Illegal Fireworks Shows (Rant)

[plutotek]

I'm as patriotic as the next guy, but I really hate the 4th of July (and the week before/after). The reason are the annoying, and mostly illegal, fireworks that thoughtless individuals think are so much fun to set off. For clarification, illegal in this case not only refers to firecrackers (bad) but also any others that are set off in a town that has a no fireworks ordinance.

Not only are they annoying, but they disrupt the evening, especially when people are trying to sleep, not to mention the aggravation it causes the dogs in the neighborhood (yes, I'm a dog person).

It used to be that we would take those few days to go camping in the national forest, away from any fireworks stands. Unfortunately, due to job changes, that's not an option at the current time.

I will politely ask people to knock it off. If that doesn't work, I tell them to knock it off, reminding them they are breaking the law. Last resort is to toss civility out the window and just call the cops, then watch the show from my porch.

Personally, they should just outlaw the 'roadside' stands, and let fireworks be presented in a show.

 

[locolala]

I actually just called the cops on my neighbors who are setting off mortars and bottle rockets. They're both very illegal here in MD, not to mention the fact that we've had a dry summer so far, and the grass is very parched. Mortars and dry are not a good match, in my opinion. Especially at 11:45 at night.. very not cool. I'm almost 39 weeks pregnant, I need my sleep. They've been doing this all.summer.long. They keep getting warnings but apparently they just don't care. If they wake my kid up once she's here, I'm throwing a poopy diaper at them.

 

[imamicki2]

My poor dog is going nuts. I dread the fourth of July for this reason. Had a neighbor behind us setting lots off tonight, luckily they stopped around 10ish. I don't understand how they can sell them at the stands if they are supposed to be illegal here in Md. The people setting them off just think of their own enjoyment, even if people have nervous dogs, or if people are sleeping. We haven't had rain either and our grass is bone dry too. Hope they don't blow off a finger.

 

[minniecarousel]

All fireworks are illegal in my county. One town over is in another county and they are one of 2 or 3 cities in their county that sells "Safe & Sane" Fireworks. They're still annoying and are illegal here. That doesn't stop people from buying them there and setting them off here.

 

[bumbershoot]

I live in a city where it's illegal (except for the big permitted show), and there's a nasty fine for the first time. If I knew someone setting them off, I'd call the cops and the city would get some money. It drives me batty when random people are setting off random things for hours.

However, I live a 5 minute drive from tribal land that has a HUGE casino, and they set off fireworks nearly every night leading up to the 4th. So noisy. So annoying. And, dagnabit, legal over there across the waterway.

Though I do have to admit it's kinda fun watching their BIG fireworks on the 4th...from our balcony. If only we could watch the city's from the balcony, but there's a bend in the Sound and the land abutting it, and other buildings block our view entirely. sigh.

 

[bicker]

I'm as patriotic as the next guy, but I really hate the 4th of July (and the week before/after). The reason are the annoying, and mostly illegal, fireworks that thoughtless individuals think are so much fun to set off.

Yup, there is nothing patriotic about setting off fireworks illegally. Idiotic, maybe, but not patriotic.

 

[plutotek]

I live in a city where it's illegal (except for the big permitted show), and there's a nasty fine for the first time. If I knew someone setting them off, I'd call the cops and the city would get some money. It drives me batty when random people are setting off random things for hours.

However, I live a 5 minute drive from tribal land that has a HUGE casino, and they set off fireworks nearly every night leading up to the 4th. So noisy. So annoying. And, dagnabit, legal over there across the waterway.

Though I do have to admit it's kinda fun watching their BIG fireworks on the 4th...from our balcony. If only we could watch the city's from the balcony, but there's a bend in the Sound and the land abutting it, and other buildings block our view entirely. sigh.

I lived in WA for over 20 years and always found the availability of the firecrackers at the reservations to be more than annoying.

 

[AKL_Megs]

The NOISE doesn't bother me, just the total disregard for the general personal safety, and the fact that they start LOTS of housefires every summer.

 

[Jennasis]

I am very happy I live out in the country. At BEST I can catch a glimpse of things over the tree tops (usually the fireworks from the town's big show) but we are too far away to hear any of the sound from it. We have 27 horses and the last thing I need is a stampede or shrapnel landing in the pastures and the horses eating it. One of my dogs is very afraid of thunder, so I'm glad we avoid the noise of it all.

 

[sjs314]

I agreee 100% , I dread the days leading up to the 4th and the days following. Last year I stayed home from a picnic because of all the illegal fireworks being shot off in my neighborhood since my dog gets very nervous.
Last night it was close to 1am when they finally stopped setting them off, the entire time my dog layed by my side. Once they stopped we were able to then go to sleep.

 

[disneyfans95]

I dont see the big deal. cops are not going to actually arrest anyone. and you are wasting their time for real calls by calling them in.

This assumes they are not shooting them at your house or anything.

Outside of that, just enjoy the show!

