Fireworks poll

[DrPhill]

Although an organised display can be well done and enjoyable, the down side (as a pensioner) is the cost - not just the entrance fee but the inevitable food and beverage which with kids and grandkids can soon turn expensive.

IBM Hursley used to do a free fireworks display - contributions to charity.
Not sure if they still do, but it was a fully professional 20 minute display.

We can see a couple of big displays a year from our decking - almost. We get to see the aerial parts (the bits I like the best) but not the terrestrial stuff. Suits me just fine.

 

[RogerS]

Normally I don't like fireworks, but the 14th July here in Carcassonne when they do what they call the burning of the Cité is fantastic. Paris is the only display bigger and last year well over 250,000 people came from all over France to see it. I know a simple and easy way to drive in and out with just a 10 minute walk from the car to the view. Been to see it several time and enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbG0SM0BsKo

It's the day after my birthday and the biggest fête in the calender. Great stuff!! No music, just the fireworks and the atmosphere!!

Quite by chance we happened to be staying inside Carcassonne when this was on. "Spectacular" doesn't even begin to describe it. Makes our wimpish efforts look laughable.

 

[jimmy_s]

I love fireworks and fire professional displays.

Some of the best fireworks are from Malta and also Japan

These countries have taken shells to an art form

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRVYagcmQnQ

 

[AES]

Unfortunately (IMHO) the sale of fireworks to private people is allowed here.

But if you ever get the chance, on Swiss National day (1st August) there are excellent professional displays on the Rhine at Basel, on the Lake of Zurich (Zurich), and on the Vierwaldstadtersee (Luzern). I think, but have never seen it, there is also a professional display on the Lake of Geneva (Geneva).

As 1st August normally (but by no means always) normally means fine weather, these displays are well worth seeing if you like fireworks, which I do (in professional hands).

AES

 

[Biliphuster]

I am surprised so many people are against the sale of fireworks to the public.

Anyone that owns a tablesaw, bandsaw, router, chainsaw, even a set of chisels owns something far more dangerous than any firework you could buy in the UK. Like anything else it comes down to using them responsibly, if you don't think you can't use them safely, don't buy them.

 

[AES]

@Biliphuster:

The big difference between the people that own the items you mention and those who buy fireworks is that most people owning tools use them responsibly. You will argue "Yeah, so do the majority of people who buy fireworks". To that I would reply, "Yeah, fine, but the majority of the (few) people who use tools irresponsibly injure only themselves, or at worst, one or two people around them in their own homes/workshops, etc. But the majority of the (admittedly few) people - mainly kids? - who use fireworks irresponsibly do so in the open air/public spaces, and quite often injury is caused to "innocent bystanders".

Therefore, IMHO, your argument is not valid.

AES

 

[Sheffield Tony]

Not sure that is true at all. I think DIY is a significant contributer to A&E attendances. And as well as injury with the tools, there are the consequences of dodgy jobs. We are no lomger trusted to do our own electrical work for example.

I would have assumed that most firework injuries are to the user; IIRC the requirements for training, and restrictions on shells/mortars that came in maybe 15 years ago was triggered by a death resulting from looking down a mortar tube to see why it hadn't gone off. At oour work display we banned sparklers because of the high rate of burns to children grabbing the wrong end.

 

[AES]

Maybe Sheffield Tony, maybe. But surely, even if DIY visits are the most frequent cause of visits to A&E (which I think unlikely) surely most DIY-ers injury "only" themselves?

I must agree that I'm naturally against "big brother Government" not letting us do stuff because "it's not good for you", and although I'm sure that a lot of silly people injure only themselves and not others with fireworks, I feel that there are enough "innocent bystanders" getting injured, and enough "escalation" in the power of fireworks compared to when I was a kid to make a ban on sale to the general public a good idea.

There's another problem which probably affects us here more than it does the UK (due to the time of the year/the weather) - for at least a week before 1st August, plus several days afterwards, fireworks going off at random at all times of the day and night are just a bloody nuisance. I've no objection to people buying privately and then setting them off themselves at the proper time (we do that ourselves sometimes) but the nuisance factor of fireworks being let off at random over a period of several days are a PITA.

