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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think ''Chinese Lanterns'' should be banned?

135 replies

ThatGingerOne · 28/10/2016 00:19

Seen several posts now of horses being horrifically injured from the lanterns landing on them. Other stories of course about them starting fires too. Does anyone else agree they're too dangerous to be used?

OP posts:
GoulashSoup · 28/10/2016 08:36

YANBU they are dangerous. Dangerous enough that other countries have banned them (Australia, Austria and Germany). They have caused huge fires such as the on in the Midlands. Farmers and animal welfare groups have called for them to be banned even the bamboo ones. They cause problems for the coast guard as they can be confused for distress flares, there have been incidents of unnecessary call outs. Some coast guards ask to be informed of releases because of this. They have also been banned in certain areas because of risk to aircraft. There are also the incidents of people being injured (including facial burns) while setting them off.

All of that countered against the fact that they look pretty, it's a bit of a no brainer for me.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 28/10/2016 08:38

They are a nightmare round here, a popular music festival used to let them off in a Sunday night until one year one landed on one of the many thatched cottages in the village, they don't allow them any more

Imsickofnamechanging · 28/10/2016 08:45

DS was given a Chinese lantern for his 8th birthday, by one of his friends Confused. It had a big label on it that said not suitable for anyone under 16. DS obviously couldn't set it up or play with it,when I mentioned this to the mum,she said knew, but her DS had personally picked it as he felt his friend would definitely like it Confused. There's just no sense in some people.

JedRambosteen · 28/10/2016 09:30

Yep, ban them. I've seen news stories about children and adults suffering horrendous burns too, as everyone is looking up at the lanterns if the wind shifts & the molten accelerant spills. The risks to animal life and property fires are also unacceptable.

AlmaMartyr · 28/10/2016 09:32

Yes, they should be banned. No idea why they haven't been already.

Maudlinmaud · 28/10/2016 10:22

They are released where I am at Halloween, we see them climbing off into the sky and it had worried me. But reading this thread has really opened my eyes to the dangers.
What if one came down on my roof etc
I noticed yesterday they are being sold in our local shop, so no doubt my anxiety will go through the roof monday night.

LyndaNotLinda · 28/10/2016 10:27

They are floating fireballs DoinItFine. I think the idea is that the hot air takes them up high enough so that they burn out without touching anything. But unfortunately that isn't always what happens.

There really should be a nationwide ban.

LumelaMme · 28/10/2016 10:43

I'm not usually big on banning things but these need to go. Dangerous to animals, fire hazard etc. They look beautiful, but should only ever be let off on the coast, with a stiff offshore breeze and the coastguard forewarned. And people won't do that, so the only solution is a ban.

Original poster
ThatGingerOne · 28/10/2016 10:50

LumelaMme The problem with only letting them off on the coast though is that maybe the direction of the wind will send them the way you want but the debris still lands and poses a hazard even if its not on fire.

OP posts:
squoosh · 28/10/2016 10:53

They're very pretty but you're right them being pretty is nothing compared to the harm they can do to wildlife.

britnay · 28/10/2016 10:53

off the coast? so that they can cause damage to marine life or birds?!

WiltingTulip · 28/10/2016 10:55

Don't release them over the ocean- there's enough pollution killing sea life without adding more bits of wire Shock

WaitrosePigeon · 28/10/2016 10:57

I agree. I can't believe it's still allowed.

Seekingadvice123 · 28/10/2016 11:00

Anyone who lets one of these things off must be thick beyond belief

Cherrysoup · 28/10/2016 11:00

Don't think they're banned in all of Oz, that's where my friend did a mass release last month :(

To think ''Chinese Lanterns'' should be banned?
EnormousDormouse · 28/10/2016 11:05

I work at Pi!ton. I hate seeing the lanterns as you can imagine what it's like when they land in a densely tented area. Me and a couple of crew ended up dashing through one of the backstage areas as one was coming down still alight. We managed to get it off someone's shelter before damage was done.

LarrytheCucumber · 28/10/2016 11:12

Totally agree that they should be banned.
Also helium balloons, even biodegradable ones.

BertrandRussell · 28/10/2016 11:16

I think they are incredibly beautiful. But they should be banned. They are so dangerous and polluting. And so should helium balloons. Because of the danger to wildlife, the litter, and the fact that there is (bizarrely enough) a helium shortage.

GoulashSoup · 28/10/2016 11:22

Cherry, you are sort of right. They are banned from sale but not use. So it's not illegal to set them off, only to sell them. That is according to Wikipedia so may not be 100% accurate.

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 28/10/2016 11:49

There was a lot on the news about wildlife extinction yesterday.
Fire lanterns aren't helping.

CatchIt · 28/10/2016 11:53

Totally agree, horses wear rugs in the winter and these can go up like a torch if a lantern lands on them.

It's not just horses, the wire in them can end up in hay or silage and cause catastrophic injuries.

I so, so wish they would get banned.

Pineapplemilkshake · 28/10/2016 11:57

That's a heartbreaking picture Cherry, there should be more awareness of the dangers to wildlife etc.

Jessesbitch · 28/10/2016 12:28

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-23123549

Ban them!

Sciurus83 · 28/10/2016 12:45

Couldn't agree more, lanterns and balloons. Surely we can come up with celebration ideas that don't cause this amount of damage to the environment, I like the bubble idea very much

orangebird69 · 28/10/2016 12:48

Yanbu at all. They should be banned along with balloon releases and fireworks for sale to the general public.