Should fireworks be banned?

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

Originally Posted by Eric

You need a licence for a shotgun And gimme a break; no way fireworks are as dangerous as a firearm. If we hunted ducks with roman candles, the buggers would die laughing. Maybe not a bad idea; you wouldn't have to push the shot to the side of your plate. And it would still give the dogs a nice outing retrieving them. I will be setting off fireworks this November 5. That will be the third time this year ... Victoria Day and Canada Day are the more-or-less sanctioned fireworks days. Banning fireworks .... no way .... What next? Banning conkers; or making the kids wear hard hats and protective eye wear?

Have you seen injuries people have sustained from fireworks? The fireworks being set off around us are not the pathetic Roman Candles of our youth but industrial strength mortars. It is not for the danger of them, I would like to see them banned but the fact that a small number of inconsiderate gits can disturb the rest of at all times of night. It wouldn't be a problem if people only let fireworks off on the days you mention but to be woken up at midnight, one day towards the end of October, by an explosion in the street should simply not be allowed to happen.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by accyman

if we ban them because some people are irresponsible with them theres a whole load of other things that will have to be banned by that logic as well..

cars

dogs

cats

fatty foods

prescription drugs

motorbikes

quadbikes

skateboards

fizzy pop

well theres a lot of things many people use responsibly but theres always a hand full of idiots that dont but it dosnt mean we should ban them

Nope can't remember throwing any of the above about the street
I might have spilt some fizzy pop by accident and I do remember tripping over a cat after an Accyweb meet in the stag but never thrown one in the street

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Eric

You need a licence for a shotgun And gimme a break; no way fireworks are as dangerous as a firearm. If we hunted ducks with roman candles, the buggers would die laughing. Maybe not a bad idea; you wouldn't have to push the shot to the side of your plate. And it would still give the dogs a nice outing retrieving them. I will be setting off fireworks this November 5. That will be the third time this year ... Victoria Day and Canada Day are the more-or-less sanctioned fireworks days. Banning fireworks .... no way .... What next? Banning conkers; or making the kids wear hard hats and protective eye wear?

Spend a couple of nights in an A&E department, or on a paediatric surgical unit in the few weeks on the run up to Bonfire night and you might get a different perspective.
What is being suggested is that fireworks are only allowed to be supplied to those with a pyrotechnics licence, those who are putting on a relatively safe public display of fireworks.......though personally, I would not go to one of these either. I am not a fan of fireworks......and have seen the damage and pain that these modern fireworks can do.

[Mog]

Originally Posted by cashman

I would probably have been arrested fer cluttering em. Personally these modern fireworks should to me only be sold to adults, any child using em the parents should be fined.

26th October 1963 whilst trying to make some home made fireworks down the back alley in Crown Street. One of these so called home made bangers went OFF in my hand. I lost half of my left hand. A few years later i became a shotfirer down the coal mines. That meant I used explosives to release coal and rock to advance the workings. I still have the authorisation to use explosives and I spent 1 week in Lake Garda in 2008 with the stunt men whilst they were making the film Quantum of Solace. I was responsible for the detonators etc. Sorry to bore you all but despite all the above. Yes they should only allow adults to purchase fireworks. Wonder how my life would have turned out if they were banned back then.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Mog

26th October 1963 whilst trying to make some home made fireworks down the back alley in Crown Street. One of these so called home made bangers went OFF in my hand. I lost half of my left hand. A few years later i became a shotfirer down the coal mines. That meant I used explosives to release coal and rock to advance the workings. I still have the authorisation to use explosives and I spent 1 week in Lake Garda in 2008 with the stunt men whilst they were making the film Quantum of Solace. I was responsible for the detonators etc. Sorry to bore you all but despite all the above. Yes they should only allow adults to purchase fireworks. Wonder how my life would have turned out if they were banned back then.

