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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think people will expect fireworks to be let off on bonfire night.

299 replies

j101112 · 03/11/2020 17:47

Bought a few fireworks for Thursday night. Mainly garden type fireworks, not rockets. Meant to be lower noise.

We live in fairly large village and it’s been said that many dogs, cats, horses etc don’t like them and people have complained about them being let off.

Aibu to think people should expect them on actual bonfire night though?

I get that they are annoying on other nights other than bonfire night.. I do think that people should try and just do them on 5th November or NYE and proper advertised displays.

Don’t want to upset my neighbours!

OP posts:
Hickorydickoryspock · 04/11/2020 09:48

I'm hoping someone will set some off near us. We have no garden and I was going to drive to the top of the hill with the kids and see if we could spot any. We are rural but sandwiched between two villages.
I would have thought theres the expectation of fireworks on firework night yes!

Batlights · 04/11/2020 09:49

I actually like fireworks and I'm expecting them around here on Friday and Saturday. However they are potentially dangerous and they do frighten animals and disturb some people so I don't think they should be on sale to the general public to let off in gardens etc.

NameChange84 · 04/11/2020 09:50

What I find somewhat disturbing, however, is that everyone here seems to be so concerned with the current pressure on the NHS yet still insist on setting off explosives in small spaces.

And this too ^

Batlights · 04/11/2020 09:52

I do recall in the past maybe 20 years ago it sounded like a war zone from early October onwards with fireworks being let off all over the place every night by teenagers. That seems to have stopped now perhaps due to stricter rules on selling fireworks.

TulipsTwoLips · 04/11/2020 09:53

Our neighbour's firework came through our window and set fire to parts of the kitchen. You can probably understand why I'm nervous when I hear them now!

AcornsVsBcorns · 04/11/2020 09:54

Personally I love watching fireworks and always have, but now realise how much harm they cause to some wildlife, pets, people, farm animals, the environment so would be happy to see them removed from sale.

The real traditional around Bonfire Night is for the bonfire and guy and I'd rather see that carry on, having been suitably checked for hedgehogs of couse.

If there were a vote, then mine would be the ban their sale. Even professional displays.

All that said, if we can just restrict fireworks to very specific nights, then that would be a good start.

museumum · 04/11/2020 09:56

The one year we did them at home we only did things like roman candles and other ground-based ones along with sparklers. No need to have rockets flying up into the sky and banging in a residential area...

Effsee · 04/11/2020 09:57

I used to enjoy watching fireworks at events but now I honestly hate them. For 2 weeks now people have been letting off fireworks. The other night some idiot was setting them off at 1am. My cat was sleeping on the bed at the time and absolutely shit it. A minute later my daughter woke up screaming. Took 20 minutes to get her back to sleep. Naturally it took me almost an hour to get back to sleep myself.

Wish fireworks would just fuck off.

user1471538283 · 04/11/2020 09:59

It is never okay. I dread this time of year. But we are all encouraged to be selfish so people will ...

viccat · 04/11/2020 10:02

I have mixed feelings about them - I think a responsible, small display on 5th Nov, Diwali and New Year's Eve are ok-ish. I don't think the noise and my cats get scared but I can live with that. What really, really annoys me is how people set them off every single evening from a few days before Halloween until well past Diwali mid-November, though.

In my local area there have also been lots of reports of teenagers gathering in groups to fire them at people, buses, passing cars, houses etc. Angry For that reason I think they shouldn't be sold to individuals at all.

NorthernSoles · 04/11/2020 10:03

Our old dog was terrified of loud noises all his life.

Replacement (rescue) dog, same breed, appears to have been a working dog in the past and whines to go out when he hears fireworks. Grin

Brighterthansunflowers · 04/11/2020 10:04

Yes it’s expected. Doesn’t mean it’s not selfish and inconsiderate though.

I really wish fireworks would be banned for sale to the public and kept for licensed organised displays only

unicornpower · 04/11/2020 10:04

@Mistymonday

I was in a taxi on fireworks night a couple of years ago. I had a lovely driver, a refugee from the Congo, really nice guy. He told me that when he first arrived in the UK, fireworks night happened and he was in his hostel room when he first heard them. He was absolutely terrified and thought war was breaking out. He hid in his wardrobe but they didn’t stop so he ran outside in his pyjamas, hiding in doorways as previous life experience in a warzone had taught him. He found a payphone and called his support worker in an absolute state asking whether a war had broken out here in the UK and if he should help join the army. The lady kindly calmed him down and explained the traditio . He was a kindly man and chuckled at himself but he said he still felt anxious and uneasy at the sounds each year.

