AIBU to be furious about fireworks?

[Mamaof1DD]

I’m not opposed to them on bonfire night, or even the weekends around bonfire night, but WHY do people feel the need to set them off in the days (weeks!) running up to bonfire night?

DD is 5 months and an amazing sleeper, but has been woken up four nights running by fireworks!

Luckily, our dog isn’t scared of fireworks so it’s not a problem for her, but I know a lot of pets are terrified.

AIBU for being annoyed that people are setting them off outside of the approved (by me!) times and days?

Sad that you have to get your buzz from some loud bangs and pretty colours in the sky tbh. Are you 5?

Fireworks were invented for adult entertainment, not kids. Used for celebrations and parties for centuries in this country at least.

Our dog hates them too, but we bought her a Thundershirt and it's worked wonders. She still doesn't like them, but unless one goes off very close by (which to be fair makes me jump out of my skin too), she doesn't react to them anymore. Still has her safe space behind the armchair in the lounge, but she'll mostly stay curled up with us now and isn't bothered. Worth a try?

I used to live in a village where people would set them off at midnight on NYE. I was labelled miserable because I wasn’t pissed up and enjoying them too. Instead, I was trying to get my 6 month old back to sleep.

However, the entire village was up in arms if anyone had their own fireworks on any night in November.

@bellac11 public floggings were once classed as adult entertainment too, thankfully we've evolved beyond that.

But we still argue about loud bangs that cause distress to humans and animals every year. Crazy.

I would like the law to be changed so fireworks are on designated days only and just licensed organised displays. Say for November 5th, Diwali and maybe New Year's eve only.

Out of consideration for those who are neurodiverse, have PTSD and for animals.

You tried to humiliate the poster by insinuating that to enjoy fireworks is childish without seemingly understanding the history of them and what they're for.

They are to provide entertainment. Just like other loud entertainments like rock concerts, formula 1 racing etc etc

They should be banned from public sale and be restricted to licenced displays only.

There is absolutely 0 reason why people need to be setting off fireworks for, let’s be honest, pretty much the last three months of every year.

And let’s not pretend that this is all about a bit of fun for kids. Teenagers throwing them, the fireworks that are set off after the pubs close, yeah, let’s advocate for drunks being able to set off fireworks at all hours and people should just suck it up.

Don’t people think the emergency services are at breaking point enough as it is without having to deal with the injuries and damage sustained by irresponsible use of fireworks every year.

Usually when people talk about banning something it’s because a few people use it irresponsibly compared to the majority.

When it comes to fireworks, most people use them irresponsibly. Because most of the fireworks being set off at this time of year aren’t little displays in people’s back gardens, they’re the local idiots setting them off purely because they can.

And I hope to God those aren’t the same people complaining that they can’t afford the rent or to feed their kids. Because fireworks of that size are bloody extortionate. You might as well roll up £20 notes.

The phrase “money to burn” was never so apt.

@bellac11 in the same way that poster tried to humiliate another poster by calling them a 'buzz kill'?

I don't care about the history, it isn't relevant.

I have no idea how rock concerts and formula 1 can be comparable to fireworks? When was the last time your neighbours held a rock concert or raced formula 1 cars in their back yard, disturbing your dc and upsetting your pets?

I just find it incredibly selfish and anti social. And let's face it the majority of supermarket fireworks are crap quality and not impressive at all. If people went to pre planned events on or around bonfire night at least people would expect them and cater for their kids and animals accordingly. Having them go off at random times in residential areas is totally selfish and unreasonable.

The Japanese have silent fireworks. Why can’t we just have these?

My current DCat is absolutely petrified by them and tries to find any space she can to hide from them.

Aren't some of them for Diwali? I'm sure it's this past weekend.

Oh yes such fun listening to what sounds like a bomb exploding night after night after night. Such fun for my neighbour whose pregnant horse was terrified last night (yes the 29th October NOT firework night) and ran into a fence and miscarried.

I used to like fireworks when they didn't sound like bombs and, yes, I have heard a bomb going off and that is exactly what a lot sound like and when people let them off on 5th November (the right night).

This year the 5th is a Sunday so why the hell were morons setting them off this weekend? I can guarantee there will be some every night this week too.

Morons start setting them off around 4pm when it is still light and often I can still hear them gone midnight.

In the 70s when I was a child I swear apart from organised displays, you’d only hear fireworks on 5th November. I appreciate there’s Diwali now but we never heard them then nor on NYE.

Unfortunately they are another weapon for antisocial behaviour in many places. Leaving the hospital last night at 9.30pm fireworks were being aimed at busses, horizontally across roads, towards bus stops etc. Many blind people won't go out from around now because they aim them at blind people. They think that it's funny to have women with prams have to run out of the way. If the slap on the wrist stopped for dangerous behaviour perhaps people would have a different attitude.

YABU. It’s nothing new.

On our local Facebook page someone posted about loud and late fireworks, date was no where near November. The woman who was setting them off responded and couldn't have cared less, it was her sons birthday. People said about young kids being woken up and pets being scared, she could not have cared less. It was her sons birthday didn't we know.

Fireworks are great so yabu. When your kid's a bit older he'll be getting all excited about them and enjoy them. You won't be moaning then!

When my dog was a puppy I got him used to different noises by playing videos on my laptop and gradually increasing the sound level. He wasn't scared of anything which was great.

Then when he was 6 I was walking him at 3PM (so not dark) and some absolute idiot set off a very loud firework in their garden as we walked past. My dog was terrified and tried to run. Luckily I managed to hold on to his lead although not sure how as he is a big strong dog. I can't remember the exact date but it was definitely not close to 5th November.

Ever since then he has been terrified of fireworks and thunder storms.

If people used them on the correct date and used what little brain they have to set them off when it is actually dark it would help but so many seem incapable of that.

It amazes me the amount of health and safety babysitting that goes on in this county, yet anyone over 18 can go to tesco and buy pyrotechnics.
Personally I think sales should be restricted to people with a licence for professional displays, and ones that make a noise should only be allowed for a short period around BFN and on NYE.

What I dislike more than the fireworks is the new social media posts complaining about it everyday- the local Facebook group being the worst.

Just constant moaning about the same thing, day in, day out- it's the same every year

They certainly are not great. What is great about stupid fireworks that sound like bombs? How the hell is that fun? They terrify animals, how is that fun?

How is it fun when yobs throw fireworks at people, on buses, at cars, through letterboxes, at police, at ambulance crew? You have a very strange idea of fun.

Not all children like fireworks, lots are scared of them.

Bloody things should be banned to stop all the morons setting them off non stop

All of those incidents could also be done with other freely available incendiary devices.
Your problem isn’t fireworks, it’s dickheads.

YANBU, op. I remember last year being woken up at 1.30am on consecutive nights by the damn things. I had a massive panic attack and ended up off work with anxiety. DS is woken up by them every year, too.

Also, in response to a pp - no, they're not 'fun' and I really pity grown adults who still find a source of entertainment in things that go 'bang'. It's extremely primitive.

Never move to Ireland where Halloween build up starts around mid August. Fireworks are illegal which makes fuck all difference other than to ensure they're sold and used by numbskulls and toe rags.. I'm probably over exposed and used to it so I'm leaning towards Yabu but sorry you're having such unsettled sleep. I've lived in the UK for a good decade and have never heard anything like the shit that goes down in Dublin.

What she did wasn’t illegal, so why should she care?
It’s inconsiderate (not the fact she set them off, just the fact it’s nowhere near November) but not against the law.

The irony is that half these dogs that are terrified have spent the rest of the year yapping in a garden pissing everyone else off, but once the tables are turned it’s a different story 🙄