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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To believe that fireworks shouldn’t be available to the general public?

628 replies

FatNoMorePat · 02/11/2018 00:53

Fireworks at this time of night!!!

I’m partial to a sparkler don’t get me wrong, but I just don’t agree with fireworks being readily available for joe public. Particularly when people let them off after 11pm!

I’m not saying get rid of them all together but make it stricter so they’re only let off in safe environments by people who’ve had adequate training who then clean everything up and it’s all done and dusted before 11pm.

Am I getting old??

OP posts:
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5
MaisyPops · 03/11/2018 20:10

Sounds like WW3 outside at the moment.
Same.
Lovely quiet area. Town do a big display each year and most of the surrounding villages do too.

One house near us is setting them off and there is no way there is a safe distance between their house, the fireworks and neighbouring houses. It's idiotic as far as I can see.

YouBetterWOooOooOoo · 03/11/2018 20:10

Thank fuck DH has got him, or rather he was brave enough to get out of wherever he was hiding and come home.

IdahoCrow · 03/11/2018 20:12

Shit, isn't it?

Fuzzywig · 03/11/2018 20:13

My daughter and the dog are comforting each other. Both are terrified. My daughter has some SEN issues and it’s helping her by comforting the dog.

namechange123779 · 03/11/2018 20:14

Completely agreed! My dogs terrified & the cats been under the bed facing a wall for hours 🙄 long night ahead

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 03/11/2018 20:14

It's worse than I ever remember here.

fishonabicycle · 03/11/2018 20:17

YABU. We have fireworks every year (with food and drinks and a bonfire) for our children and their friends every year and we all love it. No one is injured, my two cats are fine.

Iliveinazoo · 03/11/2018 20:25

I love the fireworks, my opinion is that it's only once a year even if it does go on for a few days, however I can understand the frustration from those with pets. However we always had pets when growing up and we managed.

I live in a big city and when I was a child several local parks would put on displays, with cutbacks to local councils there are far fewer organised displays now. In fact I don't think that there are any council run displays anymore at all.

I wonder if that has to do with an increase in people buying fireworks and doing them in their back garden.

tinstar · 03/11/2018 20:30

we all love it. No one is injured, my two cats are fine.

That's okay then fish Hmm. Your "I'm alright jack' comment reflects everything that's wrong with society.

My beautiful young rescue dog is shitting herself with fear. But as long as you're having a good time ...

DamsonGin · 03/11/2018 20:30

DS1 is cowering in bed, music on and DH reading to them both. I expect us to be taking turns sitting up there this evening. Two doors down have decided air bombs are the way forward and I can hear next door the other way gearing up for something too.

HelenaDove · 03/11/2018 20:47

our local rugby club still does a display.

Ladymargarethall · 03/11/2018 20:48

fireworks now are totally different from the ones we grew up with. I grew up in the days when you could buy jump jacks, which jumped all over the ground when lit, Catherine wheels, which were nailed to the fence, but quite often shot off mid spin and various 'handheld' fireworks which were likely to blow up (and sometimes did). In comparison I think fireworks are better regulated now.
However it still makes sense to me to confine them to public displays.

HelenaDove · 03/11/2018 20:50

Maybe a small part of the reason more people do fireworks in their gardens is because its another thing to show off on Instagram..

Iliveinazoo · 03/11/2018 20:55

Tinstar surely though you could apply that logic to lots of things?

My ds1 was fucking terrified of hand dryers, made using public toilets lots of fun.

Bonfire night, Halloween, Christmas, there will always be people who don't like/agree with them or get upset/scared, but equally there'll be lots of people who get great joy from these occasions.

Life can be pretty miserable and mundane so it can be nice to have things to look forward to.

tinstar · 03/11/2018 20:58

Hand dryers?! Don't go into public toilets then! People have choice where they go. They have no control over the noise that intrudes into their own homes!!!!!

captainprincess · 03/11/2018 21:05

@MadisonAvenue we have also had them set off in the afternoon round here. Takes a special kind of idiot to set a firework off in the day time 
I know a lot of people enjoy them, but it's a miserable couple of weeks for me as I have a dog that is incredibly scared and will refuse to go outside once it's dark.

Stuckforthefourthtime · 03/11/2018 21:06

Yanbu. Kids here were throwing them at cars last night. Angry

Iliveinazoo · 03/11/2018 21:06

You don't have a choice to use the toilet when you're out. It was the same with sirens, noisy cars, motorbikes, fire alarms, any loud unexpected sounds.

Anyway my point is that just because you don't like fireworks, clearly there are plenty of other people that do.

It's once a year and there are far far worse things going on in the world than a few sparkly lights and bangs. Even if it is a minor inconvenience to yourself.

smallchanceofrain · 03/11/2018 21:06

They should be banned - except for organised displays.

It's been like WW3 tonight. The people who live behind us always have a fireworks for bonfire night and for new year. We have to send the dog to stay with my parents because her fear was so extreme the first year I thought she was going to die of fright.

This year the tossers have surpassed themselves. We've had fireworks so powerful they shook the house. You can feel your chest vibrate. One has just showered our conservatory roof with something. OH is off round to have words / threaten legal action if any damage has been done!

Shriek · 03/11/2018 21:07

Maybe a small part of the reason more people do fireworks in their gardens is because its another thing to show off on Instagram.
^ is this just being goady? It doesny really address the issue. It is possible for ppl to actually genuinely enjoy a family and friends celebration of bonfire night with fireworks. You seem to believe ppl goes to these lengths just for the pics? Helena do you know ppl that do this? I sure I don't!

Gingerlover2 · 03/11/2018 21:08

'my cats are fine so you are being unreasonable'

Gotta love the sheer lack of concern for other people and animals haven't you.

One imagines that even if her kids/animals were upset then tough titty, she's having a good time so deal with it.

I don't think anyone here has suggested we stop Christmas/Halloween or Bonfire night, just wishing it didn't last for 2 /3 weeks as it does here and clearly. judging by the responses, pretty much everywhere.

Iliveinazoo · 03/11/2018 21:11

I wish people would stop saying it's like ww3, it's absolutely nothing remotely like ww3.

They aren't bombs they are fireworks, we aren't at war, you aren't in fear for your life.

It will all be over and done with after Monday and tonight being Saturday will be the worst night.

Iliveinazoo · 03/11/2018 21:12

It doesn't go on for 2/3 weeks though does it? Stop exaggerating.

People are doing display now because it's the weekend, after Monday it will be over and done with.

ChardonnaysPrettySister · 03/11/2018 21:15

I wish people would stop saying it's like ww3, it's absolutely nothing remotely like ww3.

You know this how? Evidence? Links?

Gingerlover2 · 03/11/2018 21:15

Where we are we've had barely any rain, so the trees are dry and brittle, all it takes is one stray firework to land in a tree and the whole thing would go up, next to thatched cottages, can you imagine?

But never mind about all that ...because we want to have fun so the 40% of dogs and cats/horses/livestock/pet rabbits/elderly people/people suffering from PSTD will just have to suck it up for 3 weeks so people can watch a pretty light in the sky for a few seconds.