Ok... here is a different slant....

Last year the anti firework brigade wheeled out a lady, lets call her "Mrs Horsey", who was, as you might have already guessed, one of the horsey brigade.....

Mrs Horsey appeared all over the news and her argument for banning fireworks was that "they scare her horses"

That is indeed correct, horses do not like fireworks, there is no denying that.

BUT.... should her argument stand? SHE has a horse by her own choice so EVERYONE else has to go without fireworks?

Ever had to dodge piles of steaming horse dung on the exit to a bend on a fast A road?

The point is that people don't like to be impressed upon by other people. Setting off fireworks and scaring pets is impressing upon people. Banning fireworks because YOU or YOUR PETS don't like them is also impressing upon people.

There is no right or wrong here. its give AND take. I put up with dung on the road, I coast past riders so I don't scare the animal. It averages out.

Just try to think beyond your personal hangups and ask yourself whether you would prefer a society where the law abiding majority are restricted from doing what they enjoy because of rules designed to restrict the criminal few.

 

The thing is, they dont JUST scare horses. They scare most domestic pets, MY 1 yr old and alot of OAP's.

120db fireworks in a residential area IS out of order and probably illegal. The new government proposals definately dont go far enough 120db max upto 11pm? B0ll0X. If you have children AND neighbours, take them too a proper display!

 

Boro old chap,

It was an EXAMPLE designed to try and explain the issue. By having pets/kids that don't like fireworks you are placing expectations on your neighbours that you have no right to place.

You are proposing banning something that suits your own personal circumstances - try to think of the wider implications.

If their fireworks are antisocial or are being used outside the law then there are already measures to take care of that - they just need to be enforced.

This whole thread is about enforcing reasonable behaviour, not mindless blanket bans.

 

You say that like some pets/kids DO like fireworks. I am sat here, listening to SUPER loud fireworks with a 1yr old trying to sleep. Luckily i dont have a pet, so im ok there.

But, i guarantee, if i was outside banging on my garage door with a 14lb sledge hammer for 2hrs non stop. I would soon be looked upon as anti-social.

Just because its bonfore night and fireworks can be bought legally doesnt give anyone the right to cause a disturbance. Organised displays is the only answer and to get this, you need to ban the general sale of fireworks. Maybe not all fireworks but certainly some.

 

ajm - you're fighting a losing battle. There are too many people who refuse to see beyond their immediate personal circumstances "Ban xxxx to make MY life better" etc. Our civil liberties are slowly being eroded by gesture politics that look good in 2 min news clips but make **** all difference to the behaviour of actual people (not things) that cause problems.

Deano

 

Deano, you have a point, but this

There are too many people who refuse to see beyond their immediate personal circumstances

applies so well to the irresponsible toerags with fireworks it's untrue. 'fark everyone else with kids/pets/oap's etc as long as I can make a nice loud bang'

 

Fireworks are handy little things to have around......

 

I'm with ajm... why should we have more government intervention in our lives? Laws already exist to stop stupid behaviour with or without fireworks what needs to happen is for them to be enforced.
They can be a pain in the **** now I have an 18 month old kid we're trying to get to bed but there has to be a bit of give and take. Society is about everyone rubbing along together and accepting that one man's meat is another man's poison is not a bad start.

BTW I'm also a dog owner and I just change my routine and walk her in the morning, which is lighter anyway. In the evening she comes in the living room and watches tv with us, which we turn up slightly. Hardly the end of the world is it?

 

France doesn't seem to have a problem with fireworks, even though you can buy them at 8 years old

 

I agree totally with AJM's feelings on the matter.

If the authorities don't get it together soon and really start enforcing the laws on anti-social behaviour, then law abiding people will just go under completely. There is already almost total anarchy on the streets and this sort of thing is exponential in its growth. We have already seen how quickly it gets worse and worse. Just banning things is the easy way out and is an attempt to show how concerned they are for the electorate in an effort to gain votes. If the ban succeeds, which is rare, the evil ******* will soon find something else nasty to do.

They need to show real concern for the people and put some effective effort into stopping the offenders.

Les

 

Legalise everything, ban nothing. Let people do as they will and bear the consequences of their anti-social actions. If they behave responsibly and don't harm others then they should be left alone.

Not enough personal responsibility and too much regulation leads to defiance of percieved unjust laws. In effect it weakens the rule of law. Did you know that this is the basis of anarchism? Personal law rather than blind adherance to society created norms.
Anarchy isn't the abscence of law as many popularly believe but the governing of ones self.
You could argue that we all do that anyway, after all if I REALLY wanted to commit murder I would do, it isn't the law that is stopping me, merely my sense of personal morality.

******* nanny state in the UK severely p1sses me off.

 

On the question of peoples children and pets- if you don't like the rest of us enjoying ourselves then I guess you'll just have to put up with it. Why the hell should I compromise my lifestlye to accomodate your penchant for breeding and animal rearing?

BTW I don't use fireworks or such since I find them rather boring but if I did want to then I wouldn't let the opinions of people who want everyone to conform to their norms put me off.

 

And let natural selection run it's course.

Exactly what I said about some idiot in Aberdeen who jumped off a shopping trolley intending to clear a bonfire in a JackAss-stylie, but he landed chest first in the middle of the flames. Whatyado? Ban fires?

 

No Miles - you're missing the point - it was the shopping trolley that caused the problem - ban them instead .

Actually - if you banned shopping trolleys then supermarket car parks would be a much safer place to park your pride and joy - fancy starting up a pressure group ?