They give my spouse seizures. And for almost a decade, we had neighbors who, knowing about the seizures, set them off every year anyway. Every holiday, she had to stay in the basement in the dark because of them.
Fuck fireworks.
Fucking assholes. I'm sorry. Luckily nothing that serious here; just the dog getting a little upset.
I'll see the burnt pile of spent fireworks tomorrow morning littering our street because they also don't clean up...
I knew a kid in my college engineering club, had some pretty significant scarring on his face, and was missing parts of several fingers. I never asked how he got those injuries, but I can make a pretty good guess.
Back then I almost always had to be ready with the garden hose, because we’re almost always in a drought, and we were usually downwind and got covered in hot ashes.
I'm glad this is becoming a more acceptable position!
It's no longer a let people have fun thing. There is no convincing argument anyone can make to me in favor of fireworks.
Gotta admit I was never really on board with "let people have fun.... with explosives."
Years ago - almost 20 years ago now - the guys who lived across the street used to aim them at passing cars. Not cool!
Ooof fucking idiots.
I think maybe when I was younger I thought it was fun to see, etc. but not anymore. Probably due to being a kid and not knowing any better.
I enjoyed professional displays when I was younger and way back in the 1990s when the security was less tight for the Boston show watched from a canoe on the river a couple of times. That was a blast (maybe not smart, but fun). But just not sure they're worth it at this point.
And living a little over a mile as the crow flies from the barge on the Charles, it's loud. Households with someone with PTSD or medical conditions affected by loud noises - it's a lot to have to deal with.
Professional fireworks are fine. Semi-licit firecrackers of questionable manufacture being fired off by aging frat bros in neighborhoods full of dogs and sleeping babies, though? JAIL.
At least with the professional ones you know when they are and people can plan around them. You can't plan around your drunk neighbors firing off random ones every 8 minutes starting at 8:30.
Oh they do. Although far Northern parts of my area (Essex County) are a bit NH south and well...those people have less correct opinions.
My neighbors are actually a bit of an outlier for my area.
In Mesa AZ everyone is packed close and it seems like half the population sets off a massive mortar display every major holiday. It's also very dry which is a major safety concern. I'm so sick of it. Just glad my dog doesn't seem to care.
Keep them to professional shows if you must. But there is no reason for skyburst fireworks in a residential zone ever, least of all a week or more before whatever holiday you're pretending to celebrate.
This and leafblowers are the two things I'm slowly morphing into my boomer dad about.
It’s honestly impressive how many downsides they have. They cause injury, fire, noise, air, and light pollution, and trauma to pets, wildlife, and people with PTSD.
Like yes they’re pretty, but there are a lot of other pretty things we can celebrate with.
I've got fond memories of large municipal displays (though I hear they're hard on pets?). But random schmucks with explosives - the norm of my youth, we'd barricade our block of houses, have a potluck and people would set off fireworks in the street all evening - are not a good idea.
