Guess I Have Some Weirdos Near Me

Dave Hoskins

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5,252
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Parker County, Texas
Just seems kinda weird to me to already start popping off fireworks on June 25th. Heard some last night just as I was heading for bed. Seems to me they could have waited until at least July 1st. Doesn't it? Guess maybe I'm just too much of a stick in the mud. Curmudgeon deluxe, that's me! Oh, well. Guess them thar critters down the road are gonna do what they are gonna do, whether it makes any sense or not.
 
The tents have been opening up around us, so hearing them more often than usual. We have stores open year round within 10 minutes of here, so usually hear them going off after sporting events and also have a boys home down the road that they shoot them off at the end of a weekend of camping for those attending.
 
Yeah, they're already starting up here in town, too, despite the fact that anything louder than a cap gun or anything that goes higher than 6 feet off the ground is outlawed.
 
Since my neighbor down the road was shot and killed and his house burned down, haven't had any fireworks in the neighbor hood for 3 or 4 years.... but they've put a new house on his foundation and the family has younger kids, so we'll see..... rest of my neighbors are all in my age range so they don't do much noise making.
 
Yeah, they're already starting up here in town, too, despite the fact that anything louder than a cap gun or anything that goes higher than 6 feet off the ground is outlawed.
Man, things have changed in NM. When I was a little kid living in Demming NM there was a small store across the street from the elementary school that sold fireworks and candy. We bought mostly bottle rockets and would shoot them off all year. That was in the 50's, guess some change is good.
 
As I remember, I was taught you celebrated the 4th of July and New Years with fireworks, as the weather permitted. After all, only an idiot would be trying to do fireworks in a rain storm or something. But, that also depended on how dry things were. If you hadn't had any rain for a while, things were real dry and fireworks not properly controlled were a real fire hazard. Except for an area due west of me where a housing development went in, I live in an area of pasture lands. Folks who have cattle and the pastures are real dry are not fond of fireworks. The only fireworks that go off around this area are from that housing area. No where else. I personally don't like the things for several reasons. I feed a lot of wildlife because I like my critters and the noise scares them. The danged things unnerve my dog Rosco. And, I've been shot twice and sorta blown up. I say sorta because it didn't get me all the way. To say the least I don't go to any fireworks shows. If someone wants to blow off some fireworks, it's a free country and let them have their fun. But, jeez. At least do it a bit closer to the actual holiday.
 
fireworks are illegal in NYC and Nassau county where I live.
You wouldn't know it. They started shooting off stuff a week ago, and on july 4th, its nearly impossible to go down any street without all the people set up in the middle of the street shooting off fireworks.
I don't think cops go after anyone unless a neighbor complains.
Too many trees in front of my house, so they cant shoot them off here, but the next block, we see a show every year.
 
Maybe they're getting a head start on Canada Day (July 1). Still a bit early. :D

We spent last New Year's Eve at a house party up the side of the Palolo Valley, Honolulu. They're illegal there too, but the backyard fireworks up and down the valley were spectacular and went on for hours.
 
Wow, he sure had a bad day :eek:

The only fireworks you can't buy legally in NH are firecrackers and bottle rockets. You can buy anything else that goes whoosh then bang.

Actually the two events were about 9 months apart... after he was killed and his wife left town, the house was taken over by the bank and rented out, but I think the tenants were evicted (or they may have been squatters and evicted), but a week after they moved out the house burned to the ground... When the wife left town, she also left his dog behind... the dog moved in with us... a big black pit bull that looked almost more like a pig then a dog..... but he loved my wife.... when she would walk out of the house he couldn't wiggle any harder.
 
Well I'll be 70 next year and I'd shoot fireworks every day of the year of I could. Went to a fireworks show tonight where one of the family's that have done well celebrated 50 years of being in business. Last time the grand kids were over the lady cop came and threatened to run me in for letting them shoot firecrackers. Some neighbor had reported gunshots. The joke is I could have been letting him shoot and it would have been legal. My sister in her 80's kept bottle rockets by the back door and would light them and launch by hand at squirrels as she hated them.


To me all the anti fire works laws are just more people trying to ruin other peoples fun.
 
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"To me all the anti fire works laws are just more people trying to ruin other peoples fun."

Except in areas of extreme drought and tinder dry vegetation. Massive fires are always a risk and we do not suffer fireworks lightly around these parts. Even entire communities have called them off for the fire hazard they present. I love them and think they are beautiful but not to ruin lives with total devastation. So sometimes I only get to watch them on TV.
 
We've been hearing bangs and explosions every night for 2--3 weeks now, even had some air displays illegally launched ln our urban neighborhood. Had to call the police one night about what sound like gun shots, they said "we have have people in the area trying to track it down" They may have had success because its been fairly quiet the last few nights. Many places out here fire works are illegal, it's a county by county, or city deal. This issue moved to the front of political discussion in our area many years ago. The argument that won the the day was it's the service clubs, boy scouts, churchs, etc. that use fireworks for fund raising. Regardless of fires and injuries I guess it's ok.

Bill
 
Well as far as fires you have to be careful, but few of the state wide and city, county bans are about that. Many more fires are started by smoking than ever by fireworks, the worry a lot of places used to be cedar roofs on so many of the high dollar houses. The problem was the roofs were tinder boxes. But yes I fully understand drought bans. I watch youtube of a guy in Ca that has had to cut all his trees as they have died as a result of the multi year drought.
 
