2015 08:45

Soupdragon and Shelagh it was mayhem in parts of Sheffield on bonfire night. A policeman was injured, a police car was set on fire, fireworks were hurled at houses and passing cars.

There were far too many people who had access to fireworks who shouldn't have been. This was a small minority of people but that is all you need to cause this kind of trouble.

I still think that fireworks should only be sold to people who have a licence to buy them.

wasonthelist · 07/11/2015 08:46

I do sympathise with people who are distressed or even just annoyed by fireworks and there are actions that probably could and should be taken. I am against the idea that selfish behaviour of some participants justifies a ban on everyone. For it to work, it would require widespread support, and although it is clearly very popular on here, the preponderance of fireworks suggests less so in the country as a whole.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 07/11/2015 08:49

yanbu, unless they restricted home sales to small fireworks suitable for the average urban garden. There is no way that people can manage the safe distances that are stated on the packaging in our area.