UK store bans sale of fireworks - what ya think?

[Hikergirl]

I don't know if it's legal to sell fireworks in Alberta - in my entire life I've never seen them for sale anywhere, nor can I ever remember being launched in random places, especially not my neighbourhood. I do LOVE fireworks though and attend lots of professional events. Calgary hosts an annual international competition, has fireworks every night of stampede, and the City puts on shows for Canada Day and NYE. The displays are awe-inspiring. I can't imagine what would be the attraction of shooting off lame little bottle rockets or whatever.

I made the mistake of taking my dh shopping with me before the 4th and he bought this HUGE package of fireworks with these crazy names that just scream AMAZING!!
I told him they are pretty much glorified sparklers because in my state you can't buy/use anything that shoots up in the air. He didn't believe me. We got a good laugh about how lame it was but the young kids in our group loved them. At least I know he won't be spending $100 on them again next year

 

[EMom]

Several years ago, we moved to a neighborhood with much bigger lots and wider streets. We used to drive to the local BIG community fireworks July 4 show, which draws a few hundred thousand. But the new neighborhood is crazy for fireworks and there is no need to go anywhere now. Just sit in a lawn chair and watch. Multiple neighbors set off huge displays and we an watch the ones on our street or even several streets away, .We have huge trees and these go well above the trees. Sometimes, if a neighbor is taking up a collection, we will contribute. Other times, they just want to go all out and pay for it all themselves. July 4 is the biggest night, but New Year's Eve is also a pretty eventful night. Things will fall off greatly if we are in a drought. I love fireworks, so I/m fine with it

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Hi Disers!

I'm from the UK and we've had a supermarket ban the sale of fireworks due to the distress that it causes pets, the elderly and it can trigger people with PTSD & other illnesses. I've posted this same thread over on the UK forum to get their thoughts but I'm interested to see if anyone from US/Canada/all the other countries thinks.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. Of course I don't want to upset anyone by having fireworks in the back garden, but they're a part of our heratige. Americans have 4th July, we have guy fawkes night.

This is a friendly discussion so keep it nice.

news on the ban:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50094658
What is Guy Fawkes night?
http://www.bonfirenight.net/

In the U.S. it depends on where you live. California had the safe and sane law for years. No sky rockets, no bottle rockets, no Roman candles, IE none of the good stuff. And even in my current state that allows everything including mortars, all the urban counties ban fireworks. . Also if a county has fire danger, they will ban them for the duration. Here our supermarket has just gotten into selling fireworks. But nothing much. Mostly kids stuff like party poppers. Most of the fireworks are sold via temporary tents.

I've learned a few things from observing over the years.
It is not a good idea to
1. launch a bottle rocket from your butt.
2. straddle your crotch over a lit bottle rocket.
3. not secure your mortar tube to wood.
4. shoot bottle rockets or Roman candles at each other.
5. launch a sky rocket onto a crowded porch of drunks.
6. light a cone fountain while it's on your head.
7. Let a 4 year old hold a sparkler.

I could live without them and wouldn't be upset over someone choosing not to sell them.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

It would be awesome if they could do this everywhere. Fireworks are dangerous and best left in the hands of professionals.
I know people will disagree with me but they have not been witness to someone blowing a hand off, destroying a car's hood , giving small kids serious hand burns or any of the other destruction I've seen. Also I had to come home on july 5th only to find the neighbors dog tried to escape his yard while on his dog run and essentially hung itself. I have nothing good to say about fireworks outside of professionals. The end.

Lucky I am in canada where we have common sense so that is the law!

 

[mousefan73]

Here in Germany fireworks is a NYE thing. Legally you can buy the big stuff 2 weeks before. Then sales are off. For years It’s been a very popular opinion to no longer do this due to animals and dogs pets. I mean if you really do think about it you’re freaking the poor birds out in the fit’s been a very popular opinion to no longer do this due to animals and dogs pets. We still buy due to tradition and my 14-year-old son will throw a fit. I do have friends though with dogs that have to literally go with them in the basement and comfort them for those 15 minutes on New Year’s Eve every year. So that cannot be fun between 12 AM and 12:15 AM every year on New Year’s holding a dog that shaking.

I think the fireworks that blowup in the sky like a professional type is not really the bad ones. It’s thensmall fire crackers that are really loud that I think freak out more animals in the neighborhood. I think some towns are in the process of maybe banning them but I’m not sure.

