Man hospitalised following fireworks incident

I forget the circumstances and if it was 2003 or 2004, but one year around about then Canberra had a firework Christmas, and veritable sticks of gelignite went on sale, along with rockets, ball shots, and all manner of other previously banned fireworks that made Thunders look like party poppers. I spent hundreds of dollars, and my purchase looked modest compared to other buyers at the counter.

It was a good Queen’s birthday that year, the hospitals were full, and I suspect that year still echos occasionally across the Canberra valleys.

Grimm said :

Holden Caulfield said :

Maya123 said :

Banning all fireworks was a shame and has ruined the occasion. People could keep their neurotic pets inside. None of my pets have had a problem with fireworks.

If people could keep their fireworks use to the mandated times and away from letterboxes, school dumpsters and the good old wheelie bin explosion then you’d probably still be in with a government sanctioned chance to blow your own hand off.

The fireworks used to do those things were already illegal. It was also a tiny minority of people doing stupid cr#p like that. So, why ban all fireworks because of a few idiots were using already illegal fireworks to do stupid, illegal things? Those people still seem able to get hold of those fireworks, because they are willing to break the law. A novel idea would be to punish the actual offenders, and not the majority who are doing the right thing.

Perhaps the minority wasn’t as insignificant as you would like to believe?

No problems with punishing the offenders, but I’d suggest the identities of those responsible were largely unknown due to the ease of carrying out said activities away from the eyes of the law.

Holden Caulfield said :

Maya123 said :

Banning all fireworks was a shame and has ruined the occasion. People could keep their neurotic pets inside. None of my pets have had a problem with fireworks.

If people could keep their fireworks use to the mandated times and away from letterboxes, school dumpsters and the good old wheelie bin explosion then you’d probably still be in with a government sanctioned chance to blow your own hand off.

The fireworks used to do those things were already illegal. It was also a tiny minority of people doing stupid cr#p like that. So, why ban all fireworks because of a few idiots were using already illegal fireworks to do stupid, illegal things? Those people still seem able to get hold of those fireworks, because they are willing to break the law. A novel idea would be to punish the actual offenders, and not the majority who are doing the right thing.

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

I am not sorry that eh Assembly agreed to ban these things. the constituent ingredients are more akin to anti-personnel mines than the crackers I had as a kid!

When will people realize that these things are dangerous in the hands of amateurs?

The pohas and tomthumbs we had as kids were much more explosive than the fireworks available (legally) before the ban.

Sparklers and birthday candles are dangerous in the hands of amateurs. Ban them all! And while we’re at it ban sports – you only have to visit Emergency on the weekend to see how dangerous it is for amateurs.

Maya123 said :

Banning all fireworks was a shame and has ruined the occasion. People could keep their neurotic pets inside. None of my pets have had a problem with fireworks.

If people could keep their fireworks use to the mandated times and away from letterboxes, school dumpsters and the good old wheelie bin explosion then you’d probably still be in with a government sanctioned chance to blow your own hand off.

Maya123 said :

Banning all fireworks was a shame and has ruined the occasion. People could keep their neurotic pets inside. None of my pets have had a problem with fireworks.

Exactly. If I’ve had to put up with their horrible barking mutt, or their mangy cat sh*tting in my yard 365 days of the year, surely they can put up with fireworks of an evening for one single weekend each year…

^ what gooterz said

John Hargreaves Ex MLA said :

I am not sorry that eh Assembly agreed to ban these things. the constituent ingredients are more akin to anti-personnel mines than the crackers I had as a kid!

When will people realize that these things are dangerous in the hands of amateurs?

http://the-riotact.com/hargreaves-kills-fireworks-now/13419

Its amazing how the few can ruin the fun of everyone else.
Skydiving is also dangerous for amateurs but isn’t banned.
Pole-vaulting is also dangerous for amateurs but isn’t banned.
Using a drill is also dangerous for some but isn’t banned.

If we banned everything that someone didn’t agree too no one would be able to legally do anything.
Yet I’m sure they’d do it anyway.

I raise the point, that fireworks today are illegal and under no quality control from government whatsoever, wouldn’t that negatively impact the safety? If there wasn’t a flat out ban, then they would be limited to certain types and thus much safer to use?

I’m also sure that we get less visitors to Canberra because of it too.

Banning all fireworks was a shame and has ruined the occasion. People could keep their neurotic pets inside. None of my pets have had a problem with fireworks.

bundah said :

The penny and tuppeny/thunder bungers of yesteryear ie.70’s were more powerful than the bungers you could get in recent times until they were banned.

Dad told me about sixpenny bungers and basket bombs when he were a lad.