Fireworks - a Catherine Wheel of fun or a rocket of annoyance?

[gremlin]

I must be getting old, as the last few years I've found fireworks more of a bloody annoyance in terms of the noise they make and the dog going bat-shit when she hears one, coupled with the fact that I have a profound dislike for standing in a cold playground/field for a couple of hours to witness a disappointing 10 minute display of pyrotechnics.

Add to this the apparently increasing levels of goonery: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wr182e5pko
It does seem that miniature explosives and drunken shenanigans seem to go hand-in-hand....

So, thoughts...

Ban the buggers outright? Licence sellers and buyers to limit them to professional displays only? Stop being a curmudgeonly old git?

[Silly Car]

My thought is they should limit the sale of fireworks to a seven day period around the 5th of November, NYE, Diwali etc to encompass the actual date and either the preceding or following weekend with only licensed operators being able to buy them at any other time of the year. There should be prosecutions for any unlicensed individuals setting off fireworks outside these time.

It has been like a daily rendition of the 1812 overture here since the beginning of October. It is all well and good that the supermarkets are stocking silent fireworks but the yoof don’t want them so buy the noisiest fuckers they can find.

Poor dog has been scared witless for weeks, the calming tablets have helped but they never completely settle him through the barrage of overhead explosions…

[gremlin]

Spent NY in Reykjavik many years ago. The entire population seem to let off fireworks that night, but they are only allowed to buy them, IIRC, one week prior and not at all else any other time. The irony is, they could only be purchased from the fire station, and all proceeds went to the firefighter's charity. Go figure.

Fuck, that was a cold night.

[MrLongbeard]

Ban the buggers outright? Licence sellers and buyers to limit them to professional displays only?

Hell no, make 'em bigger, louder, easier to get hold of, take off all the warning labels, do away with Directive 2013/29/EU relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles, throwing rockets and bangers at each other never did us any harm back in the day.

Stop being a curmudgeonly old git?

I'll not hold my breath

[gremlin]

I'll not hold my breath

I'm only 55. I reckon in another 10 years I'll be making Victor Meldrew look like Mr. Maker on MDMA.

[weeksy]

I think we had about 4 last night... Can't say it's of any significance to my life.

[MrLongbeard]

I must admit living out in the country has softened my opinion some what.
Back when we lived in Leicester they were a tad OTT, being let off for Diwali and every other Indian wedding throughout the year , but out here there's the main town display and about half an hours worth every night, and I do love a good explosion.

[Taipan]

Stick a noise limit on them like most things have to have. Bastard things rattle my windows and are outright cruel to pets and livestock. Limiting them to displays and no public sales would be a good idea too and would stop the idiots letting them off at all hours.

[MrLongbeard]

Stick a noise limit on them like most things have to have.

They already have (Directive 2013/29/EU relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles)

[Taipan]

Stick a noise limit on them like most things have to have.

They already have (Directive 2013/29/EU relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles)

So 120 dB (A, imp) which is so subjective to conditions its pretty pointless. More EU bollocks! We need British regs for British fireworks. Bring back Brocks!

[Mr. Dazzle]

I've seen a few explicitly advertised as quiet ones in the shops recently.

Much to my surprise, my two cats (who weren't here last year) don't give a flying fuck about fireworks, which is nice. I also confirmed their ears actually work by making psspsspsspss noises.

[MrLongbeard]

Stick a noise limit on them like most things have to have.

They already have (Directive 2013/29/EU relating to the making available on the market of pyrotechnic articles)

So 120 dB (A, imp) which is so subjective to conditions its pretty pointless. More EU bollocks! We need British regs for British fireworks. Bring back Brocks!

Oh you want SI 1553 The Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 but don't get your hopes up, it's just our implementation of 2013/29

[DefTrap]

Let them have their fun, it's not doing any harm. What are the folk near 'designated firework event' locations supposed to do? Suck it up presumably.

The day I don't see dogshit on the street, or poo-bags mockingly hung from trees is the day I feel sympathy for dog owners. As for the dogs themselves, get over it, be more cat.

[ZRX61]

We had some idiot blow his hand to hamburger after the Dodgers won the World Series a few days ago.
Apparently *someone* handed him a firework & it exploded immediately on ignition. The videos are epic. Now his family have a GoFundMe going to pay for the surgeries to fix whats left.

[Whysub]

Fireworks here are heard most weeks throughout the year, many related to religious events.

The fireworks used during "Night of Fire" in Alicante each August must far exceed the EU directives, as for the hour they are hoing off, the noise is ear splittingly loud

[Skub]

I hear the odd bang or whoosh,can't say it bothers me at all.

[dern]

I'd prefer them to be limited to pro displays. Mainly because it doesn't seem to be a doable thing that people use them with consideration. People are stupid and don't seem to able to empathise with others.

[DefTrap]

The fireworks used during "Night of Fire" in Alicante each August must far exceed the EU directives, as for the hour they are hoing off, the noise is ear splittingly loud

When I was there in July this year it was on every night for a week!
I couldn't be bothered to go, I must have seen dozens of firework shows, who needs to see another. The missus was furious!

[gremlin]

The fireworks used during "Night of Fire" in Alicante each August must far exceed the EU directives, as for the hour they are hoing off, the noise is ear splittingly loud

When I was there in July this year it was on every night for a week!
I couldn't be bothered to go, I must have seen dozens of firework shows, who needs to see another. The missus was furious!

There's a only limited number of 'Oohs' and 'Ahs' you can exclaim when looking at things going bang after five decades, even if they are colourful and glittery.

I'd rather go and see a new-fangled drone display. In the summer when it's warmer. Somewhere with a bar.

[cheb]

Certain guns have been banned because of a small minority of people being stupid with them.

You want fireworks banned because of a small minority of people being stupid with them.

How about we ban dogs? No more dogshit in the street, dogshit trees in the countryside, being barked at when walking in a public area nor having clothes ruined by being jumped up at by some smelly shitty footed slobbering mutt.

Based on my reading of the news I reckon there's more people killed and injured by dogs than there are by firearms these days.

Ban them I say, immediately.