 

[cheryl.UK]

I'm a Brit and I hate non professional firework displays so I, for one, am glad at least one supermarket is stopping selling them. I see it as a start. The UK is a small country and houses are quite close together. Most gardens, especially in estates built in the last 30 years, are way too small to safely let off fireworks. For example, they often say that you should stand 10 meters away. I have an average garden and it's 11 meters from the house to the Fence. Not a lot of space to safely stand in for a family to be 10 meters away from the fireworks and yet my neighbour sets them off every year. If I step outside to put something in the bin, because I'm on a corner, I'm only 2-3 meters from the fireworks. Crazy.

My friend has horses and she spends a whole weekend at the stables near November 5th. She sleeps there as the fireworks start at 5.30 and can be going off well into the early hours. Just when you think they've stopped, more go off. If she doesn't stay to calm the horses, they hurt themselves either in the stable or chasing around the field in the dark. She's not the only one there, it seems the whole yard turns up.

 

[kdonnel]

Fireworks are dangerous and best left in the hands of professionals.

The same can be said of so many things.

Ladders!!!!

164,000 people head to the ER due to ladders each year. Only 9,100 head to the ER due to fireworks each year.

In the US
Ladders killed 300 last year!

Fireworks only killed 5 last year!

 

[marcyleecorgan]

The same can be said of so many things.

Ladders!!!!

164,000 people head to the ER due to ladders each year. Only 9,100 head to the ER due to fireworks each year.

In the US
Ladders killed 300 last year!

Fireworks only killed 5 last year!

Yep ladders should only be used if you have a spotter for safety.
And here, hold this bundle of fireworks while I light the fuse ....

 

[Allison]

Whatever a store doesn't want to sell is fine with me.

 

[Drasticq]

The use of fireworks are actually illegal in Orange County (Orlando), yet sale of them is not illegal. Go figure!

I'd be very happy if they could not be sold here. I never go anywhere on July 4th or New Year's Eve because my dog is terrified by firecrackers. Oddly, we live near Disney and hear the big fireworks every night. She isn't bothered by them at all.

Personally, I think they are a total waste of money. Every year, we hear of people injured by them. Since we are so close to Disney, it always amazes me that people will stand around lighting those pitiful little fountain things instead of watching the amazing show from the Magic Kingdom. I don't get it.

If you can't set off fireworks in the Sunshine State, how does Disney get around the law?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If you can't set off fireworks in the Sunshine State, how does Disney get around the law?

I'm guessing it's like most places--personal usage is not legal but commercial usage/firework display usage is.

That's just my guess though and it's how it works in my area.

 

[kyton]

Illegal here in Australia and have been for many many years. Only licensed professional firework companies can use them here.

 

[Drasticq]

To quote from another site...

We took a private “fireworks cruise” last month, and the Disney guide told us that the current fireworks show at Magic Kingdom (“Happily Ever After”) uses about $40,000 worth of fireworks per show.

That's a LOT of fireworks!

As an aside, I've always wondered what aliens think of fireworks?

 

[luvsJack]

Yep ladders should only be used if you have a spotter for safety.
And here, hold this bundle of fireworks while I light the fuse ....

The vast majority of people have enough sense to handle fireworks safely.

 

[Deb & Bill]

They often talk about veteran military who have PTSD when they hear the sound of fireworks exploding.

 

[Moliphino]

Apparently even sparklers are illegal in Massachusetts. That doesn't stop people from going to New Hampshire to buy all sorts of fireworks and the police generally don't bother enforcing the ban, in my experience.

 

[BrianL]

That's a LOT of fireworks!

Fun fact (at least according to the captain of a Friendship boat on Crescent Lake): Disney is the number 2 consumer of explosive powder in the world, topped only be the US Military!

 

[ford family]

To quote from another site...


That's a LOT of fireworks!

As an aside, I've always wondered what aliens think of fireworks?

As a family of non resident aliens who visit WDW every year from the UK we really like the fireworks!

ford family

 

[PrincessBelle39]

I'm in Australia and they are illegal here also.

 

[sam_gordon]

It would be awesome if they could do this everywhere. Fireworks are dangerous and best left in the hands of professionals.
I know people will disagree with me but they have not been witness to someone blowing a hand off, destroying a car's hood , giving small kids serious hand burns or any of the other destruction I've seen. Also I had to come home on july 5th only to find the neighbors dog tried to escape his yard while on his dog run and essentially hung itself. I have nothing good to say about fireworks outside of professionals. The end.

And how many other legal products, when used incorrectly, also causes damage? Automobiles, ladders, power tools, lawn mowers, anything else? Should all of those be left to professionals?

Lucky I am in canada where we have common sense so that is the law!

Not insulting at all.

In regards to the OP, I have no problem with a company making a decision to not sell a legal product. Either it will cost them business ($$) or it won't. Either way, it's their decision.