Fireworks at home - who should ‘win’?

[handsfree]

I love an organised display as much as the next person, but HATE fireworks at home. I think it’s dangerous, not nice for neighbours, not nice for pets, but mostly, it’s dangerous!!

Dh always had fireworks at home when he was a kid, it’s a very fond memory for him. He has just got back from work with a load of fireworks in his boot. We have two children, 6 and 3, and he is keen to put a display in in the garden for him. He knows how I feel about it but apparently thought I just ‘wasn’t a fan’ rather than being vehemently against it.

Now he’s saying why should he not get to do this as it’s a lovely memory for him just because I don’t like it (I didn’t actually say he couldn’t do it, just reiterated how strongly I feel about it) So we both feel very strongly about this but in completely opposite directions....... who gets to choose?!?

I have two cats. Both are quite timid. They find a place to hide just like they do when we vacuum. Should I stop vacuuming? 🙄

So now some posters think it's OK to take out the failings of the owner on the animal? So if a neighbour has a noisy dog or a cat shits in your garden you'd just nip round and terrify it for revenge rather than speak to the owner or the relevant authorities? That's acceptable now is it?!

Yes, bonfire night is once a year, one night out of 365. However the fireworks aren't just one night are they? I'm sat with two TVs on, loud, a radio on in the kitchen and one in the hall. I've got one sedated dog who's laying across my lap, still shaking and barking at each bang, and another sat on my feet shaking each time the other one starts - second dog is deaf but she's stressed because of the other dogs stress. Oh and look at the date the FOURTH of November, not the fifth! And this is the third night this week they've been this consistent. First night was Tuesday Halloween, then last night, now tonight and then there'll be tomorrow. So it's not one night is it? It's been nigh on a week now, so the argument that it's only one night a year is not really valid because it's not. At the very least having to apply for a licence to have a display, and having to have it on the specified date, and prove you're responsible enough to do it properly, stops 'bonfire week/fortnight' then I'm for it.

Your last sentence should apply equally to pet ownership Beerwench

Evelyn - yes it should. I'm all for shitty pet owners being held to account and for people actually taking responsibility for their animals and looking after them properly.
But that's another topic, have my second dog and my pony because they needed rehoming and I had the room, means and knowledge. But it's still not the animals fault is it, and using the argument that the owner fails to care for or contain the animal correctly, so my revenge is to terrify it, as has been here, is foul.

I don’t put on a fireworks display with my neighbours for the sole purpose of frightening a cat. As I said earlier we tell everyone else in the area when we’re doing it, they can either come round and watch or if they have pets they know to bring them in. I thought that was the done thing. But no, I don’t feel guilty about a cat being frightened for 20 minutes a year. Just as I’m sure it’s owner couldn’t give a toss about the cat shit.

Pretty sure nobody's really said that though Beer only that when someone's cat shits in your garden every day and they couldn't care less the owner's protests won't be as high up your list of priorities asshe might otherwise be.

We have some fireworks and a bonfire in the garden every year. About 10-15 minutes worth of the fireworks, we all have food and drink and sit round the bonfire. I have two grown up step children, and a 16 year old and they and their friends all love it, as do we.

We now have huge rockets going off over long blocks of flats and a car park. Homes very close to each other.

I'm with you op. Would support a ban too. Friend is an A and E nurse with plenty of tales of awful injuries.
Our big, local display is a couple of quid which goes to charity. Everyone's a winner.

Our big, local display is a couple of quid which goes to charity. Everyone's a winner

Not if it isn't accessible to wheelchairs, or if it's too loud for many children to cope with, or if the adults without kids push to the front and the children can't anywhere near the viewing area. We've experienced that at various organised events and those kids who can't go shouldn't have to miss out.

As I mentioned upthread, a compromise of low noise/no noise smaller fireworks in a back garden seems reasonable.

I remember going to a big Bonfire Night event in the very early 80s The bonfire was lit by Jon Pertwee dressed as Worzel Gummidge.

