Reply With QuoteI agree. It’s like shock and awe around here!
My dogs are wrecks, shaking, tongues hanging out a total mess even though over the last couple of weeks they have had calmers.
We had friggin fireworks all around Nov 5th now Diwali the last couple of nights and tonight its like you would imagine it must be like in a war zone some of the explosions make the house shake.
I was told today that because there has been no displays the megga fireworks have been bought by ordinary members of the public cheap just to move stock on, don't know how true that is.
I would love to shove some of these explosives up the rears of those celebrating !!!!!!
I agree. It’s like shock and awe around here!
We’ve had similar around our village. Display size fireworks being let off randomly. Horses and pets affected, with some people sleeping in caravans to be near their horses.
Even my dog who is used to going shooting has started to worry about the noise.
It’s ridiculous and if you say anything you get called a killjoy or worse. I’ve even heard it said that because of COVID-19 and lockdowns people need something to ‘cheer them up’.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
As the owner of a little dog who is an absolute wreck, I can safely say that I *detest* fireworks. It’s the 3rd of 4th weekend in a row now and it’s just getting too much.
For two weeks he’s refused to go outdoors to the garden and spent the whole night trembling curled up in the shower cubicle because that’s where he (bizarrely) seems to find it safest to run when he’s terrified: which is every night now.
It will take him 2-3 weeks to calm back down and to start going out for walks again../ then we’ll have New Years and it all starts again.
Also, 3 Saturdays ago at around lunchtime I confronted a gang of 13-15 year olds who were shooting rockets into the park where people were walking and where a couple with a pram and a dog were trying to hide for safety. They were running away wearing balaclavas, many on bikes. I was out running myself and was able to catch one and shout some random angry words at (can’t even remember what I said now) before he got away. I saw the police taking to them about half an hour later but said there’s nothing they could do as no ‘proof’ and of course the children were denying it. I said I had witnessed it but they weren’t interested. Actually they weren’t police, they were the volunteer ones.
Anyway. I find it hard to believe that it’s legal to buy fireworks - explosives - in this country. The mind boggles; the sooner they’re banned and made illegal, the better.
Anyone who claims ‘people need this to cheer themselves up’ are morons and need to really review what makes them happy in life, because if it’S ‘bang bang flash flash woooo shiny lights’ then they have a peanut for a brain
Festival of light, yeah right......
We don't - but some seem to have money to burn...
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
And what of the environment impact?
We live in an open, multicultural and diverse society, so suck it up and stop yeh moaning.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
What’s diverse about letting off display fireworks in residential areas?Originally Posted by Andyg
And what of the environment impact?
We live in an open, multicultural and diverse society, so suck it up and stop yeh moaning.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Completely agree. Our neighbours had some very large fireworks and plenty of friends over to watch them. Didn’t last long thankfully.
I don’t see the point unless it’s a big expensive display and far away from peoples homes (and pets).
Totally agree. Sale of fireworks should be banned.
I always loved fireworks as a kid, and it was always an annual event. Our dogs were used to the noise, or comforted - I think partly because they were part of any celebrations, rather than stuck indoors just hearing strange random loud noises.
Large public displays are probably a better idea, but will still cause some unrest for some.
It's just a matter of time...
The essential firework shop near here has marked everything down to half price so there could be some truth in that - I just thought they were pushing lockdown so wanted everything gone and TBH didn't begrudge them on November 5th but they are still open and selling fireworks.
Spot on,my dog was a total mess again last night,running around shaking.
sympathise with people with pets that are frightened by fireworks must be horrible to watch your pets suffer,i have never been much for fancy fireworks being tight i cant comfortably watch so much money literally going up in smoke.our first dog,a new zealand huntaway which i used as a gun dog,he wasnt so much a retriever as a find and rip to bits dog.he was'nt frightened by them but he would bark and scratch at the back door wanting me to let him out so he could go out and kill them.our last dog ,a very large rottweiler called Diesel was indifferent to them,didnt turn a hair,but then hes was extremely lazy and was never happier than when he lay on the kitchen floor with his head jammed under the radiator.
Seems to go on from the end of September to the middle of January. It's the randomness that's so annoying. Have had to start taking the dog out at dusk instead of late evening and he's still a nervous wreck. Got all togged up 3 times yesterday only for some moron to let off a huge explosion each time we got to the end of the road and had to turn around and go back!