Aye mog remember it well. but at least yeh got a good write up in the local rag, when a banger went off in me eye, i got a scratty un. and the even put Brain in the paper. which was really stupid, considering what i'd done.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Spend a couple of nights in an A&E department, or on a paediatric surgical unit in the few weeks on the run up to Bonfire night and you might get a different perspective.
What is being suggested is that fireworks are only allowed to be supplied to those with a pyrotechnics licence, those who are putting on a relatively safe public display of fireworks.......though personally, I would not go to one of these either. I am not a fan of fireworks......and have seen the damage and pain that these modern fireworks can do.

I've no intention of going to emerg, unless I absolutely have to; and then I would like to go in a nice warm ambulance with a couple of paramedics on hand. I really don't give a rat's ass that folks get hurt by fireworks, firearms, trains, planes and automobiles. I don't know them; and I don't care. Nor, by the way, do I give a damn about migrant kids washing up on the shores of the Med. It ain't my problem. I have enough on my hands taking care of myself and my critters. Shiite happens. The world is not a safe place (in fact it's downright bloody dangerous, and the Universe is even scarier) and all the laws, rules, and regs we make will not make it so. We can't build walls, not physical, not psychological, not metaphorical, not spiritual .... nor anything else you can think of ... to keep ourselves safe. So why not have a little fun ... and bonfire nite, and the weeks leading up to it used to be fun. We used to make our own toys, organize our own sports, and take the consequences of our screw ups. Emerg, unless it involved stitching, setting, or surgery was your own kitchen, where mom would dab some evil smelling, stinging stuff on your wounds and give you a swift one round the lugs for being careless.

According to recent news articles a full English breakfast is more dangerous than low yield explosives. So, let's make us a salad, maybe some tofu, sit in front of a picture of a fire and watch videos of fireworks.

Oh, and let's bring back lawn darts.

[accyman]

Originally Posted by Mog

. Sorry to bore you all but despite all the above. Yes they should only allow adults to purchase fireworks. .

no one has said children should be allowed to buy them?

well not that iv read so far anyway

[accyman]

Originally Posted by Eric

I've no intention of going to emerg, unless I absolutely have to; and then I would like to go in a nice warm ambulance with a couple of paramedics on hand. I really don't give a rat's ass that folks get hurt by fireworks, firearms, trains, planes and automobiles. I don't know them; and I don't care. Nor, by the way, do I give a damn about migrant kids washing up on the shores of the Med. It ain't my problem. I have enough on my hands taking care of myself and my critters. Shiite happens. The world is not a safe place (in fact it's downright bloody dangerous, and the Universe is even scarier) and all the laws, rules, and regs we make will not make it so. We can't build walls, not physical, not psychological, not metaphorical, not spiritual .... nor anything else you can think of ... to keep ourselves safe. So why not have a little fun ... and bonfire nite, and the weeks leading up to it used to be fun. We used to make our own toys, organize our own sports, and take the consequences of our screw ups. Emerg, unless it involved stitching, setting, or surgery was your own kitchen, where mom would dab some evil smelling, stinging stuff on your wounds and give you a swift one round the lugs for being careless.

According to recent news articles a full English breakfast is more dangerous than low yield explosives. So, let's make us a salad, maybe some tofu, sit in front of a picture of a fire and watch videos of fireworks.

Oh, and let's bring back lawn darts.

i must admit now i am getting older it is proving more of a challenge to dodge the odd rocket that tips over after its been lit .Maybe government should provide adequate protection for people over 40 years of age who still like to play with fireworks coz they give grants for even more ludricous things....

besides i like to celebrate bonfire night it reminds us that at least there has been one person in history who entered government with good intentions

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Eric

I've no intention of going to emerg, unless I absolutely have to; and then I would like to go in a nice warm ambulance with a couple of paramedics on hand. I really don't give a rat's ass that folks get hurt by fireworks, firearms, trains, planes and automobiles. I don't know them; and I don't care. Nor, by the way, do I give a damn about migrant kids washing up on the shores of the Med. It ain't my problem. I have enough on my hands taking care of myself and my critters. Shiite happens. The world is not a safe place (in fact it's downright bloody dangerous, and the Universe is even scarier) and all the laws, rules, and regs we make will not make it so. We can't build walls, not physical, not psychological, not metaphorical, not spiritual .... nor anything else you can think of ... to keep ourselves safe. So why not have a little fun ... and bonfire nite, and the weeks leading up to it used to be fun. We used to make our own toys, organize our own sports, and take the consequences of our screw ups. Emerg, unless it involved stitching, setting, or surgery was your own kitchen, where mom would dab some evil smelling, stinging stuff on your wounds and give you a swift one round the lugs for being careless.

