To really hate the loud, selfish celebrations & fireworks people have outside on NYE?

[LdnMum94]

I'm laid in bed exhausted and pissed off.

My autistic three year old has been woken three times in the run up to midnight, by endless fireworks exploding outside our house, so loud and close that they terrified him out of a deep sleep. By the third time he was woken he was so distressed he was smashing his head on the floor

In between the hundreds of bangs coming from all angles there are drunk people screaming "happy new year!" and "woohoooooo!" that can be heard in here as clear as day, as though they think it's welcome, or simply don't care.

Not everybody is seeing in the new year by getting drunk, and not all of those who are having a drink feel the need to take their fanfare into the street, giving not one shit about elderly/vulnerable neighbours or people who have to be up for work.

Do you think I'm being unreasonable?

@Sirzy

I think once a year it’s expected as annoying as it can be, I hate fireworks but while they are still allowed then people will set them off at new year.

They shouldn't be on sale to the general public though. Licensed firework displays on bonfire night and new year eve are one thing, but they should not be on sale to the public.

Nor is it once a year. They go on and on from October onwards.

Was 10pm Brexit time or was that 11pm? I mean for some people there where lots of reasons to celebrate last night. Brexit and the end of 2020.

It’s once a year, it’s been a shitty year and people wanted to have a bit of fun.

If only it was once a year.

@Norwayreally

It’s once a year, it’s been a shitty year and people wanted to have a bit of fun.

By breaking the law? I don't want thunder flashes at 3.30am.

@NoIDontWatchLoveIsland

It sounds like the sound insulation inside your house is quite poor. Is there a decent double glazed window on your DS room?

There were lots of loud fireworks here too, very close by, but you could barely hear them inside our house - certainly nowhere near loud enough to wake a sleeping child. It's an 80s type estate house.

I'm in a 90s built flat with decent double glazed windows, and can hear loud fireworks very clearly inside. The "normal" ones which I used to see in displays as a child and which just make a bit of a pop sound I could barely hear. But most were massively, ridiculously loud explosions, which if I hadn't known better would have made me think there were bombs going off right outside.

@AliceinBunniland

I don't think it is patronising. I found the fireworks annoying so I don't think OP is unreasonable to be annoyed but she probably is unreasonable to have taken no other steps and to post on MN about it as it wouldn't be reasonable to expect others to behave differently.

I am allowed my opinion and if OP didn't want to hear others' opinions she shouldn't have posted in AIBU. There are many responses similar to mine.

It's not your opinion I find patronising but your advice about what measures the OP could take to reduce the disruption. Like she doesn't know how to deal with her own child. The issue (as she describes it) was not down to her own inaction but the actions of others beyond her control.

I don't think you are being unreasonable OP, your poor boy I hope he is ok today.

We also hate fireworks and last night was really bad around here it sounded like bombs going off. We own a few animals and did all we could to mitigate the effects but we've woken to some dead this morning, we are very sad and pretty sure they didn't do anything to deserve having their lives cut short so people could enjoy some fireworks.

@fatisnotafeeling

I don't think you are being unreasonable OP, your poor boy I hope he is ok today.

We also hate fireworks and last night was really bad around here it sounded like bombs going off. We own a few animals and did all we could to mitigate the effects but we've woken to some dead this morning, we are very sad and pretty sure they didn't do anything to deserve having their lives cut short so people could enjoy some fireworks.

Very sorry to hear this. What sort of animals were they?

I really do think they should ban really loud fireworks. They just aren't necessary, and cause so much distress.

Just seen this post now. I was really pissed off last night because it was clear from the count downs we could hear and the whoopng that there were loads of gatherings going on - we are in Tier 4 so none of this should have been happening.

I think this is the ultimate selfishness - not for noise reasons (although I expect the new parents across the road were 'thrilled' by what sounded like a full hour of an air raid topped by their next door neighbour banging on a saucepan screaming Happy New Year) but because their actions spread COVID. People will die as a result - and not just the people partying last night. Our constrained lives continue and unemployment will grow.

Utter selfishness.

@catpoooffender I wasn't really telling OP what steps she should take. That's for her to work out. What I was saying is that she should do what she can do in advance to minimise the impact of fireworks on NYE which is not unusual and could have been foreseen. If you don't agree with my comments that's absolutely fine.

