BANNING private firework sales - What do you think?

[ChaoticGouda]

It's only October and already most nights (and days!) I've been interrupted by the mother of all BANGS outside, seemingly at random. I understand that with Covid restrictions preventing any public displays this year, people are looking to bring the celebration home.

But surely it's horribly unfair to all the people who wish to take shelter from the noise? To the pets who, while hopefully trained to tolerate scheduled displays, are often terrified by the randomness of it all? The children who have their sleep interrupted?

It sometimes feels like, as soon as laws permit, countless people flood the local Asda to pick up an assortment to send off in their back gardens or local hills, surrounding neighbours be damned.

Now - I don't believe a TOTAL ban on private fireworks would be much fun (so yes, the title is a little misleading) but AIBU to think that sales should be restricted to times around actual events, like Bonfire Night, New Years and Diwali? Surely this is a happy medium for everyone - big bang enthusiasts get their enjoyment, while those looking for a bit of peace and quiet have less uncertainty to handle?

YABU - It isn't fair to stop people from having fun, especially this year. Keep the law as it is!

YANBU - YES, something has to change!

The problem is people buy illegal fire works, this I think would increase if one can,t buy legally. Or they would buy display fireworks which are more powerful.

I hate them and would ban them in a heartbeat. I have never watched a private fire work display that has been anything other than shit and I think the risks are too high HOWEVER there would just be illegal selling of fireworks and it would make bonfire night a nightmare for the police I think.

I just wish bonfire night didn't exist but we always go to organised displays for the kids' sake and would never buy them for home. I hate hate sparklers too.

@IAintentDead you say “I don't want to go to a big display. I want to enjoy my own safe bonfire and safe fireworks in my own garden as I have done for over 60 years...

I like big (ish) fireworks but I would much prefer they didn't make the excessive noise”

Do you ask your neighbours if they’re okay with it first? Would you cancel your plans if anyone objected? Do you also go around the neighbourhood and pick up all the debris after your fireworks have been set off? I’m sick of ending up with rocket sticks and bits of debris all over my garden. Unless you live well away from other people, having a smoking bonfire and fireworks in your garden isn’t very neighbourly.

In my ideal world they’d be banned completely (giving explosives to Joe Public is a recipe for disaster and the noise harms so many). Silent ones exist nowadays, though, right? So there’s a simple solution: ban all ones that make noise, and require a licence (with training) to buy others. If you need to hear noise that sounds like a gunshot to enjoy a visual display, that seems...concerning.

I really, really love fireworks. We will be setting a few off on the 5th, but we do live in a house on it’s own surrounded by fields. We will let them off in our field away from the house. When we lived in zone 2 East London I used to love it when the local kids started setting them off in September and then were always loads going off for Divali as well. I just love the beauty and anarchy of it all as the nights draw in.

Love fireworks! I would be sad if their sale was banned.
Organised displays are so crowded and busy- we tend not to go to them.

I am tired to people trying to ban everything we are fast becoming a police state. No fireworks should be available, pref made safer or as safe as possible (the boxes for instance are much better than individual fireworks) but for once a year - given the history - no I don't think we should 'ban' fireworks!

We are having a fireworks party for the children next week! Can't wait!

Can’t believe how many people think they should be banned! There’s some serious fun bypasses on mumsnet

Agree with other posters - fireworks should be sold to license holders only. Private fireworks displays are crap!

I voted YANBU because I think they should be banned but I think YABU to suggest they shouldn’t be banned altogether. It sounds like you want to be able to set them off when you feel it’s appropriate but stop other people doing the same.

I’m in favour total ban on fireworks being sold to the public. Why do we continue to sell explosives to anyone who wants them??

'The problem is people buy illegal fire works, this I think would increase if one can,t buy legally. Or they would buy display fireworks which are more powerful.'

Yes, they are already doing this. There are also You Tube channels which record people setting off terrifically powerful (and illegal) explosions. These seem to inspire those who will be inspired.

It is incredibly easy to buy illegal fireworks and there are people (primarily young males) who are thrill seeking in this way.

There needs to be a clear difference between what's available to the public and big displays we have small gardens to see the fireworks they set off you need to be stood somewhere in the next street because they are not designed for little gardens they are designed for big open spaces you are buying for your neighbours to enjoy 😉

And they should be silent we are close to relying on ourselves for food production so we will be terrifying our own food chain does this really make economic sense?

I would hate to have a ban, we always enjoy a little firework party in the garden, but we strictly stick to 5th November - I really think that should be the only day so that people can keep their pets in.

You can't buy fireworks here in Ireland but people still get them. Around this time of year there are always people setting them off.
Less this year though, I guess fewer people have been able to travel.

@Brighterthansunflowers

I voted YANBU because I think they should be banned but I think YABU to suggest they shouldn’t be banned altogether. It sounds like you want to be able to set them off when you feel it’s appropriate but stop other people doing the same.

I’m in favour total ban on fireworks being sold to the public. Why do we continue to sell explosives to anyone who wants them??

I suggested restricting them to specific days as a type of "happy medium". I don't much like fireworks myself (unless they're at a good distance) and have never had a private display in my garden, nor do I believe I will in the future.

YANBU
For every 'sensible' person buying fireworks, there are 10 times the amount of people who definitely should not be playing around with them.
Perhaps private shows, but Joe public shouldn't be allowed to buy them.

This discussion comes up every single year, I’ve used Mumsnet for about 8 years now and it’s always a topic at this time of year.

I have always backed private sales being banned. They’re dangerous and an absolute nuisance. Professional public displays are fine, there’s just no need to have Sue and Paul setting them off in their back garden all night.

Little update: 4pm, still bright and sunny outside, and what do I hear through my window? The chirping of birds? The delighted laughter of children? No, nothing as pleasant as that I'm afraid.

BANG.

BANG.

POP. FIZZ. BANG.

I think they should be banned and only organised displays allowed. My animals hate them and it is so much easier to calm them for one night only. When one of my dogs was younger, before he got old and a little deaf, I had to dose him up on diazepam for organised displays. He would still get hysterical though each time a single one would be let off on all the other evenings around bonfire night. It's a bit better now he's elderly and deaf and doesn't really hear them.

I agree with the OP. I would have designated days only, as well. Then those who have served this country in the forces and have PTSD as well as others, can plan to avoid the pain it can cause. Pets can be protected too.

There's a hotel a mile or so from us that host weddings. Almost every Saturday night they have fireworks going off at the reception, sometimes very late. It must be awful for people living nearer to them.
I'd put fireworks in the same category as these fire balloons - unnecessary, dangerous and should be banned!
YANBU.

This discussion comes up every single year, I’ve used Mumsnet for about 8 years now and it’s always a topic at this time of year.

It does, and I always wonder why people get their knickers in a twist. Probably because I don't hear any except on bonfire night and/or the closest weekend.

This discussion comes up every single year, I’ve used Mumsnet for about 8 years now and it’s always a topic at this time of year.

Well yes, like Christmas, Halloween, Easter, summer holidays, exams, and whatever other yearly events you could mention. Such is life.

I wondered whether banning them for sale to the general public would increase contraband fireworks, but surely it would make anyone using them illegally pretty easy to identify and deal with.

At the moment no one knows whether people are using bog standard kite Mark fireworks bought from the supermarket or dangerous unregulated back-of-a-lorry Chinese imports.

Wish they would ban them. They cause lots of problems and can kill or injure animals. A friend lost a lovely foal a few years ago to burns caused by a Chinese lantern.