The Dutchies love a firework and it is like a war zone on New Years Eve, our first NYE we spent hours on the rooftop in Central Haarlem watching the barrages, with the constant noise and smoke it gave us a small insight into what it must have been like during the Blitz.
Last NYE we had bought our house, but not yet moved in (kitchen replacement etc), but watched the neighbours assemble outside our huge windows on our security camera, they then commenced unloading the boots of their cars and had a communal ‘firework fiesta’. The smouldering piles of cardboard from the various Chinese ‘specials’ were everywhere the next morning along with wire from sparklers and wooden sticks and plastic remnants from rockets everywhere. All this and then cars with damaged and melted wheels bins everywhere.
And then all the horror stories about Young Jappe who has lost two fingers and his friend who got hit in the eye and is in hospital, but when told by the Mums, told with horror, but regaled by the Dads with a ‘boys will be boys’ wink!
They have now been banned with a threat of €1000 fines for the miscreants, but I’m betting this NYE will be a repeat of last years :-(
Personally, I say ban them except for professional displays, our poor cat takes weeks to recover, and, even though they are banned, we’re already getting constant bangers being let off by pre-teen boys, most likely provided by the proud dads.
Just out of interest, do some dogs suffer from anxiety during major thunderstorms or do they have some sort of instinct for natural phenomena?
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
I don’t actually understand the popularity of spending so much money on fireworks. Although they do very little for me, I can appreciate a good professional display but there seems to be a huge clamour to spend loads of money on fireworks amongst the general population....I watched them queuing at the stand at Asda the other day. Am I just turning into an old grinch or is anyone else bemused at the urge some people have to buy fireworks?
Garden fireworks far more fun for children IMO.
Professional displays leave me cold, seen one, seen them all. May even be scary for children.
Some of the "fun" ones were banned in 1997.
I am shocked to hear that the public got hold of any decent fireworks, perhaps professional grade sold illegally to get rid of them
I’d agree that anything outside of 5th November, NYE and some religious festivals should see a ban of fireworks. As a child of the 70s I grew up with people building a bonfire and letting off boxes of fireworks. My father done it on several occasions along with spuds wrapped in foil on the fires. I don’t remember dogs and animals being scared of fireworks back then but I guess I was too young to have realised.
Yep. Absolute pain in the rear. One of my dogs is a rescue that we worked on for almost a year to build his confidence. He used to hide away from people, animals, etc. Here we have had weeks and weeks of fireworks at random times and as early as 5am. Some of them have made the windows shake. They are like bombs. Clyde just hides and shakes, panting wildly. It is horrendous to see and nothing will comfort him. We have made him a dark warm den to try and help him and he goes in there for hours, but just hides away terrified and shaking. He now will not go out for a night walk at all.
There are lots of people complaining on social media and being targeted as killjoys. What the hell does that mean? We have kids firing rockets at cars and out of parks. Industrial sized fireworks being let off at the beach. It’s like a bank of missiles being fired. It’s not fun it’s bloody anti social behaviour, often supported by idiotic adults that should know better.
Last year my friend who has a farm that is backing on to a town showed a video on social media of her horses thrashing around and into walls, frothing at the mouth because they were so distressed. Eventually a pub setting them off very close caused sparks and fireworks to set fire to some hay and the fire service was called out. It was carnage.
We should follow Italy’s lead and ban loud fireworks. They have fireworks that display but do not explode.
I’m always surprised at how setting off fireworks entertain the 20-somethings. I’m sure I’d grown out of lighting bangers when I was about 16 at the latest. By the age of 18, I could think of hundreds of things I’d prefer to have wasted my money on.
Should be banned for general purchase and just have organised displays.
I was walking the neighbours dog the other day, 2 days before the 5th at about mid-day when they were letting them off. The dog was startled, & petrified and was pushing against me too frightened.
We used to live on a terraced street in south west London and for a couple of weeks every year I felt like I was on the set of Saving Private Ryan, the constant noise was horrendous. I’ve never had a dog so don’t know how it affects them but my autistic son couldn’t sleep and by November 5th we were all so sleep deprived it was awful. This year up in Norfolk I hardly heard any fireworks at all thank goodness, and as for Diwali - well, South London was just a re-run of Nov 5th, up here - nothing at all.
