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Fireworks debate


Erik

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First of all, I wish you all a happy new year. I hope you find all fortune in 2017.

With that being said, let's move on to a related topic.

 

It's the fireworks debate. Taking my county as an example, in The Netherlands there is a discussion about what to do with fireworks. You can currently buy them everywhere (with a certain limit regarding how heavy the firework is) and it's an old tradition. However, many people travel to countries such as Poland and other east European countries to buy heavy illegal fireworks. These are not fireworks anymore but rather bombs. And instead of firing them off in an empty field, they get fired off in cities, suburbs and near homes. And of course there's the cool youngsters that throw fireworks against people, in houses, in playgrounds and near elementary schools. 

 

On the other hand, fireworks is an old tradition. Many people are afraid of losing another tradition. Over the last 3-4 years there was a big debate concerning 'Sinterklaas en Zwarte Piet'. It's a holiday in which white people paint themselves brown and hand out gifts to little children. Apparently this is racism according to an extremely small group of people. However, because our country is way to tolerate to everybody, we got rainbow Pieten, red, yellow, blue Pieten etc. A lot of people are angry about this and are therefore very old-school about the fireworks tradition.

 

So the debate goes in different ways. Some people say we should ban fireworks entirely, some people say we should make firework restricted area's in parts of cities and some people prefer to keep it the old way (fireworks for sale and you can set them off anywhere). The main problem that caused this debate, as described above, is that too many people are ignorant about how to handle fireworks. A bunch of people lose fingers, toes, hands, eyes every year because they do not handle fireworks careful enough.

 

To be very honest, it would be a shame to see another tradition and culture event fade away. However, it's the people itself who caused this. If there wouldn't be firework bombs that are pretty much grenades and if some people wouldn't cause so much trouble it would have been different. In my opinion it wouldn't be such a bad idea to restrict fireworks in the cities and villages and that people are only able to fire their own fireworks outside the town. The local counsel/government could host a fireworks show like in Sydney (but smaller of course). This could prevent many lost limbs, blown up mailboxes and annoyed people. 

 

TL;DR

People are annoyed because some people can't handle fireworks but many people also dislike a firework ban because we lost other traditions.

 

How's the fireworks situation in your country? Are there any specific laws regarding fireworks? And how do the people feel about that?

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In the US, fireworks regulation varies by state. For example in Maryland, most fireworks except for small sparklers are banned, but in Pennsylvania they're all legal.

 

It's interesting that the banning of fireworks is a heavily discussed topic in the Netherlands. In the US we just take the firework laws for granted, and if you don't like them, you could always just go to another state. Part of the reason is because even if fireworks are banned for consumers, organizations are still allowed to buy them, so country clubs and parks will often put on their own fireworks shows that are a lot better than any individual could do.

 

In the end, if people really want to shoot off fireworks on their own and hurt themselves, they're going to find a way to do it no matter how hard the local laws are. Still, it's probably a good idea to restrict powerful fireworks in urban areas, or encourage people to take them out to fields.

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In my country (Spain), people is tired of fireworks mostly because they scare their pets (dogs overall get really nervous, its a shame).

In a city on the east coast of Spain there is a very old and popular tradition where they use a lot of fireworks and they even burn down big statues...

I really like the idea of firework restricted area's, but I havent heard about it here yet, so it will probably not happen.
About the regulation... I think there isnt at all, I remember buying a lot when I was a kid (some of the strongest ones had to be purchased with an adult tho, but thats all).

Btw, talking about traditions: saying "well, its a tradition, it shouldnt be banned, we have done it for years" is bullshit. They kill bulls in my country as "tradition and culture", thats not an excuse and I think people shouldnt use that as an actual argument (of course I am not saying using fireworks is the same as killing animals, I guess you know what I mean).

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I'm dutch too and I absolutely hated it that zwarte piet was forbidden so easily... its been there for so many Damn years and now a little group of annoyed people just get it removed.

If they forbid fireworks or make like a restricted area for it I will seriously not be happy. What Will be next? Christians banning Christmas because they believe its only for them? Banning Easter? There's already police riding around where I live just to watch us like we're criminals.

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I live in Massachusetts, most fireworks aren't allowed for us regular consumers, but nobody really cares on july 4th and such if you're running about with banned fireworks

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IMO waste of money.

My  neighbours spend so much cash, Ill just watch it for free...

 

But yeah , most of the stuff is legal

I agree. Some of my friends spend over 200 euro's on it. Seems like a waste of money indeed because you basically pay €200 for sometimes that shoots in the sky in blows away in a few seconds.

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After having fireworks tonight, I don't know what but I got a headache and it just seemed not worth it. I don't know if we got bad product or bad brands, but I see why they aren't worth it.

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I live in Michigan, up until 2 years ago even things as small as bottle rockets were banned but everyone would go down to Indiana or Ohio and bring them back up.

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I live in Michigan, up until 2 years ago even things as small as bottle rockets were banned but everyone would go down to Indiana or Ohio and bring them back up.

thats kind of silly

you dont have to be 18 here to get fireworks

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Fireworks here in Scandinavia is pretty civil like anything else. People go to Germany and import small rods that make a loud noise when fired, but no effect, thats about the only problem we have.

 

There are some extreme animal lovers who think fireworks should be illegal because their dogs or cats get scared of the noises, which is absurd.

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I live in Massachusetts, and I believe pretty much all forms of fireworks are banned for consumer use. That being said, organizations can still buy them to have (I assume regulated) firework shows. Just look at the Boston Pops, probably the most famous fireworks show in the US. I know a lot of people drive to New Hampshire to get them, since they're legal there. Personally I don't think it's a huge issue and people just seem to take firework laws in stride.

 

It's interesting that it seems to be such a big debate in The Netherlands though.

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In my state (Victoria, Australia) it is illegal to have/distribute/ignite fireworks unless you:

A. are a trained and officially licensed professional, and:

B. have an official permit from the local and/or state government allowing you to set them off.

 

Nevertheless, almost EVERY holiday here (Christmas, New Years, Australia Day, occasionally someone's birthday etc.) no less than 4 people who live within a 2 minute walk of my house let off fireworks illegally.

The problem is that according to the local police, it is almost impossible to convict someone of letting off fireworks unless:

A. A police officer, government official or other emergency worker witnesses it happening and the person igniting the fuse.

B. You can provide video evidence of A. the person who ignited the fuse while doing so with a clear picture of their face. B. footage of the actual explosion.

 

I don't mind fireworks but the problem is that every dog within 5 miles get upset and a lot of the time they escape from their yards and go missing, sometimes for weeks on end.

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  • 2 weeks later...

See, I live in New Hampshire. The only regulations we have on fireworks here are that you can't make them yourself and you can't burn the forest down with them. 

 

Personally, I don't have a problem with them so long as you don't go crazy with them late at night, outside major holidays. It's your property, do what you want with it.

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It's your property, do what you want with it.

well ... if you found a way to restrain the sound to your own property, you got a solid point.

 

But otherwise, I don't think anyone complains about that sound - more about the sound that gets spread on their property

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