Million-strong fireworks petition goes to No 10

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvzkm3gzxjo

by JayR_97

43 comments
  1. “However, the British Fireworks Association said changes to regulations would be “misguided” and surveys showed most people enjoyed fireworks.”

    Who’d have thought the Fireworks Association would be on the side of fireworks!

  2. *”some domestic appliances were louder than fireworks”, he said.*

    Hahaha yeah ok.

    Tbh I don’t even mind them on Bonfire night or perhaps even the weekends either side of it if it falls mid-week but it’s not. It is probably from mid-late October until at least mid November and then you might get a 2 week break before it starts again for new years.

    They need to be quieter, not all of them just those ones that quite literally make your house shake. Gets really boring listening to it every single night for a month and obviously most animals get really stressed out which isn’t fair.

  3. silent fireworks would be good, we don’t need to give veterans heart-attacks and ptsd, especially the week before the 11th

    edit: ALSO silent fireworks look way better, no banger means theres room for more payload to make a better looking or more intricate display. We just normalise the noisy shit ones becuase they are cheaper (if you ignore the heart attacks and ptsd costs on society).

  4. Honestly how many times a year do people do fireworks where you can actually here it. I count 3, Years; Bonfire Night; Diwali. I’m sure I’m missing maybe 2 so 5 times a year isn’t that bad is it?

    I also have a dog but thankfully, he’s not too startled by them.

  5. We should also ban dogs from barking as that is annoying the other 363 days of the year.

  6. The shop bought ones are pricey and terrible too. May as well just go to organised displays. Proper fireworks then. No need for anyone to buy rockets etc for home. 

  7. I don’t know, I see where they’re coming from but I do enjoy the odd firew …
    >Mike Carter, of Discount Fireworks in Hull, said people had started buying for gender reveals

    Awe fuck that, ban it, ban it all!

  8. Terrible for the environment and terrible for household pets and wild animals. Should be banned

  9. I love fireworks but I’m for some changes, I don’t agree with the sound limit, but I don’t really see the point in anyone being able to buy fireworks, I’d be happy with just organised events.

  10. I personally think fireworks should be reserved for official displays, and not for the general public.

    People seem hung up on the noise, and whilst they are loud, and can trigger folks with PTSD and stress out animals (my old dog used to hide for hours), they’re also just really fucking dangerous.

    My nans house literally burnt down because kids were setting off fireworks. I’ve had friends who have had fireworks shot *directly* at them. I had a group of friends at uni who had a group of kids smash their living room window and shoot a firework directly into the house.

    I don’t really see a downside in banning / heavily restricting fireworks. Have big community displays and celebrations. You can still do Diwali, bonfire night, new years and lunar new year, but as a community instead.

  11. We could always switch to light shows. They are still bad for wild animals and for light pollution but at least it would less of an issue from a noise pollution perspective. It would also mean personal shows would not exist, cutting down their overall impact.

  12. I am all for their restriction to the actual night of Nov 5 and NYE.

    It shouldn’t be legal for people to just set off fucking constant howitzers into the late hours of a fucking week night for a week leading up to Nov 5.

  13. Today alone I have heard loud fireworks for over 4 hours at this point, and the worst started at 6pm, my normally timid but energetic dog has been barking, refuses to go out and I have had a long day at work but can’t go to bed due to the noise or relax.

  14. I hope all firework enjoyers get the loudest, most obnoxious fireworks and fire off twice as many each year just to annoy these joyless bores.

  15. The great sanitation continues. One day you will be allowed only a sparkler for 10 mins…

  16. I’m an ex-serviceman. Served in Afghanistan. I have Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and I absolutely hate this time of year. Large explosions going off at 2am in the morning, shaking my house. I just love waking up to massive panic attacks. Fuck fireworks

  17. Can’t wait until they’re banned outside of public displays. The usual riff raff purchase loads this time of year and set them off in every direction, at stupid times, not caring about their neighbours or pets.

    Seen a few videos of the idiots with injuries and one with his hand blown the fuck open. I have a firefighter friend and he despises this time of year.

  18. The first thing I would do is set a very simple and cheap licensing system for people or organisations to register for large/public firework displays. It doesn’t have to be particularly onerous or stringent, just enough to make sure that displays are well announced, at least 4 weeks in advance.

    Then I would set up a clear classification system so that smaller, quieter fireworks can be available for all households but you would need to prove licensed registration for larger and louder fireworks. Any firework retailer will need to be able demonstrate they are complying with registration requirements. Any public display can be subject to checking that the fireworks they are using have been formally classified.

    Want to set of a massive amount of quieter, Catherine Wheels and Roman Candles with a couple of bright rockets with no bangs in the privacy of your own home? No problem. Want to make it sound like America is trying to introduce democracy and enduring freedom to an oil rich dictatorship? Problem.

    Also, fireworks are strictly limited to 6.30pm to 9.30pm.

    Finally, a few, modest limits on public displays. Fireworks Night, the Saturday closest to Fireworks Night Diwali, Calendar New Years Eve and Chinese New Year. After that, its Saturday’s only, no more than once every two months (60 days) within 5 miles of any other display.

    Couple of likely outcomes. Public displays will get bigger which might mean a bit of finessing of decibel levels is needed but by and large less of an issue because those who are affected by it can plan better and only have to plan for a limited amount of time. Also, fireworks for households, while quieter, will probably get more elaborate, which, as long as they meet requirements, isn’t a bad thing.

    Right now where I live, there have been displays popping off since Thursday last week so that’s six days on the trot and its likely to be a few more yet to go. It feels excessive and I’m tired of having to dope up my dog so she isn’t panicking all night every night.

  19. The noise isn’t the biggest problem it’s irresponsible twats getting their hands on explosives. I think they should be banned for sale to the general public.

  20. They’re talking about people using them on ilegal dates but what about the kids using them in the street every damn day and night since 2 days ago?

  21. I don’t really like fireworks, I find them boring at best, and annoying when the noise intrudes on my home.

    I also don’t love banning things or the government telling people what they can do. I think rules in general should be kept to a minimum.

    Not sure how I feel about this one

  22. Old people moaning about something they don’t personally enjoy.

    Also using pets isn’t a good argument, reality check nobody gives a fuck about your pets apart from you, we don’t have to cater to you just because you chose to have an animal in your house.

    It’s already illegal to set off fireworks between 11pm – 7am other than special occasions like NYE, Bonfire night etc.

    Perhaps enforcing the current laws would be more effective than bringing in additional legislation to be ignored.

  23. Fireworks aren’t the real problem, it’s the clowns letting them off at unreasonable hours, usually after a few tins and with no consideration for anyone else, up until ten o’clock at night I don’t get irate, as noise levels and such (all I know is after ten “LOUD NOISES” to quote Brick) should come to an end, by all means blow as much shit up in your garden you want it’s your life and right to do so, but for the love of God just fucking pack it in after that. To me Fireworks are as bad as those clowns with loud exhausts, everyone over the age of twenty and not a virgin thinks they’re cack.

  24. “At present, it is against the law for anyone to set off fireworks between 23:00 and 07:00, except on 5 November, New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year.”

    …and my local drug dealers, letting people know that goods are ready for sale.

  25. This country loves asking for bans and not thinking about any consequences. Why do we continually vote for less freedom?

  26. I don’t have an explicit issue with fireworks or loud fireworks per say, but I have an issue with the period of time they’re sold over and by extension when they’re set off.

    I might used to just live in a bad area, but the bangs seemed to start from about 1 Oct and whilst I hoped that they would stop by 5 Nov, either places were still selling them due to the run up to Christmas/New Years or people stockpiled but they just continued after 5 Nov through to New year so it was a good 3 months or so where we’d randomly hear people setting off fireworks.

  27. Wait,i can legally set off fireworks at 1am on chinese new year and the cops cant do anything???

  28. Rather than ban them restrict when they can be used and don’t sell them to kids. And stick a huge fine on anyone doing stupid shit like throwing them at people.

    I used to always go buy fireworks with my parents as a kid. They were always kept somewhere safe and treated with respect, I’d get to let them off but with supervision.

