They're at it again! Bloody fireworks!!

[Marco]

No doubt

Marco.

[walpurgis]

The racket is going on again tonight. Not to yesterday's intensity, but still more than enough to be annoying.

[Minstrel SE]

Havent heard any yet which is surprising. For a long time I have just thought they are a bloody waste of money. I gave up on the organised displays many moons ago because unless its some mega display they just bore me. The local authorities couldnt really afford the best fireworks and long display I want to see. Its got some interest for families with younger kids but I have better things to do

There was a small fireworks shop in town which seemed to have a healthy all year round trade but I think its gone now. There seem to be less on sale but I saw the supermarkets have the family packs nearer to and around Nov 5th.

So what we generally get around here are people letting off the cheaper family packs in a pathetic, damp squib display. It just upsets all the local pets and sends cartridges banging against my window.

The youngsters just use them for mischief as lads used to do in our group when I was young. Theres no other reason for bangers to exist is there really

Its crazy that its legal for everyone to set these explosives off. I dont know how it gets past the health and safety issues. I dont know about the lobbying power of the fireworks industry and the money involved. It should only be allowed at a regulated firework display. "I dont agree with that in the workplace"

[Macca]

IIRC their sale used to be restricted to a couple of weeks before Nov 5th but it was de-regulated back in the 1990s.

[struth]

Fireworks: the law

You can’t buy ‘adult’ fireworks if you’re under 18, and it’s against the law for anyone to set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except on certain occasions.

Adult fireworks are category 2 and 3 fireworks - they don’t include things like party poppers.

Category 4 fireworks can only be used by professionals.

The law says you must not set off or throw fireworks (including sparklers) in the street or other public places.

You must not set off fireworks between 11pm and 7am, except for:

Bonfire Night, when the cut off is midnight
New Year’s Eve, Diwali and Chinese New Year, when the cut off is 1am

Check with your council to find out about any local rules for setting off fireworks.

Get information about firework safety from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the Health and Safety Executive.
Buying fireworks

You can only buy fireworks (including sparklers) from registered sellers for private use on these dates:

15 October to 10 November
26 to 31 December
3 days before Diwali and Chinese New Year

At other times you can only buy fireworks from licensed shops.

You can be fined up to £5,000 and imprisoned for up to 6 months for selling or using fireworks illegally. You could also get an on-the-spot fine of £90.

[Marco]

IIRC their sale used to be restricted to a couple of weeks before Nov 5th but it was de-regulated back in the 1990s.

...and that's the root of the problem. If they weren't on sale until a couple of weeks before Nov 5th, the moronic idiots with a propensity to cause a racket, just for the sake of it, would be prevented from doing so!

Therefore, that law has to be brought back in again.

Marco.

[walpurgis]

I heard bangs all last night until I went to sleep about 1 am. and there were a few more this morning. This time of year you hear them on and off all the time.

There are a few Indian shops in the area that specialise in selling fireworks and seem to do so all year round. It seems every person having a party or other 'event' feels justified in making an almighty racket, whatever time of year (or day).

[Macca]

I heard bangs all last night until I went to sleep about 1 am. and there were a few more this morning. This time of year you hear them on and off all the time.

There are a few Indian shops in the area that specialise in selling fireworks and seem to do so all year round. It seems every person having a party or other 'event' feels justified in making an almighty racket, whatever time of year (or day).

You are living somewhere that has a huge number of people from different countries and cultures, and behaviour that is unacceptable in English culture is not unacceptable in their culture; and they don't realise, or don't care, about that. I can understand people wanting to preserve culture and traditions, those things are important, but there needs to be more of a compromise with the existing culture than there seems to be.

[walpurgis]

You are living somewhere that has a huge number of people from different countries and cultures, and behaviour that is unacceptable in English culture is not unacceptable in their culture; and they don't realise, or don't care, about that. I can understand people wanting to preserve culture and traditions, those things are important, but there needs to be more of a compromise with the existing culture than there seems to be.

Exactly. They have no interest in and no intention of fitting into 'the British way of life'. They selfishly expect everything to meet their wants regardless.

If anybody wants to take me to task over my comments, I can show photos of what things are like around here. Third world standards rule!

(yes, I guess some will object to the term 'third world', but what else could it be called?)

[Marco]

I can understand people wanting to preserve culture and traditions, those things are important, but there needs to be more of a compromise with the existing culture than there seems to be.

Exactly... And more respect for the principle of 'do as the locals do', by respecting the traditions of the country you're visiting or living in, which is what any reasonable person would do - and so the unreasonable ones need 'training' on how to behave while they're here!

Those Indian shops Geoff mentioned should be banned from selling such things, out with of times when major festivals are on or Guy Fawkes night.

Marco.