 

[tomthebarncat]

This stuff is made in China where no one really cares if they work or not. It is also a busy time for ER staff as many of these fools will end up at the hospital for one reason or another. Happy Fourth of July

 

[Jennasis]

I dont see the big deal. cops are not going to actually arrest anyone. and you are wasting their time for real calls by calling them in.

This assumes they are not shooting them at your house or anything.

Outside of that, just enjoy the show!

The big deal is that by calling the cops (who have arrested and fined many people I know) you may be sparing them or a bystander from being burned, maimed or other wise wounded by fire, explosions etc.

When I worked in tv news, we would spend EVERY July 5th covering the numerous maimings from fireworks. That and the deaths from drunk driving/boating.

Also, the big deal is that the noise from them can be a problem for some children (my sister was TERRIFIED of them as a child.) and pets. The shrapnel/fallout from the fireworks creates a littler nuisance for the neighbors property it lands on, AND fireworks have caused fires, especially when it's dry out.

 

[bballmom56]

We have an annoying neighbor (for several reasons) and he has to do the fireworks thing too. Memorial Day, Father's Day, just because he feels like it, 4th of July, Labor Day, etc. I wouldn't care except he lives closer to my barn than I do. My horses are turned out at night in the summer, so I always worry they will get spooked and do something silly. I have to drive down to the barn to make sure they are ok. I also worry about one of the fireworks landing on the roof of the barn - that would not be good. It has been very hot and dry here, so it wouldn't take much to start a fire. We have had issues with him before and really don't want to start anything, so I haven't called the cops. We have a state trooper who lives about 1/2 mile down the road and I keep hoping he will do something, but they probably don't act unless someone makes a complaint.

We live very close to the PA border where it is legal for NJ residents to buy fireworks - but it is illegal for them to bring them into NJ. It is illegal for PA residents to buy fireworks in PA, but they can sell them to out of state residents whether they are illegal in their home state or not. How's that for logic?

 

[golfgal]

Some fireworks are legal in our state but nothing that leaves the ground. We have plenty of people that cross the river to Wisconsin and buy the big ones that leave the ground though. Our dog doesn't like the noise either but will now hide under our bed so that helps her. It isn't too bad the week before and the week after but on the 4th things will go well past midnight here.

 

[Acklander]

I guess I'm the odd man out in that I like the sound of firecrackers surrounding the 4th. It's sort of like Christmas music around Christmas time - a reminder of the holiday to come. When I start to hear the firecrackers going off, I start thinking about fun times with family, BBQ's, the small town parade back where I grew up, watermelon eating contests. It only goes on for a few days

 

[sunnyday123]

I dont see the big deal. cops are not going to actually arrest anyone. and you are wasting their time for real calls by calling them in.

This assumes they are not shooting them at your house or anything.

Outside of that, just enjoy the show!

The big deal is they are dangerous when handled by someone who doesn't know exactly what they are doing, and they are illegal in most states for a reason. People set them off in neighborhoods, and they can easily burn a house down. We've had a very dry summer so far-everyones grass is dead and crunchy, and why take that risk?

All of the above is a slight risk when compared to the amount of people who are maimed or killed by fireworks. My Mother worked with a woman who's 5 year old son was killed by a bottle rocket (?) that didn't go up like it was suppsoed to. It was set off by a 17 year old. Neither of those families have been able to handle what happened, and to me, that's just to big of a risk.

 

[maxiesmom]

I dont see the big deal. cops are not going to actually arrest anyone. and you are wasting their time for real calls by calling them in.

This assumes they are not shooting them at your house or anything.

Outside of that, just enjoy the show!

I agree! I live in Michigan where a lot of fireworks are illegal. But the Indiana border is less than an hour away, and they sell all sorts of fireworks there. The powers that be here have finally realised that all they have done by banning the bigger fireworks is loose money to Indiana. So by this time next year we should be able to get the good stuff here too!

There is actually a story in this mornings paper with a cop saying chasing down illegal fireworks is pretty low on their priority list. He pretty much said they will only do it if they have nothing else to do.

My dogs hate the noise too. I keep mine inside, and leave some music or the tv on. We have also gone as far as to get a mild sedative from the vet to help keep her calm. You won't have much luck keeping other people from setting off fireworks, but you can help your pets deal with it a bit better.

 

[anniemae]

This happened to us last year grrrrrr. The neighbor that lives across the street was setting them off and they were soooooo loud. I was so mad because dd was sleeping and I didnt want her to wake up, plus they had friends over and they all sounded very drunk from the way they were yelling and singing and slurring etc. Not a good combo! Fireworks are illegal in our state, but I live close to the boarder of a state where they are legal so many folks can easily get their hands on them.

Hoping for a more quiet 4th this year!

 

[curious3069]

I hate them too...and it never fails, my neighbors always do this at around midnight, which makes me hate them even more. At least this summer has been really wet. Doesn't help if something gets shot into my house but at least if they end up in a field it probably won't go up into flames.