Just my view of course.

AES

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I am surprised so many people are against the sale of fireworks to the public.

Anyone that owns a tablesaw, bandsaw, router, chainsaw, even a set of chisels owns something far more dangerous than any firework you could buy in the UK.

Yes. But you're not likely to hurt anyone else with them, only yourself.

 

[dzj]

A professional fireworks display is always nice to see.
I have ambiguous feelings regarding making it freely available to everyone.
Maybe someone has the right to buy the stuff, but I should also have the right to not have my
eardrum damaged by a drunken adolescent.

 

[marcros]

whether "professional" grades of fireworks should be available to all is a different question, and I would say no to that, simply because many people do not have sufficient space for them. You would hope that it would stop people buying them, but it does not, and once the fuse is lit, 50 bangs are going off regardless, there is no stopping it. Standard fireworks are just let off one by one.

 

[whiskywill]

I remember a Crackerjack chasing my Dad around the yard as it went on its merry way.

You must be either very young or American. They were called Jackie Jumpers in my day.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'm 61 - they were jumping jacks when I was a kid. I've never heard them called Jackie Jumpers.

 

[AES]

+1 Phil - you took the words right out of my mouth!

AES

 

[thick_mike]

I love explosions!

One of the reasons I love my current job (chemistry teacher) is that I get to blow things up fairly frequently. In this job, blowing something up is seen as a positive thing. In my old job (industrial chemist) not so much!

 

[petermillard]

I'm 61 - they were jumping jacks when I was a kid. I've never heard them called Jackie Jumpers.

They were called 'rip-raps' where I grew up (Liverpool) and I love fireworks, am proud to have taught my children how to use them responsibly!

 

[n0legs]

I love explosions!

One of the reasons I love my current job (chemistry teacher) is that I get to blow things up fairly frequently. In this job, blowing something up is seen as a positive thing. In my old job (industrial chemist) not so much!

I've got a camper van :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

 

[treeturner123]

Hi

I like some organised displays, especially small local ones. BUT nothing beats having your own with the kids around and potatoes in the bonfire with hot sausages etc!

By the way, my step grandfather apparently used to let off smaller rockets from a gloved hand!! Mind you, had had been in Navy Ordinance in the second world war.

Phil

 

[jimmy_s]

Maybe Sheffield Tony, maybe. But surely, even if DIY visits are the most frequent cause of visits to A&E (which I think unlikely) surely most DIY-ers injury "only" themselves?

I must agree that I'm naturally against "big brother Government" not letting us do stuff because "it's not good for you", and although I'm sure that a lot of silly people injure only themselves and not others with fireworks, I feel that there are enough "innocent bystanders" getting injured, and enough "escalation" in the power of fireworks compared to when I was a kid to make a ban on sale to the general public a good idea.

There's another problem which probably affects us here more than it does the UK (due to the time of the year/the weather) - for at least a week before 1st August, plus several days afterwards, fireworks going off at random at all times of the day and night are just a bloody nuisance. I've no objection to people buying privately and then setting them off themselves at the proper time (we do that ourselves sometimes) but the nuisance factor of fireworks being let off at random over a period of several days are a PITA.

Just my view of course.

AES

I think you will find that in the UK at least that fireworks that are available to the public have become less dangerous over the years rather than more. At one time you could buy aerial shells up to about 4" diameter as a member of the public - these are no longer allowed to be sold and are all Cat 4. You can no longer buy bangers - the quantity of gunpowder in these had already been cut by the uk manufacturers long before the ban - historically they were much more powerful than at the time of the ban. Jumping jacks were banned for sale to the public some time ago. The increase in availability of cakes from china is perhaps what you are thinking about. These now have to comply with maximum permissible sound levels and the NEQ is also limited for consumer grade items. Rockets also are not available in the sizes they once were - much of the headers on those sold now are infact hollow/ empty.

 

[thick_mike]

I love explosions!

One of the reasons I love my current job (chemistry teacher) is that I get to blow things up fairly frequently. In this job, blowing something up is seen as a positive thing. In my old job (industrial chemist) not so much!

I've got a camper van :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink: :wink:

Am I being groomed?

:lol: