Bonfire night should be banned

I think its just one of those unfortunate things where you always get some idiots but punishing the majority because of the actions of the minority isnt fair eg alcohol, how many youths and others abuse that and yet it wouldnt be fair to ban it for the majority who enjoy in moderation or at least sensibly (myself included useless excuse for a student that I am heavy drinking just doesnt have any appeal! :p).

We have a small probably 15 - 20 mins long fireworks display every year and invite our family & friends round, we go up the top of the one of the back fields away from the horses and I regularly check on them but they are always calmly munching/dozing having the odd nose out the stable door at the first few big ones :). Only allowing licenced displays would spoil our yearly get together which despite going on for yonks has never had a problem as we are sensible and careful. Living in the country would also mean driving a fair distance to a display and not having family and friends round or all having to pile into cars there and back, not very sensible, economical or social and would make the organisation of having homemade toffee apples and other food whilst watching fireworks very difficult !

I feel sorry for anyone who has horses who dislike fireworks/ live near people who abuse their use and have to use sedatives etc :( but it is only one night a year that its really bad (except for those people who live near continual and ongoing displays for nights upon nights - THAT shouldnt be allowed!) and I hope that if I was in that position with my horses (none of the ones Ive owned have ever bothered) I would merely try and target those misusing them rather than ban them entirely for the minorities sake (perhaps some system of having a fireworks related offence meaning you can no longer purchase them? or raising the age for purchase etc may help?) Hope everyone gets through bonfire night unscathed and that some of us even manage to enjoy it! :D

*toffee apples to any poor person trying to keep a worried horsey calm...and to those who are lucky and get to put the neds to bed and watch :)*
 
I'm TOTALLY with you on this. I can see no reason for the use of fireworks.
They make life miserable for many people and animals.

William

Murphysgirl said:
Seeing Jenhunt's post on halloween set me off.

LETS BAN BONFIRE NIGHT!

Reasons for:

*Thousands of horses, elderly people and other pets are terrified for weeks before it.
*The fall out of firework chemicals are carcogenic
*It is the celebration of the torture of a catholic terrorist. (Wouldn't be allowed if he was muslim)
*The horrendous burns and disfigument inflicted on children on a yearly basis.
*We are not allowed to randomly buy expolsives at any other time of the year, and for good reason!
*Antisocial behaviour is rife.

The list goes on. WHO IS WITH ME ON THIS?
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Pretty? I see beauty in nature but certainly NOT in fireworks.


Elbie said:
But fireworks are pretty!

On a serious note - I don't think you should be able to buy fireworks like you can. I think they should limit the places licenced to sell them and people should have to apply stating where the display will be! Stop silly youths setting them off for no good reason
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How can anyone 'love' bonfire night? What's so wonderful about coloured bits of gunpwder and loud bangs? Try telling those in war zones just how wondrful such explosions are. No, there is nothing to like about bonfire night.
amymay said:
I love bonefire night.

I do agree with Nicoleak0 though, and don't understand why they are sold to the public.

And I too worry about the stables, rather than the horses - who just watch with very little interest.
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Nic said:
I like fireworks, so certainly wouldn't call for it to be banned.

It baffles me that they are sold to the public however.
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This /\

I think there should only ever be public displays, I do not think the general public should be allowed to buy them full stop as there are some hideous people out there using them and also people do them in their gardens in your street which frankly is much too close for comfort, one of my cats is pretty terrified of them
 
I am not against but as long as anyone with animals particulary big animals (Farms horses etc) and they are away (perhaps a minimum distance) no problem. I was probably lucky mine have never been worried but my son took cover under the kitchen table as a 2 year old(if i had a digital photo I would post it for you) he is now looking at the Army. So clearly good training.
 
It's a shame that we live in the middle of nowhere because I rarely get to see any fireworks! :(

My horse misses watching them too. He is so used to shooting that the noises don't bother him and he loves watchingthe pretty lights.

I too disagree that Bonfire night should be banned.
 
I hate fireworks, always have, always will!
Used to live in London where they start in October for Diwali then go on through to November & then again at New Year.
My old dog was so petrified I had to heavily sedate him each year. Not nearly as bad here in Bucks but a few going off as I type. Now got three dogs who are all scared. The Yorkie is hiding behind the sofa, the staffie is on my lap, under a cover shaking & the Cockapoo is sitting with my hubby.
YO is checking Henry & other liveries, will call if any problems. I'm going deaf from having the tv full blast to drown out the bangs! Better go & check on the cat.....
 
amymay said:
The last I heard we lived in a non muslim country. However, a country where free speech and demonstration is permitted (thank God).
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oooh, amymay, you just nearly got me done, I had to sit on my hands to stop me typing the natural reply to that one, haven't read any further yet so someone else may have been brave/silly enough, I almost hope so!:D
 
Cortez said:
Fireworks are really, really, horrendously dangerous; people are routinely injured every year and fire departments hate them. Most horses get used to the bangs, poor doggies are more frightened usually. Even sparklers can cause serious burns - I have scars to prove it.
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People are routinely injured by steps... We don't call for them to be banned.

