Fireworks are a menace

I am also annoyed by fireworks and would dearly love to ban them. I have a dog who is terrified & who won't go out to relieve himself. He is now reluctant at any time to go outside whereas at one time he used to be first out. I work in a school and see children who are excited by them - isn't it strange that when children learn about Guy Fawkes they question why we 'celebrate' with fireworks?! I have lost count how many times I have signed something to ban them - fat lot of good it has done! BAN THEM NOW!

Not so many years ago, Bonfire night or if you will Guy Fawkes, or even fireworks night was "celebrated" on the 5th of November, regardless of whatever day it fell on. But in recent years, it appears that date is now insignificant because people sem to have fireworks displays or let off fireworks whenever they bl**dy well want, regardless of the date.
Without wishing to be a killjoy (I enjoy fireworks myself), I think it is time for some stronger regulation on the sale and use of fireworks, and restricting their use to the ONE official day of the year as it has been since the Gunpowder Plot (November 5th) and make it illegal to set them off on any other day without prior permission being granted.
Unfortunately, Fireworks have also become just another tool of annoyance in the hands of Yobs, and inconsiderate people they now need this sort of regulation rather than ban them altogether

Why, oh why do we have to put up with this menace every year? My cats spent most of the evening last night (most of this week actually) shivering in the corner, too afraid to go out. Why can't people go and see their fireworks at a public display or at least take them to somewhere isolated and set them off instead of the back garden?

To all those who advocate banning/time-restricting the sale of fireworks - fair enough I understand why you feel the way you do.
The problem is simply banning them won't address the issues fully.
If properly made licenced fireworks are not available people might be tempted to make/use home made ones with catastrophic results! Simply banning/restricting an activity will just force it underground. Just imagine dodgy fireworks being made available on the black market by organised criminals!
There has to be an element of education together with any ban/punishment.
I don't know what happens now but when I was in school many years ago there were campaigns about firework safety which showed the kind of terrible injuries in graphic detail.
They didn't give me nightmares but they gave me a responsible attitude toward fireworks.

I hope the sad story posted by Freddie is enough to make some people think before posting facile comments like some of those made below.
I reiterate my point about fireworks being 'appropriated' by the anti-social element of society, a true shame for those of us, children and adults alike, who enjoy fireworks and see them as a traditional part of the British autumn.
Having said that, I must to say whatever restrictions are in force this year appear to have worked; it's been tolerably quieter around where I live (famous last words)!
While I'm here, I want to raise an objection to the removal of the comment I made in response to the poster "everyone loves your dogsh*t", which, whilst pithy and to the point, was by no means anywhere near as offensive as some of the nasty strings of highly-personalised invective found elsewhere on Weekly Gripe.
Right, I'm off to stroke some kittens and buy a nice doughnut...

Fireworks are okay provided they are in the right hands. The problem occurs when they are sold to youths as a plaything to be used on our streets for a period of several weeks in the late autumn.
I have no problem with them as an item, simply with those that use them wrong.
Some little turd cost me over £300 and my cat considerable pain and discomfort a couple of years ago. She was an old girl that didn't really venture away from home. Content to stay in her own garden when outside she caused no problem for anyone. Some mindless youth thought it would be funny to aim some fireworks at her. She was so scared she tried to jump a fence but owing to her age was unable to make it. She gored herself on the top and hung there until she was almost dead. That was how I found her. She died a couple of days later. I know you need to keep animals in around guy fawkes night but you should not need to on October 7th!
I know there are people who will say "it's only a cat" and other things like vermin etc. they'll call me sad as well but ultimately she was a living creature and she deserved better. She was my friend and companion.
Personally I would ban the sale of fireworks to the general public and restrict their use to professionally organised displays. They're invariably better anyway. To have a decent display at home you'd need to spend a fortune. Why not just spend £3-5 a head and go to a proper display.

Government : Should ban the public sale of fireworks.
Supermarkets ; Take the lead & stop selling fireworks
Consumer : Boycott the sale of fireworks.
Result : peace & quiet, no air & noise pollution, less amo for the local retards.
...easy.
Bottom line : we cannot rely on dross New Labour to do anything except prop up fraudster bankers, so boycott the fireworks - make a difference instead of moaning about it.

"Fireworks have been around longer than you and I so deal with it"

What an unbelievably daft thing to say!

So you dog can't go out for a shlt? .. Oh dear, how sad, never mind.. At least decent people don't have to tread carefully around the streets for the 8 weeks your dog is shltting inside your house as opposed to every one else's doorstep.

I'm glad the gov cut down on the sale of fireworks to just before the 5th and not after,before they did that we used to get fireworks set off everynight from 2 months before nov until about a month after new year,drove our poor animals and me insane,also every street/park was littered with all the refuse and burnt out remains of these things.I got hit on the head one night going down town by a dead rocket falling from the sky,being hit from that hight by a four foot long 1/4 inch square wooden rod with with a 7oz or so hot lump on the end of it was not the most enjoyable thing,also the local yobs used to hide in wait in the local park while supping their special brew for people to come along,then they would start WW3 with banger,ssky bombs and rockets,of course they thought it was hillarious,I on the otherhand did not.Yes,I used to enjoy spending a few quid on fireworks etc,but I drove out to a friends farm to "play" with them in a field miles from anyone,oh and I picked up my rubbish too.The town square for the six months or so of firework hell was turned into a no go area at night by the Taxi's/police etc as they were instant targets for long range attack.So yes,I have found only one good thing the gov has done in recent years.