| Fireworks |
| Martin | quote:
Blitz on firework menace
A MAJOR drive targeting the misuse of fireworks is set to swing into action around South Ribble in the run up to Bonfire Night.
[url]http://www.leylandtoday.co.uk/ViewArticle.aspx?SectionID=77&ArticleID=679526[/url]
It's THAT time of year again and the same questions will be asked again. Should we ban the sale of fireworks to the general public? Fireworks seem to be getting bigger, louder and certainly more powerful these days. Should we have licensed firework displays only? After all, what's wrong with going off to the park to watch a professional display? |
| skitzy | We always used to go to the Worden park display, it was always a good one. Fireworks are not available here in Queensland unless its an organized display, they used to be available in Canberra I dont know if they still are but people manage to get them from somewhere & set them off illegally.
Eileen |
| Sandieh | Its the same in Western Australia Eileen, we never see fireworks unless it a organized display. Ive seen sparklers for sale at the markets and thats all. |
| LDunlop76 | I think organised displays are much safer. We usually go to the one at Orrell Rugby Club on Nov 5th. Fireworks have been going off round here for over 3 weeks now, and at all hours of the day and night too. I pity people with frightened pets to cope with - one night a year is bad enough for them, but in recent years fireworks are being let off for a month either side of Guy Fawkes Night! |
| William R | Having seen at very close range the damage which can be inflicted by a thrown firework, my opinion is that the severest penalty should be given to the culprit, together with a visit to the nearesty Burns Unit. Disfigurement for life is the usual injury, to see it happen within three feet is devastating, and lasts for the rest of your life, a life sentence in fact. There is no safe limit, only a total ban. Better allow a child to see that there are no fireworks, than to take away the gift of sight from him/her for ever. Yes, I`m biased, I took the lady in question to the Bonfire on Hyde Park in 1947, and saw her go quickly to hospital, disfigured for life. Nothing less than a total ban for me. William R. |
| noel | Some of the fireworks now are like incendary bombs. No longer Roman Candles, Flipflacks, Catherine Wheels, etc. Probably some of these fireworks, the IRA would have gladly taken into their arsenal. Ban them. You can't trust people with them now. |
| anacortesdamp | In our part of the world we have "safe and sane" fireworks, which can be purchased most places, but can only be lit between 17:00 and midnight on "our" fireworks day, July 4th.
We also have Native American/Indian/First Nation reservations which have successfully claimed the right to sovereignty and therefore not subject to State law. At our local Swinomish tribe reservation they even have a fireworks stall called "Unsafe and Insane".
Local law enforcement make a big deal of stopping people as they leave the reservation and confscating their "illegal" fireworks. It helps the overall problem a bit, but the yahoos who are bent on causing trouble (usually males between 15 and 25) still get to light off what are essentially 1/2 sticks of dynamite in the neighborhood. There's a strong push to prohibit anything except officially licensed displays by professional pyrotechnicians. Our two dogs and cat would be very pleased.
Frank Damp |
| William R | Frank, I mentioned to Lady G that we have a custom in South Yorkshire which is called "Mischief Night" She hadn`t heard of it. What happens is that kids are allowed to go out on the 4th of November and commit "mischief" without getting into any sort of trouble bercause it always been allowed.One year we found that all the ornamental pot plants at the front of houses had been moved to the next street, loose front gates removed and put away from the houses. It developed into yobbos picking up cars and turning them into un-drivable positions. There are other things which are done cladestinely, and all the Police say is that it was a prank, "Mischief Night" trick. No-one else seems to have this sort of practice which can go unchallenged. Just a bit of information for you, Cheerio, William R. |
| LDunlop76 | The time around Hallowe'en is a time for mischief in many areas, but I've never heard of it on November 4th. Hallowe'en is often called Mischief Night in Scotland. However, looking it up in my lovely book of British customs, it does say Guy Fawkes Eve is known as Mischief Night in parts of northern England too. Maybe it moved to Guy Fawkes Eve from Hallowe'en during Puritan times, to disassociate from any pagan meanings, Hallowe'en being the old festival of Samhain? |
| William R | The gates have all been secured, and the dustbins moved to safe places together with the ornamental plant pots etc, in preparation for Mischief Night. The firework displays go on ceaselessly. It was very sobering to see the T.V. pictures of the recently damaged house, resulting from a rockets fired into a baby`s bedroom. It all but demolished the house. Nothing less than a total ban would satisfy me. William R. |
| Lady Griffin | Been very quiet here as fireworks cannot be sold before October 27th -no rockets or unsafe bangers.
Relentless campaigns and petitions in past years have forced the Government to impose restrictions on age of buyers etc.
I must admit to having always looked forward to Nov 5th when I was younger-a big bonfire in Lostock Fold and discreet supervision by the older folk-parkin and baked potatoes.
We always had firework safety education drummed into us and for the most part it was adhered to.
We are now dealing with the yobbo mentality and the unruly element who have no respect for anyone or anything.
I was horrified to hear of Mischief Night.My sister in Manchester who now calls herself a 'grumpy old woman'tells me of an elderly man who has had a fatal heart attack this year while chasing brain -dead hooligans who were throwing eggs at his house.
Words fail me that such actions can be seen as pranks by the Law.
LG |
| Spitfire | Lady G, I can`t agree more with what you say. Why do newspapers (Lancashire Evening Post & Leyland Guardian included) Use phrases such as `Cheeky Thieves`, Pranksters etc. It deminishes the pain and suffering caused to the victims and makes the crime appear to be less important. Thieves are thieves and yobs are yobs and should be reported as such. |
| Martin | [url="http://www.leylandtown.info/survey/"]Fireworks Survey[/url] |
| skitzy | Having just read the report in the LEP, it sounds like bonfire night was pretty hectic for the emergency services in Preston, with youths throwing fireworks, maybe its time they looked at banning the sale of fireworks & just having the organised displays.
We dont have bonfire night here in Brisbane, but do get firework displays from time to time for special events like school fetes, although accidents still happen at these, the best friend of the little girl next door was killed at the school fete in 2000 when an explosion of fireworks hit the crowd.
Eileen |