Should fireworks be banned from public sale?

[Toffeeappletoty]

Last night a group of teens/young men were setting of fireworks on the central reservation of a dual carriageway they were running across the road, it was shocking to witness.

There was also an incident in the city centre with people throwing fireworks at members of the public.

Is it time to ban them altogether from public sale? I’ve long though that they should only be permitted for licensed organised displays.

But having said that I was talking to dh and I have many happy childhood memories of bonfire night with a few fireworks in the back garden, all done safely and finished by 8pm.

We were saying that lots of things are dangerous in the wrong hands, knives, alcohol, and there are laws around fireworks already. But some don’t follow the law, but that’s the same for lots of things.

I always find mumsnet is very anti fireworks anyway, and they are terrible for animals and wildlife.

Yanbu - ban them for public sale
Yabu - don’t ruin it for everyone just because a few can’t be responsible

I am now. I also have fond memories of bonfire night and fireworks in the garden, really some of the most special ones of my childhood. Tried to recreate the magic with my kids but they not bothered, childhood and life is different now so messing around with torches and hot chocolate in the garden isn't really so special. We do things like that camping for example. Personally I think it's time to stop them, most countries don't allow them to be sold so freely. I'm not so bothered about people's pets (sorry, I'm just not, just like pet owners are not bothered by me always having dog piss on my wall etc) but it's bad for wildlife and dangerous. Displays are better so licensed events would be fine

Ok well you don’t have to do them then. I’m not suggesting it is mandatory people have Catherine wheels in their garden. Not sure why preventing people from having pretty tame, quiet fireworks which don’t affect any wildlife or cause a nuisance in their garden is a hill to die on.

That's the same argument the gun lobby in America use against any sort of gun control.

Yes, full licensed displays only imo.

I mean we have strict gun laws in the U.K. but the amount of unknown unregistered guns is still rather large. A man was arrested a few streets away with a shotgun which he has no paperwork for and he wasn’t registered to own one either. He was only caught because someone went waving it around.

People who want them will get them. At least in America I’d expect most people to have a fire arm at home. I didn’t expect Rodger four street away to have one however.

What you need is faster police response and harsher punishments for twats setting them off in dangerous ways.

The police have few current powers to stop the twats who set them off.
No matter how loud, where located, how frequent.
It's a free for all between 7am-11pm year round.
I've been told on MN that fireworks in fireworks week is a "cultural" tradition (=being utterly obnoxious)
No other screaming loud persistent noise pollution would be tolerated normally by the British, but fireworks, especially in bonfire week, sure knock yourself out. Be as LOUD as you like.

Noisy Data centre located on the marshes between noisy busy roads? Oh no, we can't have that, not traditional, might disturb the wildlife !

Set off fireworks in a city park every night during bonfire week: hey that's fine, it's tradition! Wasn't it considerate of you to set them off "away" from homes?

Pah.

A couple of years ago we were invited to a bonfire night party not something we've done in years.The host had fireworks stored in his brick built garage and was very responsible in setting them off. While display was over before 9pm. I was surprised to see many of the fireworks had warnings about not using within 25 metres of a building or people.How many people in modern houses have gardens that big?

As a dog owner, I don’t think they should be banned but I do think restrictions are needed. There’s just no need for people with poky little back gardens the size of a postage stamp to be letting off explosive pyrotechnic bombs in their back gardens and I don’t think they need to be sold 365 days a year. After all we never had shops selling them all year round in the 1970’s and 1980’s.

NO. It's our culture, if you don't like it, leave.
And don't give me any bullshit about dogs. It's one day a year.

Except it is not one night. If it were one night, no one would be bothered. Pet owners and farmers could manage one pre-planned night with medication if necessary.

It is weeks, if not months, of irresponsible use. As a PP pointed out, regular gardens are not large enough for modern fireworks. I was injured last year, and my property was damaged after the garden behind mine aimed rockets away from their house, i.e towards my house.

I think fireworks fans don't really get it. They say oh it’s only one night of the year so don't be a spoilsport. If it was only one, two or even three nights a year then no one would be complaining.

OK, maybe a week, though I haven't heard any round here. I just think there's a lack of live and let live - I don't like dogs barking and pissing on my house but I encounter these issues most days and don't complain. So I don't see why the doggerites can't just fucking put up with it. Why does everything have to go their way? Also, I say again IT IS OUR CULTURE and to attack it raises some serious red flags about you.

Yeah i agree that is a problem for me too. Guy Fawkes night and perhaps the weekend before/after but that should be it. Nothing worse than just hearing random fireworks going off. I love seeing them in the sky but have always hated the loud bangs.

i saw a video of a squirrel in a tree being absolutely petrified of the bangs and it completely made me rethink what damage they do to the local wildlife.

It is not a week, and it is not just about dogs. A red panda was killed by fireworks last year in Edinburgh. People have been killed or injured after being targeted with fireworks.

I would strongly prefer it to be licensed events only. It would make it safer and mean fewer animals would suffer distress.

Indeed. However you slice it, people are forced to put up with other people's dogs for much, much more time than they're forced to put up with fireworks.

This is why I said upthread, I don't think discussion of how to address the more anti-social aspects of fireworks particularly benefits from pets being brought into it. Virtually all the downsides of fireworks apply in some manner to pet ownership, plus more besides, people get upset about that being pointed out, meanwhile it would still be sensible for a lot of reasons if we had a cutural move towards more organised displays.

Oh I am doing well. I managed to somehow attack your CULTURE without knowing what your CULTURE is.

Not sure what your culture is - I am white English and I think they should be banned completely (as should Halloween).

Also I don’t have dogs so you can’t throw the accusation at me 😬

I don’t like dogs but they don’t impact my life - certainly not as much as arseholes with fireworks or trick or treaters.

But of course in MN land there are hundreds of huge slobbery dogs ready to attack on every street.

It raises a fair few red flags to rant about ‘OUR CULTURE’ - the only time I have seen anyone getting upset enough to capitalise it is on those ‘Are Tommy’ supporting sites.

Coming over here! Dousing our Bonfires! NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.

Last year the BOOM BOOM BOOM in urban areas went on for about a week, 1-3 hours each night.

We also get BOOM BOOM BOOM for several nights around Chinese New Yr. I guess all those who like BOOM!, should stay?
Can't wait for Eid to fall in UK winter months. More BOOM! for the fans.
It's dark by 10:30pm here in July, and I guess the 4th of July fans will spot the opportunity some time, too.

Where I grew up, domestic fireworks that go BOOM! were banned for private use in about 1972.

Of course you need to bring immigration into it. I thought your sort were against the nanny state, not welcoming it with open arms!
A quick google reveals that Singapore and Australia banned fireworks in 72 - we don't want the UK to become like one of those over-regulated polities.

I’m actually a little embarrassed for you. You are entitled to your opinion but you are the one bringing culture into it.

No need to be embarrassed for me, I'm not the one trying to ruin everyone else's simple pleasures.

Of course, for many people, their dog is one of life’s simple pleasures. But of course you have issues with that.

Setting off explosives, with the noise and danger that come with them, isn’t exactly a ‘simple pleasure’ and should be banned completely.