Fireworks Shaming

[slo]

I have no idea if there’s a message board for our subdivision, and if there is I wouldn’t be part of it because I don‘t want to be a part of toxic complaining.

We have a lot of fireworks here and I honestly enjoy them. Last night I sat up on our pool deck for over and hour and watched them all
around me - I love it! My poor 13 year old Yorkie doesn’t love it though, so she gets wrapped up in her thunder shirt, is given a doggie downer that the vet gave me, and goes in the basement with DH to watch TV. Doing all this helps her get through the night easier than without doing anything.

For me….I don’t get all worked up about something I can’t control. People have been blowing off fireworks for years and years. Is it aggravating when people are still blowing them off at midnight - yes. But I know it’s going to happen, so I put in some earplugs and go to bed. Instead of being reactive with getting all ticked off, I get proactive to make things easier

 

[Christine]

I have no idea if there’s a message board for our subdivision, and if there is I wouldn’t be part of it because I don‘t want to be a part of toxic complaining.

We have a lot of fireworks here and I honestly enjoy them. Last night I sat up on our pool deck for over and hour and watched them all
around me - I love it! My poor 13 year old Yorkie doesn’t love it though, so she gets wrapped up in her thunder shirt, is given a doggie downer that the vet gave me, and goes in the basement with DH to watch TV. Doing all this helps her get through the night easier than without doing anything.

For me….I don’t get all worked up about something I can’t control. People have been blowing off fireworks for years and years. Is it aggravating when people are still blowing them off at midnight - yes. But I know it’s going to happen, so I put in some earplugs and go to bed. Instead of being reactive with getting all ticked off, I get proactive to make things easier

I think most people have your attitude, even the ones on the NextDoor site complaining. But, I do believe what has happened is that it's no longer about a few hours on one night. For me, they've been going off since Friday night, and will probably continue through tonight and maybe the rest of the week. And as I said upthread, I'm really fortunate that my current dog acts like she doesn't even hear them. So nice. But I've owned about 6 dogs in my lifetime and I'd say three of them (one especially) would just go insane. None of us got any sleep with that one and she was a wreck for days, even after they ended. We all managed because "it's just one night" right? Well, some sort of fireworks fever has taken over, I think, LOL, and it just goes on and on. Christmas, New Year's, Memorial Day, July 4th and it's *days* surrounding each of those holidays. Not sure what happened. Imagine having to deal with your flipped out Yorkie and tranquilizer her for 5 straight nights. If you don't have to, consider yourself lucky!

 

[spiders]

Shaming only works if the intended recipient actually cares. The only thing that matters is if setting off fireworks is legal in your area. Everyone has something different going on in their lives from work schedules to pets. So telling someone they are selfish because they want to set off fireworks may result in more fireworks.

 

[mom2rb]

Because of the rain people got a late start in my neighborhood, so they continued until 2:00 am. I wasn’t worried about fires this year, it has rained every day this week. Two years ago, a house three blocks away caught on fire due to fireworks.

 

[Meglen]

We’ve been hearing them since Wednesday night.

Fireworks are legal to buy here but not legal to set off most place. Not that anyone cares. Their fun is all that matters.

After spending 2 hours in my bathroom last night with two terrified dogs, I hate everyone this morning. And that was after finally calming them when some jack hole set off M80s at 5:30pm.

Got up this morning to news that an 8 year old child died in a house fire suspected to be caused by an improperly disposed of firework.

Was talking with a friend and heard what sounded like bombs going off around 2pm. He said a guy next door was running out his door throwing a m80 than running back in.. over and over. Can we all agree that just because your complaining dosnt mean your unreasonable. Everyone here has different stuff happening around them.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Also, at some point, a woman mentioned about PTSD and soldiers. A soldier that said to wear headphones and blast some music for one night. A few people were angry that he solved his own problem.

Good for him for planning ahead!

I'm torn on the fireworks debate. I love professional displays, but private ones are illegal here, and I think I agree with that due to the fire danger in untrained hands. (But that's the only reason. - The noise itself doesn't bother me, and is not an extended, every-night thing near me.)

We did hear some unauthorized ones last night, and later could hear the town display a bit. (I didn't go because we just got back yesterday from visiting family in NY, and went to a public display there on Saturday. - It was really nice, and I enjoyed the kids having sparklers while waiting for the display. It's a fond memory from my own childhood, and we can't do that here.)

My two cats we curious, and stayed pretty close to me, but I think the only time one was actually scared was by a couple booms that happened before it got dark. - I was outside with her, and she headed in pretty quick, but then was fine.

 

[sweetpeama]

Normally I put up with them though it gets annoying when one neighbor lights them off from 9 pm to 4 am June 26-27, 9 PM-1 AM June 28- July 1, 9 PM-4 AM July 2-4, and 9 PM-11:30 PM on July 5. Ended early because they ran out. Trust me I could hear them yelling inside my house do we have anymore, anyone have any more fireworks, and I guess that is it then. This was the schedule for 2020.