According to recent news articles a full English breakfast is more dangerous than low yield explosives. So, let's make us a salad, maybe some tofu, sit in front of a picture of a fire and watch videos of fireworks.

Oh, and let's bring back lawn darts.

Yes,yes, yes.....I grew up around the same time as you. So I do remember the things you mention...especially the clip round the ear holes for not doing as I was told.
We took risks.....we did things which nowadays we do not like children to do.
It made us the people we are.
Fireworks were not the things they are today(although they were still dangerous).
Fireworks are not now, (and haven't been for some fifty years)my idea of fun.
As for the full English breakfast....I think this is something that is indulged in only when on holiday. I do not know anyone who eats this on a daily basis....I'm prepared to take my chance with the bacon and eggs. You can stick the tofu where monkeys shove their nuts .

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Mog

26th October 1963 whilst trying to make some home made fireworks down the back alley in Crown Street. One of these so called home made bangers went OFF in my hand. I lost half of my left hand. A few years later i became a shotfirer down the coal mines. That meant I used explosives to release coal and rock to advance the workings. I still have the authorisation to use explosives and I spent 1 week in Lake Garda in 2008 with the stunt men whilst they were making the film Quantum of Solace. I was responsible for the detonators etc. Sorry to bore you all but despite all the above. Yes they should only allow adults to purchase fireworks. Wonder how my life would have turned out if they were banned back then.

When I was a kid we couldn't afford fireworks, then the war started and there were no fireworks, but like you I made my own, now you can't buy the incredients but when I could I made some real bangers blow the sides out of dust bins and lift grate lids, I used string soaked in a saltpetre solution for fuses, a bit slow but reliable. Never got round to rockets although i did have a book that showed me how.

[Barrie Yates]

Schermuly parachute flares, Very Pistol rounds, and Thunderflashes certainly kept the Brat Kids well entertained - sure that DinG will have similar experiences.

[accyman]

last year we used my pals large flower pots to bed the fireworks into as his garden is graveled or chippings i think they call it

much fun was had until we brought out the big ones to finish off our little display and the flower pots and plants got blown to crap ..

we were suprised

the kids were in awe and shouted "again again"

his wife hit the roof which goes to show its not only fireworks that should not be ignited indoors

edit:

we did replace stuff promtly yet we still get to hear about what we did and even more so as the night approaches ever nearer again lol

[Mog]

Originally Posted by accyman

no one has said children should be allowed to buy them?

well not that iv read so far anyway

If you read it correctly you can see I am replying to Cashy. Adults,children.its all in there.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by accyman

last year we used my pals large flower pots to bed the fireworks into as his garden is graveled or chippings i think they call it

much fun was had until we brought out the big ones to finish off our little display and the flower pots and plants got blown to crap ..

we were suprised

the kids were in awe and shouted "again again"

his wife hit the roof which goes to show its not only fireworks that should not be ignited indoors

edit:

we did replace stuff promtly yet we still get to hear about what we did and even more so as the night approaches ever nearer again lol

For the grandson's rockes I use a foot long piece of 1/2 inch plastic pipe hammered into the raised bed in the garden nowt gets broken and all go straight up.

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates

sure that DinG will have similar experiences.

Most serpently Barrie! Ever come across penlight flares? Marvellous piece of kit, location identifier or in a straight line incendiary rocket/fire starter.

Not advisable to be fired straight up from a fighting trench dug in a meter back from the tree line in a German pine forest ....... that is unless your trench escape routes are pretty damned uncluttered.