Print

[100+9]

I would have thought that over the years the number of people who have suffered life changing injuries  caused by fireworks is reason enough to only have regulated official displays
Do not the NHS have enough problems

We are a bunch of old grumpy *&%^$ Trouble is, I struggle to disagree with even one of you.

[oilstain]

We are a bunch of old grumpy *&%^$

its as if you know me

[GlenAnderson]

It’s not a new thing. If anything, it’s less now than it was in the 70s. Bonfire night was like a war zone when I was a kid.

[Porkscratching]

I'm slightly divided on this one...yes, they're a bit of a pain these days when they're banging on with them for weeks, rather than just on bonfire night as per when I was a kid...also there's always been injuries associated with fireworks, tho I doubt the numbers are very significant compared with the everyday A&E fare..
On the other hand, I'm very much against this utterly absurd nanny state EU 'ban everything' from paint, paint stripper, light bulbs, drinks, bent bananas etc etc malarkey , which is ever on the march, so on balance I'd not be banning anything else thank you..!
Luckily all our animals, both dog and cat variety, couldn't care less about fireworks, one of the cats even deliberately went out to watch them the other day..
...perhaps if there has to be official interference, some kind of code of practice so the sale of them could be restricted to a given period close to Nov 5th or something..

[kev]

So glad to see all the miserable old beggars have moved over from the old forum.   

[oddjob]

I love fireworks and luckily my lad has a part time job for a local firework company so gets a discount!
The Dum Bums (I'm not making that brand name up) were very loud this year. 

 

[Wittsend]

I'm one of the grummpys from the old forum ...

I'm also an ex-explosives and fireworks experimenter.

I'm of the school that would ban the sale of fireworks to the general public.
You can't beat a proper professional display. The quality of flashes and bangs far beats what you can let off in your garden.
I also feel for the animals with the current practice of the 3 week window around November 5th and on New Year's eve 

I wonder had Guy Faulks done the job properly how things would have turned out.


 

[martinthefirst]

When I was a lad my favourite firework was the "helicopter", two rockets and a wing, it would rotate and take of vertically. I  had just lit the touchpaper on one and placed in the middle of our very quiet residential street. I retired the requisite 10 ft or so when I heard the unmistakable sound of a police "Noddy" bike (LE Velocette) gently approaching. I hid behind the garden wall praying the thing would take off, but was unable to resist peeping over the top. The copper's front wheel was about 3 ft from the helicopter when it ignited and shot into the air. To his credit he did not fall off , but veered & wobbled about before stopping and seeing me. He gave me a proper talking to but did not inform my mum. Good bloke.

[Formerlyjeremy]

If Guy Fawkes had done the job properly and his plot succeeded priests would have been celibate and we wouldn't have suffered our last Prime Minister.

Having said that I suppose the real villan is Henry V111 whose problems with the church removed the requirement for celibate priests.

[Porkscratching]

I'm sure even if GF had done a better job, those subsequently in charge down the years would still be of an identical nature to the corrupt scumbags we have nowadays...maybe even worse!

[Worf]

I somehow don't think some of the ones I made in the early 60's using weedkiller would go down too well these days. And I still have all my fingers. A friendly chemist would sell you anything then.

"With loud report" didn't really do them justice

[neddy]

How do the environmental lobby react to the totally un-necessary pollution? 

[GatheR RoveR]

This morning on the news, a few miles from here.... first person lost his hand. .. I’m sorry for him.

But, the first horses are already safely locked in, first dogs already start to react afraid. 

I love fireworks from a distance.... just 8 weeks to go and life goes back to normal. Can’t wait. 

[Porkscratching]

I somehow don't think some of the ones I made in the early 60's using weedkiller would go down too well these days. And I still have all my fingers. A friendly chemist would sell you anything then.

"With loud report" didn't really do them justice

We used to cut open shotgun cartridges to make various interesting 'bombs' when I was a lad...I've still got all me fingers too..

[Larry S.]

We used to cut open shotgun cartridges to make various interesting 'bombs' when I was a lad...I've still got all me fingers too..

Same here... I'm still doing it to an extent.  Periodically I work on the launching rounds needed for the dummy
Wurfgranaten rounds that go with my WWI Granatenwerfer 16.

The father-in-law and I have been considering getting our licenses in order to fire the big *&%^$, our town has lost the two gents who operated our public display due to retirement and job transfer.  The father-in-law use to help set them up and fire them, but now that no one here has a license.