For the last 30 years the technology for making silent fireworks (not actually silent but considerably quieter) has been available. So though it doesn’t solve all the issues it would be nice to follow parts of Europe who have banned the very loud fireworks many of us endure sporadically from October-Feb. www.bustle.com/p/silent-fireworks-in-italy-are-being-set-off-to-help-with-anxious-pets-9663361

Loudest fireworks I've ever heard this year, went on for quite a long time too. FWIW we weren't among those letting them off, we were inside having a Zoom gathering with a group of friends.

Totally understand and sympathise with the fact that animals and those with ASD/PTSD find this terrifying. It does have to be accepted though that on a couple of nights of the year this will happen, and to take every possible precaution accordingly. (Granted it's aggravating that in November in particular fireworks are being let off at random for a couple of weeks surrounding the 5th). But there is plenty of forewarning: we all know which occasions these are.

People are not going to change their behaviour on this account. There's nothing you can do about it. And even in the best of circumstances people have had a bloody awful year this year. As far as NYE celebrations were concerned, what else was left?

@fatisnotafeeling

I don't think you are being unreasonable OP, your poor boy I hope he is ok today.

We also hate fireworks and last night was really bad around here it sounded like bombs going off. We own a few animals and did all we could to mitigate the effects but we've woken to some dead this morning, we are very sad and pretty sure they didn't do anything to deserve having their lives cut short so people could enjoy some fireworks.

This is absolutely terrible so sorry that you lost some of your animals. People are so damn inconsiderate, it angers me sending love and hugs your way.

YABU, but you knew that.

We were woken at midnight by a barrage of fireworks and shouting. Our cats climbed halfway up to our heads.

It’s one night after a bloody horrible year.

We own a few animals and did all we could to mitigate the effects but we've woken to some dead this morning, we are very sad and pretty sure they didn't do anything to deserve having their lives cut short so people could enjoy some fireworks.

I'm really saddened by this, I'm so sorry that happened to your animals

What an awful thing to wake up to, I would be devastated. I hope you are ok. No way should people's desire to celebrate take priority over the well-being of innocent animals.

The above has made me even more adamant that fireworks should be banned for the general public.

Somebody mentioned petitions up thread, I have signed multiple (long before it became an issue for me personally) and nothing ever comes of it. I'm keen to look into what else can be done.

Regarding the potential of my windows being poorly insulated, they're not.

We're never disturbed by routine noise outside, the issue is that the fireworks used and gobs on the pissed twits were so loud and so close you would be able to hear them whatever your windows are like.

@SecretWitch

YABU, but you knew that.

We were woken at midnight by a barrage of fireworks and shouting. Our cats climbed halfway up to our heads.

It’s one night after a bloody horrible year.

That's clearly not what people like the OP and me are talking about. Your experience was obviously very different indeed from ours, if you RTFT.

I agree with you, OP. It's like how all the people with kids cause huge congestion on the roads at around 3:30pm, day after day, year after year. It's relentless. They should all just stay home.

Got 2 fireworks on a 5 min litter pick along my street this afternoon.

Lazy fuckers couldn't even be bothered to go out this morning and pick up their litter. I didn't know which garden it came from or else I'd have lobbed them back on their path. i have form for this with littered cigarette butts and a scummy neighbour.

I sympathise as have asd teen who was distressed from abt half nine when fireworks started and then they were off and on until 1am! By which time she was distraught.

Have we had the standard "ooh you must be fun at parties" because we don't like explosives going off at any random time in the street. I hate them. Organised fine at arranged times. Pissed up arseholes at all times of the night is a different matter. Don't care if its new years/ brexit whatever - its been at odd times all night long. You can do something else that's fun/enjoyable without annoying everyone around you, scaring animals and old folks. I always wonder if they did a scientific experiment if the size of the rocket equated to the size of the penis - ie the bigger the rocket, the smaller the knob.

Thank you for the sympathy, I didn't return yesterday as I was dealing with sad DC and today I have been very tearful myself.

I do not agree with the 'it's only 1 day a yr! Or a few days a yr' brigade because that one day a yr can take an innocent animals life and not just domestic animals but wild animals as well.

To the PP that mentioned about your cats, I'm pretty sure had they died due to the fireworks your stance would be entirely different.

I don't know any other activity that is allowed for 'enjoyment' that can cause such damage so I really don't see why fireworks are allowed.

We lost 4 animals yesterday, 2 were young, around 6 months old. We had sound proofed as much as possible and lights were left low so if they did panic they didn't hurt themselves, background 'white noise' was also used. There isn't the option to bring them in the house ( they are in well insulated outbuilding) there isn't anything else we could do. I am so angry that they had to die so people could have their 'fun', there are other ways to celebrate.

The louder the fireworks, the lower the intelligence of those setting them off.