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Fireworks + teenagers
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Fandango


Posts: 89
Joined: Nov 2008
Post: #1
06-11-2009 09:31 AM

Last night on the way home, my girlfriend an I got caught up in the crossfire of a 'gang' of teenagers letting off roman candles held in their hands!

This happened at about 11:30pm, on both sides of the road opposite the Forest Hill Fire Station. I had to run across traffic to avoid being hit, and thankfully, my girlfriend was out of range.

Not content with almost burning us, they continues to fire across traffic, and unbelievably into the Shell petrol station!

Cursing

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Londondrz


Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
Post: #2
06-11-2009 12:57 PM

Ah, the youth of today.

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Northerner


Posts: 4
Joined: Mar 2009
Post: #3
06-11-2009 01:02 PM

Sorry, I got a little carried away. I'll try and stick to organised display's from now on.Blush

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brian


Posts: 2,002
Joined: Apr 2005
Post: #4
06-11-2009 03:20 PM

I wonder why we still allow the public to buy fireworks.

Do out EU cousins allow shops to sell to the public such potentially dangerous items

Organised displays could get direct with a permit.


I am not a catholic but surely we would not be allowed to burn an ethigy of a muslim or hindu or jewish person.
I am all for tradition but perhaps we could forget this one

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dovetail


Posts: 42
Joined: Dec 2007
Post: #5
06-11-2009 11:53 PM

Whilst strolling along the river, I came across some enterprising teenagers firing rockets at the HMS Belfast in optimistic attempt to sink it.

Glad that Fandago and his girlfriend were unscathed. Not pleasant to be at the receiving end of a firework.

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Applespider


Posts: 285
Joined: Feb 2006
Post: #6
07-11-2009 09:58 AM

Brian - oh yes, in Spain, they have some kind of special dispensation on EU rules to protect their culture since fireworks/crackers are such a big part of it. In Sitges, during festivals, you see lots of kids throwing down firecrackers and lighting Roman candles - admittedly, they are small ones and they're not throwing at people and leaving the candles well alone. In fact, I'm almost amazed at how dogs etc out there don't seem to bat an eyelid at them.

There's nothing inherently unsafe about fireworks in responsible hands. Why shouldn't a family be able to buy them and set them off in the garden to save having to get kids organised, hike them to a display where I'm sure the parking will cause local residents nightmares Wink and then have them end up cranky because it's well past their bed times.

Like most things that this nanny state legislates against, there's little wrong in moderation. It's just that there seems to an ever-growing minority who want rights for no responsibility who seem to want to spoil things for the rest of us.

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Perryman


Posts: 820
Joined: Dec 2006
Post: #7
07-11-2009 11:40 AM

Dont know about anyone else, but to me the fire and fireworks have always been symbolic of the king and his parliament going up in smoke as originally planned, rather than a celebration of the catholic plot being discovered.

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brian


Posts: 2,002
Joined: Apr 2005
Post: #8
07-11-2009 03:46 PM

Perryman
That is an unusual unterpretation.
James the 6th and 1st was the victor I would have thought. Parliament not the power it was a few decades later.
By all means you can replace your Catholic Guy our Scottish King. I have not heard ( a penny for King James mate ).

I see a firework has killed a mother in Truro by being shoved through her letter box. No doubt the culprit will get an ASBO if we are lucky

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Perryman


Posts: 820
Joined: Dec 2006
Post: #9
08-11-2009 11:35 PM

Kids weren't stupid - they would not have got any money for "a penny for King James mate". No, every penny was a symbolic donation to guy's gunpowder fund, imo.

I guess at the historically accurate bonfire nights you attended as a child, Brian, the fireworks were discovered and thrown in a bucket of water, the bonfire dismantled and the guy was tortured and prepared for hanging, drawing and quartering.....

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Baboonery


Posts: 581
Joined: Sep 2007
Post: #10
09-11-2009 01:30 PM

Applespider,
I would humbly suggest that these things are bad and dangerous full stop. And that the convenience or practicalities of modern parenting don't really enter into it. Fireworks are effectively giving the public access to ridiculous quantities of high explosives, causing a completely unwarranted noise nuisance and significant physical threat. The word 'family' cannot be used as a trump card.


My biggest objection, though, is that they are rubbish entertainment.

BANG! A red one.
BANG! A blue one.
BANG fizzle! A yellow one that fell in lots of little bits.
BANG BANG! A green one and a white one together.

Great. I'd seen all there was to see in fireworks by the time I was 8, and that included a few whistling past my ear. I long for the day when they're banned.

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oryx


Posts: 205
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #11
09-11-2009 11:49 PM

Although I think fireworks can provide a beautiful sight at organised displays, I'd have to heartily agree with the first part of Baboonery's post.

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Londondrz


Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
Post: #12
10-11-2009 10:31 AM

Having spent very little on fireworks in Sainsburys I had a little display in my back garden for my two girls aged four and two and their friend. The pleasure it gave them for twenty minutes was lovely to see. We adults had a few glasses of mulled wine standing with them and put the world to rights.

Why ban fireworks because some cretins dont use them properly, ban the cretins and then we can all enjoy ourselves.

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shzl400


Posts: 729
Joined: Oct 2007
Post: #13
10-11-2009 11:17 AM

Here, here, Londondrz!

We increasingly live in a world of health & safety gone mad and see daily instances of the freedoms of the vast majority being restricted because of the misuse or misdeeds of a minority that, in most cases, is very small.

I'd be very sad to see this small freedom restricted.

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brian


Posts: 2,002
Joined: Apr 2005
Post: #14
10-11-2009 02:38 PM

Yes Perryman we did have fireworks when I was a child but a very large garden and fireworks carefully handled by responsible adults. Also seemed to be on 5th or nearest Fri or Sat , still hearing fireworks yesterday , what is that about.
I except more important problems in this world to attend to but not sure that it has not outlived its day.
It would be great if the children understood the history of the time but I somehow foubt if most have any idea.

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newcomer


Posts: 25
Joined: Apr 2008
Post: #15
10-11-2009 02:53 PM

In Ireland the sale of fireworks is strictly limited - so the main way to see fireworks is to go to an official organised display. These are usually great fun, and really help to foster a community spirit.

It always struck me as very strange in England that you could go into a shop and buy what are essentially 'explosives', without a licence, and without any training on how to use them safely.

Personally, I really like firework displays - they are something to look forward to in the dreary dark nights of Oct/November - and so it would be a shame to ban fireworks totally, but I agree with some of the posters that it may be preferable to leave the firework displays to the 'professionals'. Or perhaps at least create a licensing system, so that only those who've been safety trained are allowed to buy them for personal use.

Otherwise, since most teenagers (and many grown adults...) will naturally tend towards pyromania and/or thrillseeking, they are bound to cause danger to themselves and to others when they hold of some fireworks. Particularly since so often fireworks+alcohol seem to go hand in hand!

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