I'm kind of 50/50 on this. I have really fond memories of all my family in the garden, with hot chocolates and hotdogs watching fireworks on bonfire night and having sparklers. It was always a really special, fun night.

I also remember frequent near-misses, adults returning to fireworks that hadn't gone off properly etc too though. And now as an adult with small DC in bed early I do find them a bit annoying. It's horrible for people who have scared pets not to mention people like ex-forces who have PTSD.

If I had to choose, I'd probably fall on the side of organised displays only and a ban on their sale for home use keeping the memories as something 'we used to do way back when'.

Just had a ‘discussion’ with dh where he’s tripping around saying well we shouldn’t take the kids in the car, or in rollercoasters etc then if we don’t want to put them at any risk of injuries......
This was after me saying ok for this year but the dc would have to watch from inside - apparently this would spoil it

Tripping = stropping!

I agree with your OH, OP.

I really really wish they would ban unlicensed firework sales. Absolutely hate them, you don’t know who is buying them and what they will be doing with them. Kids can get hold of them / people do unspeakable things to animals with them.

This cannot be a saving money thing for families as displays only cost about £4 (and less for children) and fireworks are expensive!

Show him this from last year.

Family in the garden, all behaving, using fireworks exactly as they should. Lit the fireworks.

Except one shot out SIDEWAYS and got caught in the little girls scarf........ just imagine the pure horror of that happening.

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10155288260374690&id=502809689

TBH, the arguments about "ooh well you accept the risks from cars" etc seem a bit woolly headed to me. Well no, many people don't just "accept" that irresponsible fuckers can mow down pedestrians as they wish. That's why driving tests have become ever more stringent over the years - because a large number of people really should not be in charge of a ton of moving metal.

Risks that mostly affect yourself are one thing. Risks that affect others, especially children, are quite rightly regarded as significantly more serious.

One reason people are less educated about risks and about how to assess them, is that in any social discussion about risk some fecker will thunder in bellowing about how offensive it is that anyone is even having this discussion you bunch of lily livered nanny staters blah blah blah. (Deliberately not using terms used in this thread so far to avoid making this about particular posters).

debbs77 thank you for sharing, such an awful and completely avoidable accident.

I don’t understand the argument upthread about people without children going to the front so the children can’t see. Fireworks are in the sky? It doesn’t mater if you’re at the front or not. Maybe for a few Catherine wheels but that’s surely about all they could miss.

And disability access? Well I have been to plenty of displays put on at schools where there was more than enough areas where someone in a wheelchair could be. Again, they are in the sky so unless there is a massive hill or loads of stairs to get to the general area (which I have never seen) I don’t understand how a firework display wouldn’t have disability access.

I think they should be sold under licence. You must have completed some sort of safety course, maybe the fire brigade could regulate them?

I have a new build house with a to garden and there's no way you could safely have a bonfire or fireworks here.

*tiny

I'm 50-50. I don't want fireworks to be banned, we usually have a big bonfire and fireworks, but we live on a small farm, have no near neighbours (and invite/tell the nearest neighbours), plus my husband builds a lighting area away from the crowd - it's all done very sensibly and fairly.

However visiting my poorly mum last night in a more urban area, I couldn't believe the noise all night - it must be a nightmare for nervous people or those with frightened animals.

Fireworks that were let off in gardens 25 years ago were a different kettle of fish. They were pretty pathetic things - often a selection box of fireworks with a puny Catherine wheel (that rarely worked), a few fireworks that spurted out traffic lights and a banger that wasn't loud at all by today's standards! They were suitable for a garden. Nowadays I don't think they're appropriate unless you've got a good half acre of garden minimum.

honeyroar

See, in your situation I think it’s fine, but equally think you should have to obtain a license to use fireworks. If your DH goes to the effort of building a lighting area, I imagine he would also be happy to obtain one.

I 100% agree with your DH OP...... I say this while assuming that he is not a complete moron. We always have our own bonfire and fireworks and it is so much more fun than some sterile mass display. Don't be one of those moany , miserable, suck the joy out of everything killjoy types.

If common sense is applied there will not be a problem. We are looking forward to ours tonight.