No! to Backyard Fireworks

[Cloud]

it was a long time ago.

Professional fireworks, sure, I like'em. The backyard party kind . . . not so much.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Cloud

I agree that being judgmental all the time is no good. But I'm sure you can appreciate I don't think I'm being judgmental here, but passing along my very real concerns based on painful experience.

I appreciate that. But because you had a very bad experience, and I won't go into unsupervised children, doesn't make fireworks evil.

My family, neighbors and friends, would gather at my Grandmother's, every year until the mid 90s, for a big bonfire and picnic. We would have tons of fireworks that someone would pick up in South Carolina, on their way home from Florida. I'm talking serious shit, big rockets, real cherry bombs than could take your hand off, and the like. All of the kids participated and all of the adults (and older kids) watched the youngsters so they didn't hurt themselves, or someone else. Also, the youngsters would get someone to light the fuse while they concentrated on what to do once it was lit. No injuries in all those years, other than an occasional finger burn from a hot sparkler wire, but that was seldom repeated by the same kid.

I will admit, in my teens, I would pocket a few cherry bombs for mischief later on. But the knowlege learned from the supervised celebrations, kept me from hurting anyone with them. Of course the trouble I got into with them, and the punishment I received, were great life lessons.

Anyway, that 's a long winded view of my experience, so that's where I'm coming from.

[Cicero]

Maybe it is you Clouder, that should try it, using all safety measures. Conquer your fears. Go buy a sparkler pack. Have a new experience with this. You might find the sparkler to be quite lovely, or a trivial piece of crap.

There is a reason why people like them.

Your experience sounds very painful. I would hate for you to live with that forever. Some of your concerns are valid. But I would hate for you to miss something because of a painful and traumatizing experience.

[SteveDallas]

Originally Posted by Cicero

But not every 5 year old does that, sometimes they go straight for a light socket, sometimes they touch burners

Apparently I wanted to unplug something. For whatever reason, I decided it wasn't save to take out with my hand.

So I pried it out of the socket with a metal fork.

[sweetwater]

Originally Posted by SteveDallas

Apparently I wanted to unplug something. For whatever reason, I decided it wasn't save to take out with my hand.

So I pried it out of the socket with a metal fork.

A metal fork? That's just plain ol' dumb. Silly. Stoopid. Now me, I used a copper aquarium valve. COPPER. Next thing I remember was being on my back across the room, with the valve held held high and my eyes gradually focusing on the blackened area around the screw hole on the valve. I dodged a Darwin Award, but only because it wasn't invented then.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Hell, I've got a whole collection of screwdrivers, wire cutters and the like, with blackened, partially melted, edges.

This wire is dead... I'm sure I killed this circuit.
Well, there's no way to kill the line from the pole, but I'll be careful.
Shit, it's only a 110 line, what can happen.
Sure baby, I'll just whip this dimmer into the light circuit and meet you in the bedroom.

[DanaC]

I hate fireworks. They make deeply uneasy, and always have. I remember as a kid, the only fireworks I was truly comfortable with were sparklers.....and that was only because you could write your name in the dark with them...

I was always slightly afraid of the potential dangers of fireworks, possibly in part picked up from my mum, who was also a statistic :p Very occasionally we'd go to a friend's bonfire.....I loved the fire, the potatoes, the black peas and bonfire toffee.....hated the fireworks. Most years we stuck to 'indoor fireworks' :P

Now as an adult I hate them even more. They wind the dog up and make being outside feel slightly unsafe.

[zippyt]

bonfire toffee
Never heard of that befor , I Looked it up ,
http://www.fireworks.co.uk/party/recipes.html
Sounds Tasty , I may have to try it

[xoxoxoBruce]

From a very detailed article, on how to build homemade fireworks, from a 1936 Science & Mechanics magazine.

