Fireworks Etiquette

[Rattler]

Last night on the broads side of Rattlesnake, a bunch of insensitive islanders decided it would be "OK" to set off multiple fireworks from about 11 p.m. until well after midnight.

While we could debate the current fireworks laws in our "live free or die" state, I think we would all agree that there is a time and place to express your God-given right to make a lot of noise and explode gunpowder over your neighbors. However, that time of night is not one of them.

I hope the perpetrators read this forum or people who do read it know who the idiots are and clue them in on what is civil and reasonable fireworks behavior.

I still marvel at the insensitivity and callousness that abounds in our small part of the planet...

[brk-lnt]

Originally Posted by Rattler

Last night on the broads side of Rattlesnake, a bunch of insensitive islanders decided it would be "OK" to set off multiple fireworks from about 11 p.m. until well after midnight.

While we could debate the current fireworks laws in our "live free or die" state, I think we would all agree that there is a time and place to express your God-given right to make a lot of noise and explode gunpowder over your neighbors. However, that time of night is not one of them.

I hope the perpetrators read this forum or people who do read it know who the idiots are and clue them in on what is civil and reasonable fireworks behavior.

I still marvel at the insensitivity and callousness that abounds in our small part of the planet...

Is this a regular thing, or a one time event?

I have to admit, I wouldn't want my nearby neighbors making every weekend night a fireworks celebration, but the occasional unexpected fireworks display is usually a pleasant surprise to me.

[Lakesrider]

I know that before 8 am and after 10PM it is considered disturbing the peace in almost every town in America. Of course our neighbor has the lawn guys out mowing at 7:30 twice a week...In Suissevale people are usually pretty good about stopping fireworks after 10PM. But every once in a while you get some yahoos that like to reenact WWII at midnight.
Pretty funny though. The other night we were watching the Battle of Gettysburg show on PBS, while off in the back ground fireworks were going off. Gave the show that 3d audio effect....

[Shedwannabe]

Ahhh, you guys have it easy. I had a neighbor who had a contract with the lawn maintenance company to be the first one in town to get his snow shoveled. I would know the weather report by being jarred out of sleep at 5:30am with what sounded like an angry hornet's nest around my head. The city hall told me it was a private contract and they couldn't do anything. I presume they didn't want to get one rich and well known person angry....

[Heaven]

Originally Posted by Shedwannabe

Ahhh, you guys have it easy. I had a neighbor who had a contract with the lawn maintenance company to be the first one in town to get his snow shoveled. I would know the weather report by being jarred out of sleep at 5:30am with what sounded like an angry hornet's nest around my head. The city hall told me it was a private contract and they couldn't do anything. I presume they didn't want to get one rich and well known person angry....

Sorry 'bout that, some of us have to be at work early and also commute a ways to git thar.

[LIforrelaxin]

One must also use some common sense in situations like these.... A snow storm is a unique event and unfortunately people need to be plowed out, so we all deal with plow trucks coming by at interesting hours.... Don't think the situation is unique...

As for fireworks... remember people this time of year are on vacation, they want to have some fun. Now if they are lighting fireworks off every night after 10 or 11 well maybe you have something to complain about... But if it happens once over the course of the summer let it slide.... If it is happening once a week, maybe go have a talk with your neighbors and see if you can work it out... sometimes people just need a reminder that they aren't alone....

[Rattler]

Have to disagree with a number of posters here.

I enjoy fireworks as much as anyone, and also hope I'm not that old and crotchety to complain about anyone's right to have fun at the lake on their vacation.

However, setting off fireworks at midnight is insensitive and just plain wrong, regardless of whether it's a nightly occurrence or a one-time event.

Do you think there'd be any complaints from locals if the one-time July 4th Wolfeboro fireworks were scheduled for midnight? Of course there would!

[MAXUM]

Yeah it's a bit inconsiderate for the neighbors to do that, but I agree if it's an occasional thing I'd just let it slide.