If you can’t feel compassion for the panic-stricken pets and wildlife, the ones dying of fear induced heart attacks, maybe those humans with PTSD, SEN or dementia who are also terrified by fireworks might make you think?

Or is it shiny thing go bang time?

This just broke my heart a little that he wanted to help and join the Army-What a lovely man.

I agree with all you said above!

BrummyMum1 · 04/11/2020 10:05

I’m predicting more home fireworks than normal this year because there’s absolutely fuck all else to do. (Not saying I like them or will be doing the same, just that I’m predicting more than usual).

CausingChaos2 · 04/11/2020 10:06

My dog is terrified of them but we expect them on Bonfire night, and the weekends either side this year.

VeganVeal · 04/11/2020 10:06

My dog loves fireworks, he sits outside and watches them! Very odd

GameSetMatch · 04/11/2020 10:07

It’s one night and it’s legal so go for it, my dog hated fireworks but I expect it on bonfire night and did everything necessary to comfort him. People can moan but it’s expected and it’s one night.

BogRollBOGOF · 04/11/2020 10:07

Fireworks are reasonably expected on Bonefire Night, Diwalli and NYE. It's idiots letting them off at random times and long into the night that make it harder to mitigate for people/ animals that struggle with it.

Normally we'd go to a public display, but there aren't any this year, so no wonder people will do them privately, probably more so than ever in the absence of ways to have some fun since March.

Second year in a row here. This time last year, the low-lying parks were deep inder water and everywhere else was utterly waterlogged and dangerously squelchy for a public event. Sad

Calmandmeasured1 · 04/11/2020 10:12

Aibu to think people should expect them on actual bonfire night though?
Not unreasonable at all. Of course it is to be expected.

I do think that people should try and just do them on 5th November or NYE and proper advertised displays
That's already taking liberties though. Bonfire night is 5th November and I think it would be acceptable to more people if it was only on that one night, irrespective of whether they are let off privately or in a public display. As for NYE, if necessary, I think it should just be the display in the capital city, televised as it is at present. (Obviously not this coming NYE as we need to facilitate proper social-distancing).

Fireworks aren't going to be eliminated but at least pet owners would know it was for only one day if only allowed on Bonfire Night.

Dustysilkflowers · 04/11/2020 10:15

On the 5th of November every one knows there will be fireworks.

Every needs to take the necessary steps to ensure their animals are protected

Jakie7700 · 04/11/2020 10:16

@GameSetMatch
That's the thing though most places it is not just one night is it can go on for days/weeks.
And it's ok to terrorise people/animals because it's just for one night of fun for idiots. What about the extra pressure it puts on the nhs every year with 1000+ accidents from them. Great idea go and set off some explosives at home during a fucking pandemic as it's legal. I bet most that do it this year also did the clap for nhs aswell total hypocrites. Also it's legal so fuck it if some go astray and burn something down as I'm all right Jack. Muppet

Calmandmeasured1 · 04/11/2020 10:18

My dog loves fireworks, he sits outside and watches them! Very odd
Mine loved them too.

Jakie7700 · 04/11/2020 10:19

@Dustysilkflowers
And what about wild animals they don't matter?
How do you propose people with SEN, PTSD and dementia are comforted?

OhhCarolina · 04/11/2020 10:23

I do wish we could stop dragging people with PTSD into this. The vast majority of people who have it aren't affected by fireworks at all; it's not why it works. Just be honest that you're fucked off because you chose to buy and own an animal and some aspects of doing so in human society re human traditions are problematic for you. Believe me, pets are also a pita for people around you and do a lot more environmental and human damage than a box of rockets.

Jakie7700 · 04/11/2020 10:30

I don't have animals but as I am not dumb I can understand it does terrorise them. And like people have said it's not just pets that are terrified of them wild animals are too!
It is how it works actually a close friend of the family has PTSD and fireworks cause him a great deal of distress. My DN has SEN and is so terrified of them it makes them physically sick. So it's ok for that to happen to loads of people so idiots can have their 'fun' and do you honestly think during a pandemic it's a reasonable thing to do to set fireworks off as it is proven to put a strain on the nhs with the amount of injuries due to them each year?