Author Topic: Fireworks  (Read 1858 times)

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Sorastro

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Fireworks
« on: November 06, 2018, 01:58:59 PM »
Every year bonfire night comes round and the "Should we ban fireworks" question pops up {or it should do}
I'm not a killjoy by any means I used to let off fireworks in my youth and we were no saints, by that I mean we were totally aware of how dangerous they were it's just that the fireworks we had were mild in comparison to those on sale today, o.k. they were [still] dangerous but the ones you can get today especially the rockets are like intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Nowadays one of the so called "small" banger's could, and have done in the past, destroy a phone box or garden shed.  These fireworks are lethal, they can kill if someone stands too close.  It wasn't so long ago an organised display went wrong and it was terrifying to watch, I think it was on the Thames embankment, and this wasn't an isolated case.   
You know the old saying "Never give a monkey a machine gun" well this is a case in point. They need to be banned.
You might say "You had your fun with them why can't others" because it's getting beyond a joke some of those explosions are deafening and besides the price of them now, I know someone who bought a dozen fireworks the other day and paid £50 for them and he said he got a bargain.
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

hifimad

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2018, 06:53:12 PM »
every year some killjoy pops their head above the parapet screaming blue murder about banning fireworks, i for one disagree. as a nation we are becoming far to risk averse, i am not suggesting we should all go out tombstoning or mountain climbing or innocently shopping in the pavements when the security are about, but most thing in life carry an element of risk, people spend thousands of pounds on alcohol cigarettes and even fattening foods, so £50 on fireworks seems small beer to me, i think the following i got from google should prove enlightening, bang goes my burnt to a cinder beefburgers.

While the overall injury rates are down, fireworks still cause an average of seven deaths a year, with four firework-related fatalities in 2016, according to CPSC. The APA notes that 20,000 people are injured every year by barbecue grills, and more than 120,000 people are injured by baseballs annually

Old Cruser

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2018, 05:56:47 PM »
Good comparison there hifimad.

Bar B Q's should be tended by responsible adults but some are maybe just not savvy enough to be doing this job - or maybe had one glass too many before starting?

We got rid of our Bar B a few years ago - quicker to cook it in the oven and less cleaning up after  ;)

Also good points from Sorastro.

There are many complaints these days about animals who are frightened by the loud bangs and yes I think they are much louder than when I was a child.
This lies with the manufacturer and clear guidelines need implementing to cut down the noise levels, They should be on order and regulating how many can be purchased, with collection on the 5th November -
The old lady with the wonky middle finger

Sorastro

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2018, 11:50:57 AM »
Maybe the word killjoy was perhaps too emotive a word to use. By wanting the sale of fireworks banning was not due to the fact that the firework industry in itself is dangerous, I was merely pointing out the number of imbeciles able to get their hands on them frightens me hence the expression of monkeys and machine guns.
As I said we let off fireworks as kids but it was a different era then, just one example of this was when I walked out of my front door the other morning, after a night of fireworks going off, to find a VERY large rocket embedded in the top of the front hedge less than 3 feet away from my car, if that had hit my bonnet it would have made a sizeable dent in the bonnet or maybe have cracked the windscreen, I would have had no recourse, although no excuse when I was a kid no one on the estate owned a car!
Watching the news the other night about the fire brigade being called out to a bonfire only to be "ambushed" by a load of louts hiding under the cover of darkness aiming rockets at the fire crew and hurling "banger's" these young people seem to have no regard for the safety of others or authority nowadays, they spend all day playing violent video games them transfer it onto the streets, I don't believe they see any difference.

One only has to see what's happening in the U.S.A. with their gun culture. Mass shootings now on a weekly basis. They have a department called Homeland Security that looks out for foreign terrorists unfortunately the Americans biggest enemy is the Americans themselves.
The A.R.A. {American Rifle Association} can't understand what the problem is, bearing arms is the right of every American, it's in their constitution, they don't seem to be interested in the fact millions of people demonstrate to get the gun laws at least amended to stop the slaughter {they probably call them killjoys}.
This country seems to be starting to go down that same dark road, we can all see what's happening over the pond and their sentences for law breakers are a lot harsher than ours. The only way to change peoples mind set here is to start with the young, and a good place to start is banning fireworks, after all what's the point of trying to teach the young to respect other people and their property and not to use guns or knives if for two or three months of the year they can freely walk round with "explosives" in their pockets.     
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

Old Cruser

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2018, 12:35:45 PM »
 --- and of course we now have the use of knives a big problem in the UK.

I suspect eventually they will be taken off sale to the public and banned here.
Very few bonfires privately around as far as I am aware.
Councils shouldn't be spending money on these displays unless they can recoup money spent - times are hard with cut backs to services.

We have heard some in our area and there has been one or two private displays such as the Scouts and Rugby Club which I believe were well received.

These days I keep away from smokey atmospheres due to Asthma and the noise doesn't bother me but many object because of distress to animals. Good point!

We have a change in the way we think now and what was acceptable and good fun back in the 50's and 60's isn't classed so by many of us.