    I never lost any fingers or blew myself up because I didn’t act like a dickhead and hold onto them when they were lit etc. it’s really easy to not hurt yourself if you just follow instructions and take care.

    Yea dogs and animals don’t always like them. Our dog didn’t but she was kept inside out of the way where she was safe.

    And anyone complaining about foxes and rabbits and badgers getting scared is a fair point, but then again those animals probably aren’t too happy getting shot by farmers or hunters either so 🤷‍♂️

  29. *Reddit when young people play music out loud in public spaces:*

    SO SELFISH, NUISANCE NOISE, USE HEADPHONES, DISGUSTING NEANDERTHALS.

    *Reddit when people set off fucking explosives late into the night for 3 weeks on the trot:*

    EVERYONE IS SO BORING NOWADAYS OMG WHY ARE WE TRYING TO BAN FUN?!??!?!?

  30. I’ve been scared of sudden loud noises for all my life, balloons popping, fireworks, guns etc. I jump scare easily.

    ….but tbh that’s my problem, on nights like tonight I just put my noise cancelling headphones on and listen to music, it’s really not a big deal

  31. If fireworks are going to continue to be sold to anyone then they need to be low or no noise ones. They are far too loud and negatively affect many people, pets, and wildlife and since they’re set off whenever between October – January people can’t proactively plan themselves/family/pets for them.

    With that said, I think it’s wild how we allow random people to posses explosives because “fireworks pretty/tradition”. They are so incredibly dangerous and it really only takes one small mistake to injure yourself or someone else.

    Surely only having organised displays for each holiday would be better all around? People can plan around the days they know they’ll be fireworks, professionals will handle them so there’ll be less of a chance for accidents, and it’ll bring the community together. I know funding is a problem but maybe those who’d usually buy fireworks could/would donate towards it? They’ll still get to see fireworks and have fun! If no one donates, then I guess no one actually cares that much.

  32. I need to pass tests, certificates, paperwork, insurances etc to fly a toy drone.

    But anyone can buy a big bang explosive and set it off without any training

  33. Does anyone else not just think that fireworks are shit? I’ve never understood why anybody over the age of 13 stands there watching them. 

    Sparklers are cool though. 

  34. means nothing…

    The government banned air bombs 15 years ago, because they were declassed as a firework, and reclassed as a nuisance noise generator, today, a group of stupid teens running around, throwing them at each other down the street for over an hour, police refused over thirty calls to deal with them saying it was guy fawkes and to be expected…

    they are not prepared to deal with kids….

  35. We can send messages round the world instantly but can’t figure out how to make fireworks a reasonable volume

  36. I live in central Sunderland. I text my dad earlier to say it sounds like the Luftwaffe is still doing bombing runs over the docks.

    When I walked to the pub earlier there was visible clouds of smoke in the air and it smelled of gunpowder. I’ve never seen anything like it. Bangs every three seconds.

    Last week I had to call the fire bridage because my neighbour’s fence was on fire. No doubt caused by the kids who were setting off fireworks outside my building just before.

    I’ve heard fireworks almost every night for six weeks. It’s too much.

  37. I enjoy fireworks. I dislike bellends doing them every half hour from 8 till 1 scaring the shit out of my cats

  38. I was just walking home from the pub and some dickhead threw a firework from his car window into the street. If I’d been a few paces faster, I would’ve been sparked. Some poor bloke got his leg singed (he seemed okay when I spoke to him).

    It was absolutely fucking terrifying and there’s no reason why an ordinary person should be able to hold these weapons. What’s even the point of a home display? You might as well just set fire to a bunch of £50s.

  39. How is it possible for a muppet to go buy explosives.

    Yet – hurty words on social media get prison time.

    Political and commercial interests. 🤦‍♂️

  40. I have a dog who’s terrified of fireworks. I have no problem with them being used. The issue i’ve had this year living in a new area is the shear volume and time which its started. I take him out early to avoid the fireworks as a single bang makes him refuse to leave the house for days. We have had fireworks going off at 4pm in day light and we have had 6 days of it. Unfortunately we got caught out twice and the poor lad is terrified. I wouldn’t mind a time restriction. Starting before 5pm imo is ridiculous!

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