IN making fireworks, if the experimenter will always remember that he is dealing with explosives that may pop off at any moment, and therefore exercises constant caution, the various spectacular night displays outlined in the accompanying article are not any more dangerous than playing with matches. At all times, care must be exercised in grinding the ingredients. Always use a clean mortar; always powder each chemical separately; when mixing, dump the required portions on a sheet of dry paper and use a wooden spatula, or gently rock the contents of the paper back and forth. Although the author is only fifteen years old he has been making fireworks for years and has not yet had one of them go off accidentally. The formulas contained in this article have all been tried and tested, and will be found to work perfectly.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by DanaC

I hate fireworks. They make deeply uneasy, and always have. I remember as a kid, the only fireworks I was truly comfortable with were sparklers.....and that was only because you could write your name in the dark with them...

I was always slightly afraid of the potential dangers of fireworks, possibly in part picked up from my mum, who was also a statistic :p Very occasionally we'd go to a friend's bonfire.....I loved the fire, the potatoes, the black peas and bonfire toffee.....hated the fireworks. Most years we stuck to 'indoor fireworks' :P

Now as an adult I hate them even more. They wind the dog up and make being outside feel slightly unsafe.

Dana, couldn't you substitute guns for fireworks, and make the same statement? I posit it's fear of the unknown, because you have never learned how to handle them and how you really have to screw up to get hurt.
Granted, they do wind up the dogs.

[BrianR]

Cloud failed to mention t hat gunfire tonight is a popular diversion for some folks. I always get nervous when firearms are going off (into the air, natch) and those bullets have to come down somewhere...

I know that the projectile will have spent it's energy by the time it falls back to Earth, but what if the Yoyo who fired it was not at full elevation? It could be a line drive to my noggin!

And I live close to her now...closer than before.

Brian

[monster]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Dana, couldn't you substitute guns for fireworks, and make the same statement? :

beest and I made a similar comparison this evening. Michigan law only allows fireworks that don't leave the ground. The first party we were at, they were setting them off on a metal tray on a plastic box at the end of the driveway, about 3 feet from the watchhing kids. And a 10 year old was lighting them. We were very apprehensive (and made our kids stand much further back).

The second party was illegal imported fireworks (we're near several borders) (although the rumor is he has a "permit" -certainly, no police bothered us). The crowd were a good way back, they were lit sensibly -at arms length with proper illumination, and we loved them, but most of the locals were nervous and sure they would injure someone because they were "illegal", and were all paranoid about falling hot ash because they were up in the air. We posited that is must be similar to UK/US difference in firearms laws, in that if the law says it's OK then it must be safe, but if it says it's not... eeeeek!

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by BrianR

Cloud failed to mention t hat gunfire tonight is a popular diversion for some folks. I always get nervous when firearms are going off (into the air, natch) and those bullets have to come down somewhere...

I know that the projectile will have spent it's energy by the time it falls back to Earth, but what if the Yoyo who fired it was not at full elevation? It could be a line drive to my noggin!

And I live close to her now...closer than before.

Brian

I think you snoozed through physics class, Brian. If you shoot a bullet straight up in the air, it loses its energy at the apogee of its arc. When it reaches the ground it is going just as fast as when it left the barrel. A flat trajectory, not so.

Avoid the knuckle heads in the first place.

[footfootfoot]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Most years we stuck to 'indoor fireworks' :P

Apart from the Elvis Costello song, is there any other meaning to indoor fireworks. I know there are some displays which are done in an arena, but you aren't talking about that...

[morethanpretty]

Most cities around here don't allow fireworks w/in the limits, but its usually about a 15min drive to a county that allows them. There are fireworks stations set up with a field next to them for people to set their stuff off in. That is some scary shit. My dad, bf, and I went out to one one year, we hung around the firemen my dad is friends with. Usually we do set off fireworks at our house and have a little party with family and friends. My dad is a super nazi about safety though and so far no minor injuries even. This year we're goin out to my brother's new place and he's throwing a huge party that's BYO fireworks, not to sure about it, but since its his farm (someday) then he'll probably be pretty active about safety.