This year due to being in a drought and not only under phase 2 fire restrictions, we are under a fireworks ban in the unincorporated part of the county which is where I live, and currently under a voluntary outdoor watering restriction in the town that our address technically is though we are not in the city limits for those in the city limits. With a if people don't comply manditory restrictions and fees/fines will be issued. The only restriction that we might be under is since we have our water hauled under a contact from a company in town (not on a set schedule as some do as we call when we need a load and say if we want .2K or 4K which normally lasts us about 6.5 weeks on average for a 4K load and about 4 weeks for a 2K load. They could be forced to put us on a you can only order every so many weeks. We try and get a 4K load because it is 150 and a 2K load is 80 including the fuel and delivery charges, but sometimes we are coming into a holiday weekend and know that there is no way what we have will last us but don't have room to take the full 4K when we order. The time to get a load used also is effected by if we caught it on the we have about 100-200 gallons to last us usually the afternoon/evening before and the next day untl they get the delivery done sometime between 6 am and 6 pm or if we have done a DH forgot to listen to his wife and check the water level and we ran out of water call.

This year of course the one neighbor had to light them off for the 4th though not nearly as many only enough to go from about 9-9:30 when the public ones started in the smaller of the two communities in our county that put them on. Since that one went to only certain diginitaries can sit in the area where you can see the ground displays everything can be seen from home and you get the soundtrack if you tune into the radio station that they have come out and do the dJ work for the show (the volunter firefighters put on a great light show but they haven't found someone with a decent enough sound system and the music collection to make it work) you get the same show you would have from the park they are set off in.

Sheriffs dept was not responding to noise complaints so unless one happen to be driving by and caught someone lighting them off or a fire got started people were basically allowed to light them off. Luckily the large fine stopped most people from light too many of them off.

 

[MrsPete]

When I was a teen we used to have Shelties (such good dogs), and every one of them went nuts during fireworks or thunderstorms. One in particular would jump the fence and run -- just blindly run. If we anticipated fireworks or thunderstorms we'd keep them inside; however, it didn't always work -- we lost one wonderful dog who was outside during one of those quick Southern afternoon thunderstorms -- she ran away and was hit by a car.

Someone told me once that long-haired dogs "feel the lightning in their hair" and it kinda tickles them. I don't know if that's true or not, but Shelties -- and I've known a few -- can't stand such things.

Thundershirts work well -- but, obviously, we didn't have them when I was a kid. Thing is, you can't just buy the shirt and pop it on when the problem starts. You have to acclimate the dog to the shirt when he's happy/calm and let him get the idea that this is a "safe thing". Then when you anticipate thunder or fireworks, you put the shirt on before the problem starts. If you wait until the dog's upset, it's too late.

My daughter and son-in-law got a Thundershirt for their dog, who had a BIG problem with fireworks, and it really "cured him" -- he's accepted the noises /no longer freaks out.

 

[Disneefun]

I don't mind fireworks per se, but I think the following should be obeyed:

1. Don't firework while drunk.
2. Do't firework if you don't know what you're doing.
3. Follow the laws as to which kinds are legal/illegal in your area.
4. Follow the noise ordinance laws as far as quiet hours go.
5. Don't firework in neighborhoods.

Basically, if those were followed, we'd have no fireworks here and I'd be fine with that. The big boomers aren't even legal, but people go over the border and bring them back. I watched our neighbor last night, drunk as a skunk, nearly blow one through the neighbor's front door. The tube fell over after it was lit, shot across the neighbor's yard and detonated just a few feet from the front door. And all the guy did was laugh when they came out on the porch to investigate.

If you can be responsible and operate within the law, I have no problem with you. But since everyone around here operates outside the law (and common sense), I just don't care for it.

 

[_19disnA]

In many places fireworks are illegal mostly since they can cause property damage, start fires in dry areas or cause personal injury. In various places we have lived it was legal to SELL fireworks, but illegal to USE them which seemed like a joke. Who buys fireworks unless they plan to USE them? Always seemed they should restrict the sale of fireworks if they are truly illegal. Tends to be the focus of some officials for 1-2 days out the year then no one cares or does anything about it.

I think our neighborhood has some kind of message board but we have never joined. If someone wants to say something to us they can do so in person not make snide remarks on some website. Seems the people who need to do that sort of thing probably need to find a different hobby to occupy their free time.................LOL.

 

[slo]

I think most people have your attitude, even the ones on the NextDoor site complaining. But, I do believe what has happened is that it's no longer about a few hours on one night. For me, they've been going off since Friday night, and will probably continue through tonight and maybe the rest of the week. And as I said upthread, I'm really fortunate that my current dog acts like she doesn't even hear them. So nice. But I've owned about 6 dogs in my lifetime and I'd say three of them (one especially) would just go insane. None of us got any sleep with that one and she was a wreck for days, even after they ended. We all managed because "it's just one night" right? Well, some sort of fireworks fever has taken over, I think, LOL, and it just goes on and on. Christmas, New Year's, Memorial Day, July 4th and it's *days* surrounding each of those holidays. Not sure what happened. Imagine having to deal with your flipped out Yorkie and tranquilizer her for 5 straight nights. If you don't have to, consider yourself lucky!