If not for fireworks night, a number of fire stations would have difficulty justifying staying open - there isn't anywhere near the number of emergency incidents that there used to be. Smoke alarms and regulation on gas/ electric have been very very successful.
 
Spring Feather said:
It is worrying how many peoples horses appear to be so terrified of some bangs and flashing lights. Why are none of mine? Not even my foals care in the slightest about fireworks. I have lots of fields full of horses and when I go out to watch fireworks I see all the horses in all the fields either watching the lights or grazing quietly.
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Mine neither, they are all happily tucking in to big bales and totally ignoring the bangs and flashes, even the baby is quite happy because mum is not worried. I do wonder if they would be the same if in a stable, perhaps because they are free to run if they feel the need they feel happier. I couldn't have them in, would be too worried about stray fireworks and fires.
 
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Isn't it banned in York City centre?

Agree with banning Chinese lanterns - horrible things.

Don't mind November 5th, HOWEVER do have an issue with it going on for 2 weeks. We had big display at golf club last night which is 2 fields away from me; village one tonight, another one tomorrow night and some villages are having their night next Saturday :mad:
 
I think some owners should be banned from keeping horses on Bonfire night!!
Just returned from the yard and having finished my horses who are all happily munching hay in their stables without stressing about the bangs, I wondered what the hell was going on in the fields on the main yard. Loads of screaming and laughing and shouting and thundering hooves. Went across thinking that there were teenagers messing around to find one owner and her daughter chasing four horses from the top field through a narrow gateway into the lower field. I was told that they couldn't catch their two horses!!
Hardly surprising, given that it's dark, there's fireworks going off everywhere, and they are making even more noise!!
I told them to calm down and the horses will calm down, which they did, and they caught them.
Not being spoken to now :-O
Some people just don't have a clue....
 
rachel_s said:
People are routinely injured by steps... We don't call for them to be banned.

If not for fireworks night, a number of fire stations would have difficulty justifying staying open - there isn't anywhere near the number of emergency incidents that there used to be. Smoke alarms and regulation on gas/ electric have been very very successful.
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What utter tosh!!! ^^^^^

My house felt like a war zone last night, near by pub had fireworks and most of the rubbish from them is now in my garden!! :mad:
 
stargirl88 said:
Why are elderly people terrified?
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A number of elderly people lived during the World Wars - probably now mainly the second world war. Watch a few films about the war and it will give you some understanding of the noises which didn't sound dissimilar to some fireworks.

My mother has dementia. She was only a child during the second World War. The dementia means that she often thinks she is a child or a lot younger than she actually is. Hearing the fireworks makes her think she is back in the war. Totally terrifying.
 
I don't see any reason to ban it. It's once a year. I do think that fireworks should only be on sale for 2 or 3 days prior though so its limited to a few days, rather than weeks beforehand.
 
I think that public sales should be licensed (eg no previous crimes etc) and it would prevent people with a more destructive personality buying them- and also lower sales as not everyone is going to go to the bother of getting a lisence. Then a license holder can host parties. Of course that is not fully effective, but it is better than nothing and would deter some poeple.

See far too many people including young teens with fireworks getting themselves in dangerous situations- and dont get me started on animal abuse that arises from it :/ gerbils tied to rockets
 
How silly, there's nothing wrong with a good controlled bonfire! Jacket potato, the odd sparkler, why not?

I do however dislike fireworks, especially noisy ones, but I don't think they are actually part of the tradition really are they, or is it 'gunpowder treason and plot' etc? I wouldn't care if I never saw one again but other people enjoy them and as long as they don't land in the vicinity of livestock then fair enough.
 
I feel that there should only be organised displays & then restricted to one night a year. Also there is no no need to have the bang with a firework, it is something that is added, so I think think the bang part should be banned.
 
Totally agree with all those whowould see public purchasing controlled.

I much prefer going to a display but as several of my neighbours are having fireworks in their back gardens, I am in with the radio on in one room and tv on in the other and playing the longest game of 'throw the dog toy' to distract the dog :(

Horses don't give a hoot tho
 
really hate how fireworks are sold to the general public- so dangerous. the firework display near me is like chav city (without being rude). I went last year (god knows why) and some girl just came up and punched me in the face?!? I was 16 and in tears!! never again.
 
Can't agree that it should be banned but I would like to see a ban on sales to the general public. Our council puts on a 25 minute free display each year, it's fab! I can not understand why one would chose to spend a small fortune on a crappy back garden display when there are great organised displays for free or for a small charge and often in support of a community group or charity.
 
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