Penny for the Guy - it's not done as thought as 'begging'

Trick or treat - is now acceptable as long as doors are only knocked on which give a sign they are approachable.
We put a pumpkin out and leave the lights on, have a large tub of sweets ready.
It's not really 'my thing' but I recognise that the children of today enjoy it.
The old lady with the wonky middle finger

hifimad

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2018, 02:07:09 PM »
when i used the word killjoy i was not referring to you specifically but more of a generlisation of the usual suspects, i am pleased your car did not get damaged unlike mine which was damaged a while ago after a branch fell on it in the high winds, the tree in question had a preservation order on it but i am loathe to suggest we ban trees or preservation orders, i myself have not bought fireworks for years though i have no wish to ban something that gives untold pleasure to a lot of children and adults alike. if i were to advocate the banning of everything that could possibly be abused by idiots the list would be endless but would include cars cutlery, gardening tools, food, drink, the internet, innocent shoppers in the pavements, why not lets ban the idiots.

hifimad

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2018, 02:43:17 PM »
Penny for the Guy - it's not done as thought as 'begging'

do not worry trick or treat is next as it is fundamantally a protection racket ;)

Old Cruser

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2018, 06:19:30 PM »
Penny for the Guy - it's not done as thought as 'begging'

do not worry trick or treat is next as it is fundamantally a protection racket ;)

Too true titchy six year olds are quite scary  :-?
The old lady with the wonky middle finger

Sorastro

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2018, 08:35:59 PM »
Penny for the Guy - it's not done as thought as 'begging

Those "homeless" around Chesterfield could kill two birds with one stone.

In a galaxy far far away... we once dressed one of our mates up as a guy, sat him in a barrow outside our local chippy. There was about five of us {including the guy} we were doing a good business as everyone said he looked lifelike. Every time we collected above 4d one of us would go in and get a bag of chips and we would share them, unfortunately we seemed to be forgetting the "star" of the show and he eventually got so fed up he jumped up, grabbed the tin of cash and ran into the chippy much to the astonishment of the lady serving.

Ah' these rose tinted spectacles STILL work....happy days.
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

Old Cruser

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #9 on: November 11, 2018, 08:46:58 PM »
Those "homeless" around Chesterfield could kill two birds with one stone.

In a galaxy far far away... we once dressed one of our mates up as a guy, sat him in a barrow outside our local chippy. There was about five of us {including the guy} we were doing a good business as everyone said he looked lifelike. Every time we collected above 4d one of us would go in and get a bag of chips and we would share them, unfortunately we seemed to be forgetting the "star" of the show and he eventually got so fed up he jumped up, grabbed the tin of cash and ran into the chippy much to the astonishment of the lady serving.

Ah' these rose tinted spectacles STILL work....happy days.

 :)) :)) :)) Love it !

Slightly side stepping (again) we used to go Carol singing - don't hear that these days either.
The old lady with the wonky middle finger

Sorastro

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2023, 07:46:40 PM »
Star date 5th November 2023......

It sounds like the Gaza strip out there {again}, the bangs are deafening. Three doors up from us someone is letting off those large rockets that when they explode your windows virtually rattle.
I understand there is talk of, in the future, making silent fireworks, you'll still see the spectacle but no deafening noise with it, that sounds like common sense to me and the sooner the better, there's even talk of replacing them with laser light that can mimic fireworks even better.
Also the price of them beggers belief, especially in these times of austerity, I saw them on the news interview a bloke who sells fireworks the other day and among his stock there was a pack of just 3 rockets for sale SIXTY FIVE QUID!!!

All in all I still think we would be better off, and a tad safer if we banned fireworks, because until we can find a way to only sell to "responsible" people, which is something that will never happen I live in hopes that sense will eventually prevail. 
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

Old Cruser

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2023, 07:57:45 PM »
Some of the larger fireworks used to have a warning on about letting them off near residential areas.
They are more for letting off  in a field.
Some near us were louder than our TV last night. One rocket hit the extension wall --and we could clearly see where it had hit the wall. Another was lodged in the leg landis.
 I feel for my garden Hedgehogs
The old lady with the wonky middle finger

Sorastro

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #12 on: November 06, 2023, 07:58:52 PM »
Star date 5th November 2023......

All in all I still think we would be better off, and a tad safer if we banned fireworks, because until we can find a way to only sell to "responsible" people, which is something that will never happen I live in hopes that sense will eventually prevail.

Watching the news tonight about police being injured in Scotland when confronted by firework throwing yobs..I rest my case!
I am not a pessimist, I just help them out when they're busy.

Old Cruser

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Re: Fireworks
« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2023, 01:03:53 PM »
Watching the news tonight about police being injured in Scotland when confronted by firework throwing yobs..I rest my case!

That really is bad isn't it. The worst I can remember and yes dangerous but made the lads laugh was to light a jack in the box and put it near one of their mates who obviously jumped around trying to get out of it's way
The old lady with the wonky middle finger

 

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