My dog has been in her thunder shirt since Sunday, June 27th, because of people shooting off fireworks - it is what it is. I just save the medication for the 4th, which is the worst day for her. The other days we leave the basement door open and she goes down there herself. So we are going on day 8 with her being upset.

 

[Nayan]

On the 4th I expect them (even though they are illegal). But not at 8-9 in the morning (nothing like a good mortar or 4 to wake you up!) or any other day of the year. People are very inconsiderate, on all levels.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Here there is a fireworks "curfew" - nothing after midnight. We have two dogs; one if deaf and doesn't suffer, but one is very nervous and needs a lot of comforting.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

View attachment 587091

Does July 5th on a golf course count

 

[loves to dive]

Thankfully they don't bother our dog too much, she will let out a little woof now and again and does get closer to me. My son's dog is terrified of them, he is also terrified of thunder storms and in the south, that is going to happen a lot.

I do wish people would only do them night of instead of two or three nights and stop at a decent hour. In our neighborhood, the people who set them off have kids. I'm guessing their bed time must be around 11 because they continue to fire them up until then. There are a number of younger kids with earlier bed times and older people with earlier bed times as well as dogs in the neighborhood so cutting them off earlier would be nice.

 

[Wandering Oaken]

We have a midnight curfew for fireworks around here on 4th of July only. Any other day of the year it's 11:00 p.m. for all loud noise. My son and his friends spent the evening last night setting off fireworks until 11:55 p.m. between him and his six friends that showed up to his birthday party (yes, his birthday is the 4th of July) they had a combination of around $1100 worth of fireworks. It was insane! We ended up being really far out in the country away from any houses at a township building we rented for the party. I'm sure somebody could have heard our fireworks at their homes but it wouldn't have been loud. They had so much trash left over from those fireworks that we had to go out this morning and finish cleaning up. We couldn't see anything last night even with car lights and at the area they were setting off the fireworks. We were cleaning until 2:00 in the morning and finally decided to stop. We went back out about 2 hours ago and picked up the rest of the trash and swept up. I am so exhausted!

 

[dvcgirl67]

Just way, way too much with the home fireworks this year. In years past, where I live....we have scheduled fireworks shows. Everyone knows where they are, and you can choose to go or not to go. People who live near those areas....know they are going to take place and can leave during the show if they'd like. We had them in my own town for years and years, until it got out of control and they canceled them because too many people came for the show.

This year is just insane. We've been listening to this nonsense for the last few nights now. They start a couple of hours before it gets dark and they are mostly just stupid fireworks....like firecrackers and M-80s. They're obnoxious, loud and terrifying not just for a lot of animals/pets, but also for people with PTSD...including lots of veterans. Then at night....people are lighting off large fireworks....not part of a show, but insanely dangerous to be doing this within neighborhoods....set off by drunken morons in most cases.

I have three dogs, and have never had an issue with any of them until this year. My youngest dog...three years old....was just terrified. Had I known, I would have gotten meds for her to try and manage her fear. It was like we were under attack. I really hope we don't have to go through this again next year.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Where do you people live that you have people setting off fireworks at all hours for days on end? I mean, come on. I love fireworks (since I’m a normal, fun loving, non-complaining-about-everything person) and we sat in our front yard tonight and enjoyed the amazing fireworks display our neighbor put on this evening. In our area the “professional” displays aren’t until tomorrow for some reason so I was happy to have some to watch today. Instead of sitting inside complaining about the noise why don’t you go outside and enjoy the show? And stop expecting people to change their behavior and traditions because you don’t agree with what they’re doing.

Perhaps you have a fun-loving neighbor who puts on a great display-happy for you. Here the "tradition" is drunk teenagers setting off M80s at the soccer field behind my house for days before and after the holiday. Not exactly "behavior" I need or want to enjoy. We don't all have a wonderful neighbor to put on a show for a day.

 

[dvcgirl67]

Perhaps you have a fun-loving neighbor who puts on a great display-happy for you. Here the "tradition" is drunk teenagers setting off M80s at the soccer field behind my house for days before and after the holiday. Not exactly "behavior" I need or want to enjoy. We don't all have a wonderful neighbor to put on a show for a day.

Here, where I am in NJ, this multi-day home fireworks fest is new. To have any kind of real fireworks display in NJ, you need a permit. Anything that explodes is illegal. The only things allowed are "sparkler" type fireworks. Last year, at least in NJ, we were barely doing outside dining. The beaches were open, but it was still very quiet after going through the first wave of covid. All stores and restaurants were still pick-up only. This year, I kind of get it if this is a "we're out of covid....hooray" moment. But I really hope this is not a new tradition. In my town, we have a whole brigade of "parking police" who have no issue writing tickets if you're one second late to refill the meter. I'll suggest to my town council that they need to put them to work next year writing serious tickets for people setting off illegal fireworks. And I don't even care if it's one day...but this has been going on three nights, and I'm sure we'll have another night tonight.