Re: RSPCA Newsletter

"Ray" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> The situation over here is somewhat different. Illegally imported fireworks
> are now available 'under the counter' which are little more than bombs.
> In York we have had six telephone booths literally 'blown up' and in the UK
> as a whole I know of at least two instances where house roofs have been
> destroyed. These are not your normal types of fireworks.
> Unfortunately, "firework night" is not the only time we have this problem.

Most of the time the only fireworks I hear or see are around 4th of
July and New Year's Eve.

>  It usually starts around mid October and ends in the first week in January.
> It is not only animals we have to consider, the old folk are frightened to
> death, as it is not unusual for some of these mini bombs to be detonated at
> 5am. Clearly, something has to be done. Perhaps we should tackle the louts
> and not the fireworks!

When there are fireworks here they go on into the night, but generally
only last until about 2 am.
 
> Like you I think fireworks are great, I used to love them when I was a kid
> and indeed still enjoy a good display.

:)

> My personal view is that family firework displays (under the supervision of
> an adult) should be allowed to continue including 'bangers' (legal). But
> these should be (in our case) limited to Nov 5th.

What about New Year's Eve?

> Unfortunately the minority of streets louts will ruin the pleasure of a
> majority of decent people. It is usual to have a certain amount of people
> injured due to burns etc. But with this new generation of illegal weapons,
> people will be killed. 
> Do you have illegal fireworks in the US? 

Yes, people have illegal fireworks, and in TX it's probably pretty
easy to get them because you don't need a passport to go to Mexico, so
people will drive down to Mexico, buy a truckload of huge fireworks,
then drive back home. It's possible to get them without doing that, of
course, but it's one easy way.

>and is it legal to have displays at
> anytime of the year? I ask because I am not too certain about the
> legislation over here.

As far as I know there's no laws about not having displays at
different times of year. There are city ordinances that don't let
people set off fireworks themselves within city limits (except
professional displays), but people do it anyway. Sometimes if it's
been a dry year private fireworks are discouraged or banned, but most
of the time people can set them off when they like.

Sometimes kids save some back from when they bought them in July or
December and set them off for fun during the rest of the year (this
doesn't usually cause a problem). I actually have a big box of some
sparklers right now that I play with sometimes when I get bored, I'll
take them outside and set a few alight.

-Rubystars