Gary, I suspect you might not have spent much time in an truly drought-stricken area. Around here, the fireworks restrictions are indeed fire-hazard motivated. Just about any vegetation (or remains of vegetation) can ignite frighteningly fast. I've seen firsthand how easy it is for fireworks to start a fire and nearly burn down a house. We'll just say it involved several of us guys in our 20s and 30s, an illegal 2" commercial-grade mortar that only flew 50' instead of 1500', and a pile of dried weeds next to the neighbor's house. (OK, there was probably beer involved, too.) Fortunately, it rolled off the neighbor's roof before the big explosion of sparks, which should have been 1500' in the air instead of on the ground. :rolleyes: Thank goodness for fleet feet and garden hoses. There was a little smoke damage to the stucco on the side of the garage, but the Porsche 911 in the driveway was unscathed. :scram:

Man, things have changed in NM. When I was a little kid living in Demming NM there was a small store across the street from the elementary school that sold fireworks and candy. We bought mostly bottle rockets and would shoot them off all year. That was in the 50's, guess some change is good.

It's a Bernalillo County thing. Some of the other counties have similar restrictions, too. But 30 minutes outside of town, across the county line, there are warehouse stores open year-round that sell firecrackers, M-80s, and aerial rockets. Most of the fireworks restrictions are in the more densely-populated areas, since more people=more potential for a stray firework to start a fire. But back in the '80s, in participated in some epic bottle rocket wars on the mesa just east of town. It's a miracle we didn't start any brush fires.

This time of the year in Albuquerque we still have big tents set up in parking lots all over town selling "safe and sane" fireworks. To my Southern Californian wife, even that seems strange. Fireworks of any kind have been banned in the LA area for so many years, she barely remember when you could buy them (legally).
 
I can't speak for city restrictions as I have not lived in a city in a long time. After I retired from the Marines, I moved back to Texas, my home state and moved out into the rural areas. My county, Parker, simply goes by it's burn bans. If it's too dry to do a controlled burn, or burn a brush pile, then it's too dry for fireworks. Once in a while the ban is also because of high winds. Simple. Totally gauged by how dry it is. We were in a bad drought for some time, so there were no legal fireworks. As I think I stated earlier, I don't have a problem with people having fun. I personally think fireworks year round is a bit much, but whatever. If it causes no problems for the land, and no problems for others, then go ahead. I just personally don't like them. If you want to see some fireworks go to a military gunnery range and watch them practice with the 155's. That will get your yayas going. :eek:
 
They were obviously celebreting national catfish day.

We are allowed fireworks here, but they are so expensive and give you so little bang for the buck, most people just go to the big public displays. A few years ago, my kids bought a package that contained 32 fireworks on a single fuse. Cost them $32. Lasted 32 seconds.

The Catholic church about a kilometre from here does a spectacular show on the feast of the BVM. I think they do one other, too, but it is a dinger, just one after another for 20 minutes. We can see the high ones from the house, but it's worth the walk over. I love fireworks and thunderstorms.
 
Actually it was 'out in the country' that was the most dangerous. Especially since city folk seemed to think 'nothing was out there' and therefore it was safe. That's how wildfires or worse have started. I have tracked offenders down (with my few neighbors) to enlighten them. Took pictures, especially of their vehicles and license plates, then informed them of the danger. If they lipped off, we told them we had evidence and if a fire started they would be held responsible and they would also be sued in civil court. That generally cooled them off.

I too love watching fireworks (and think they are insanely expensive!), but life and property deserve respect. If you have never experienced a wildfire, the pictures you see on TV are only 10% of the actual terror on the part of people affected. I have had tankers fly 100' off the ground over my head to make an air drop on a fire that was just over the hill. And that particular part of the fire had just consumed 212 homes in the valley behind me. I have seen too many flames on the horizon, gauged the winds and packed valuables to evacuate on a moments notice. I think you understand my passion here.
 
Totally understand, Carol. I know you have seen more wildfires out there than I have. There are two in this area that have happened over the past few years. Both were determined to have been started by fireworks. I don't remember the acreage on either of them that burned but one almost got the town of Aledo. Burned up a bunch of horse ranches as well as a lot of hay pastures. A lot of folks don't realize that if the cattle ranchers have to import hay to feed the cattle due to wildfires, drought, etc., the price of beef goes up. The other fire burned up thousands of acres, homes, ranches, etc. The game wardens caught those fine people who thought it was a great idea to pop off fireworks near pastures and they went to prison for arson and manslaughter. Won't replace the lost property or animals, and in that particular fire some people died in it. That's why the manslaughter charges. I definitely understand your feelings on the subject.
 
Well we obviously see things differently because as long as I can remember fireworks have been banned in Iowa. So my cousins all came to Missouri where we could get almost anything legally back in the 50's to 60's and much of it is still legal today. I never remember a wildfire of any size being started by fireworks. I now reside in Pa and am moving to Ohio and both states pretty much ban fireworks for residents. However both states have large fireworks stores where you have to provide out of state ID and sign you are taking them out of state. Almost all fireworks fires I was aware of growing up were in the Kansas City area and in developments where Shake shingles were mandated because they looked Pretty.

But as I said I have no problems with temporary bans based on real dangers. In fact there have been years where our yard was so dry we didn't even set off the legal little fountains.
Bottle rockets are now banned in the little town my now 90 year old sister lives in. Why ? So the police chief can make big arrests based on the said bottle rickets.

I suspect if people didn't have to run out and try to hide where they are trying to shoot them they might be better able to be regulated to safe times and areas..but that might be a pipe dream.

We don't have a drought here right now but they are cutting the wheat across the road and the field of straw would go up like a tinder box.

And we have enough trees here in PA that we have some pretty fair size fires from time to time. Our biggest fire is not trees but coal and it has been burning for well over 50 years. And I don't think fireworks had anything to do with it. And it puts out more pollution every day than all the VW diesels ever produced

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/01/pictures/130108-centralia-mine-fire/
 
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