I did read somewhere that due to health and safety laws there is much less gunpowder in modern fireworks, but modern techniques mean it is wrapped more tightly so you get a much louder bang amd a lot less light and colour than in, say the 70’s. Never investigated if this is true but I wouldn’t be surprised
When I was a kid, our dogs (whippets, so not the bravest of canines) used to stick their heads under a cushion during a thunderstorm.
And our cat was wondering around the house looking worried last time we had a good thunderstorm, so I guess it's any unknown noise that perturbs them.
I also suspect that some pets will cope with it better than others.
But I'm firmly in the 'make fireworks illegal' camp. By all means allow general sale of sparklers and small fireworks for colour, but anything like these WWII shells should be restricted to organised displays away from urban areas.
Yes, that might be the answer. Fireworks that show light displays without the large bangs that sound like a war zone. Might fire off a letter about that to the local MP.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Regardless of the reason fireworks are absolutely crap. I remember being 6 and going to Disney World and finding them great, ever since I’ve just always thought by they are so crap.
Ban them.
We have 2 dogs... one isn’t bothered the other is in a mess. Shaking and trembling every evening. On the 5th he actually somehow actually wedged himself behind the washing machine and wouldn’t come out.
One of my wife’s friends has a number of horses in a field. Someone thought it would be a great idea to let off explosives next to the field.
One horse had her right eye blasted out by a wayward rocket...
The stupidity is strong.
because it’s part of the way they celebrate. Much like we do by killing turkeys and chopping down trees.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
That's not correct, fireworks are put in to classifications, most small fireworks fall in to cat 2 the larger items you buy in the shops is cat 3.
Most professional display companies use cat 4 fireworks these are not legally available for purchase by your man on the street, although they tend to find there way on to the black market and the shells are often referred to as Onion bombs.
This year more people have had displays at home, due to the lack of organised displays which has upset a lot of people.
I freelance in the firework display business in addition to my day job, so my income is down about 30% this year, I've seen a few companies shut down due to lack of work and others lose very large sums of money.
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Decent ones are easy and legal. Just Google 'Celtic WAP' for a very large, very bright and very loud candle.
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I think you will find that it was one small town that enacted that back in 2015.
The rest of italy is known for its huge explosions and loud fireworks for every Festa and occasion!!
This was one last year...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7CMPHViLTc
Last edited by redmonaco; 15th November 2020 at 18:34.
I agree about banning fireworks. They are a scandalous waste of chemicals. Ridiculous things.
I’d ban cheese too.
Jolly good.
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
Agree on fireworks, my dogs are quivering wrecks.
As for cheese, dairy farmers need to make money somehow.
As do firework makers.
I like milk. And cows.
Heathen.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
I’m sorry, I forgot you loved fireworks.
“Mr. Bang Bang”
We had fireworks at Halloween and the kids loved them as did I, I must admit. Terribly expensive though. 3 very big rockets, 2 volleys of small rockets (25 rockets each) and a few sparklers - £220!!
They should banned and only be sold to organised professional fire displays.
Decorating this bloody volcano is a never ending job, but the shark's like a bit of cheese now and then.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
^^^ very good
Much as fireworks irritate me, at least it’s a traditional British celebration, unlike Halloween which imho is just tacky and unpleasant in equal measure. Surely it’s an American import? I guess it’s much easier for shops to sell plastic Halloween tat, sweets and pumpkins than fireworks.
I have to say, growing up I enjoyed ‘penny for the guy’ and the bonfire, sausages amd jacket potatoes just as much as the fireworks. And am I alone in remembering is as usually freezing cold on November the 5th, hats, mittens, scarves the lot as a kid - now November 5th is usually really mild. When did Halloween start in the uk? I remember a bit of apple bobbing from maybe the 80’s but don’t remember Halloween existing in the uk at all in the 70’s?
You're not wrong, Easter, Halloween, prom nights etc are just a commercial excuse to sell landfill tat - welcome to the 51st state.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
The US may have commercialised it, but Hallowe'en is anything but an American import. Quite the opposite.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
Don't just do something, sit there. - TNH
Devil’s advocate as we’re looking to home a rescue cat at the moment, but pet ownership is not a birth right, and fireworks season does seem to bring out a sense of entitlement.
Perhaps there is a market for silent fireworks. Lots of pretty sparkles, but without the bangs. After all who needs a good bang in the evening.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Is letting off extremely loud fireworks a birthright?
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
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