Doesn't Weirs Beach shoot off fireworks every weekend at midnight?

[GTO]

Originally Posted by MAXUM

Yeah it's a bit inconsiderate for the neighbors to do that, but I agree if it's an occasional thing I'd just let it slide.

Doesn't Weirs Beach shoot off fireworks every weekend at midnight?

They used to have them every Friday night at 10. I think they are only doing it 3 weekends this year due to budget cuts.
I went last Friday night by boat in the rain, mist, fog, etc. We were probably 1 out of ten boats that ventured out that night....and 2 of those boats were friends that followed us over. Plenty of parking out in front of the Weirs beach that night....and not much traffic leaving after the show.

[Resident 2B]

Originally Posted by MAXUM

Yeah it's a bit inconsiderate for the neighbors to do that, but I agree if it's an occasional thing I'd just let it slide.

Doesn't Weirs Beach shoot off fireworks every weekend at midnight?

The Weir's Beach shows were on Fridays at 10 PM and lasted about 20 minutes or so. Those were the days! However, now the shows are few and far between, several Friday nights over the summer.

The Weirs usual July 3rd fireworks, which happened to be outstanding this year, start at 11:59 PM. This is the only mid-night show.

R2B

[Skip]

Originally Posted by Rattler

Have to disagree with a number of posters here.

I enjoy fireworks as much as anyone, and also hope I'm not that old and crotchety to complain about anyone's right to have fun at the lake on their vacation.

However, setting off fireworks at midnight is insensitive and just plain wrong, regardless of whether it's a nightly occurrence or a one-time event.

Do you think there'd be any complaints from locals if the one-time July 4th Wolfeboro fireworks were scheduled for midnight? Of course there would!

Well said!

I love fireworks as well as anyone else, and particularly love the displays that my neighbors spring for!

That said, a nice display as close to dark as possible lends consideration to everyone, especially those that must rise early the next day to work or return home.

Whenever I hear or see fireworks at around the midnight hour, regardless of the day of week, alcohol immediately comes to mind!

In any neighborhood at that late hour, it is incondsiderate, in my humble opinion....

[beaner]

Originally Posted by Shedwannabe

Ahhh, you guys have it easy. I had a neighbor who had a contract with the lawn maintenance company to be the first one in town to get his snow shoveled. I would know the weather report by being jarred out of sleep at 5:30am with what sounded like an angry hornet's nest around my head. ....

Hey, at least you don't have to drag yourself out of bed at oh-dark-30 to start plowing. Like many plowing contractors, our guy also works a full-time day job. He has to start plowing early in order to make it to his day job on time.

[Belmont Resident]

People on vacation have to cram everything into a 1 week time frame.
The problem with having a place on an island is you pretty much have no law enforcement or fire dept but still have to deal with the problems.
As for quiet hours most towns are 10pm to 7am and snowplowing is exempt from this even if it means running a snow blower.
I plow and try to keep it to a minimum but there is always someone who will be awakened especially if I have the sander running.

I was up in northern Maine at the tip of Moosehead Lake and was told this story about noise makers.
Group came up from Mass with loud sleds and drove around the camps at N.E Carry till well after midnight. One camp owner kicked open the door at 5am rousted all the drunken sledders up out of bed. Pretty much informed them they were hours from any town or law enforcement. Then informed them if they ever bring their loud sleds back and run them till the wee hours of the morning the locals would take matters into their own hands while showing them his nice shinny gun.
To the best of my knowledge they never returned.
Sometimes the best way to make your point is the direct way. Now a day there are way to many laws being passed to protect us when in reality all there doing is protecting the bad guy.

[gtagrip]

Originally Posted by Skip

Whenever I hear or see fireworks at around the midnight hour, regardless of the day of week, alcohol immediately comes to mind!

That was the first thing that came to mind when I first read the initial post. Alcohol induced!