Where has the courtesy gone? (Kalispell, Whitefish: for sale, house, neighborhood)

[jimj]

Well, here we are almost 4th of July again and where was I from 9-11:30 last night? Attempting to sleep while some morons decided it was time to host a pre 4th fireworks display.
I think it's time to go to the county counsel and agitate for at least SOME restriction in when this stuff can be shot. Currently there's absolutely NO restrictions, you can set off anything, anytime, anywhere.
Now don't get me wrong, I like fireworks and have burned many $50 bills in my time but enough is enough!
It's not even July yet and for the last 3 days we've been hearing constant sparkler bombs, M-80s, rockets,mortors etc. Many people around us have animals (horses,cows,dogs etc) that pretty much freek out when this starts and then the owners have to spend hours calming them down again. I expect this to happen ON the 4th from dawn to dawn and maybe a bit on the 3rd from anxious kids but a week ahead of time?
Last year the people behind us started doing this crud days early and I went over and nicely asked that they stop as my wife had to get up at 4am to go to work and was trying to sleep. They agreed to stop but as soon as my tires hit the street they started right back up and did so every night until the 6th.
Yes we have more freedom here than most states but with that comes resposability to not trample others or at least have some courtesy!

[rickers]

My poor dog freaks out at firework noise. I'm glad I moved to a town that is very strict about this problem. The town I moved from had people setting them off two weeks before the 4th and a week after. (glad to be off the rez !)

[grizzfan]

Sambeaux, the Golden Retriever, is the only one in our house that doen't like fireworks. I never buy them in deference to the dog, but enjoy them like I did when I was a little kid.

Come on, it's a great American tradition to be done wisely. And it gives me a chance to hug the dog to make him feel safe!

[Huckleberry3911948]

me first ism gone wild. destruction of mores.
as church and state separate, state does not do a good job
of teaching courtesy.

[Radek]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

Sambeaux, the Golden Retriever, is the only one in our house that doen't like fireworks. I never buy them in deference to the dog, but enjoy them like I did when I was a little kid.

Come on, it's a great American tradition to be done wisely. And it gives me a chance to hug the dog to make him feel safe!

Im with jimj on this one, its a fine tradition.

But, if you could keep it to the 4th, I'd appreciate that.

[Debee]

I agree with you Jim,our neighbors are on vacation so they started last week already and will probly be shooting them for the next couple weeks .Thats what they have done for the last few years anyway. My hubby and my sisters down the hill , both get up to go to work at 3 am so they go to bed early. Very inconsiderate.

[grannymontanny]

I agree with jim on every point! no ones asking people to give up there july 4th traditions,just that people use common since, and concideration to your neighbors. but in our neighborhood,those qualities are sadly lacking.11 oclock is plenty late enough to be making noise be it city or county.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by jimj

Well, here we are almost 4th of July again and where was I from 9-11:30 last night? Attempting to sleep while some morons decided it was time to host a pre 4th fireworks display.
I think it's time to go to the county counsel and agitate for at least SOME restriction in when this stuff can be shot. Currently there's absolutely NO restrictions, you can set off anything, anytime, anywhere.
Now don't get me wrong, I like fireworks and have burned many $50 bills in my time but enough is enough!
It's not even July yet and for the last 3 days we've been hearing constant sparkler bombs, M-80s, rockets,mortors etc. Many people around us have animals (horses,cows,dogs etc) that pretty much freek out when this starts and then the owners have to spend hours calming them down again. I expect this to happen ON the 4th from dawn to dawn and maybe a bit on the 3rd from anxious kids but a week ahead of time?
Last year the people behind us started doing this crud days early and I went over and nicely asked that they stop as my wife had to get up at 4am to go to work and was trying to sleep. They agreed to stop but as soon as my tires hit the street they started right back up and did so every night until the 6th.
Yes we have more freedom here than most states but with that comes resposability to not trample others or at least have some courtesy!

As I've posted here before, I am against additional regulation. Several cities in the Flathead regulate fireworks. I might ask why you live in the county if you would like to see more regulation? There's lots of nice places for sale in the city of Kalispell where they do regulate fireworks.

Fireworks are a proud tradition in Montana and something that I enjoy seeing every year when I return. My parents have a place in Whitefish (I was born and raised there, my father has lived there since 1965) and I'm able to watch the city fireworks and all of the private fireworks all over the valley from their place. They usually start a couple nights early so I'll get about four days of beautiful fireworks displays while I'm back there again. It's quite a sight to see!

The problem with regulations is they regulate everyone, not just the few problem folks. My parents live on 20 acres, there's no reason why they should have to abide by the same rules that jimj is proposing becuase they don't have close by neighbors to bother. They were the first people to live in their area. It doesn't make sense that they need to be more regulated due to the fact that people from California and Arizona have moved in.

I would suggest checking for a disturbance of the peace ordinance that may be on the books in Flathead County. If you're neigbhors are disturbing the peace, you can file a complaint with the Sheriff's office and let them investigate.

I believe it's important to enforce the rules currently on the books before writing new ones.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by jimj

It's not even July yet and for the last 3 days we've been hearing constant sparkler bombs, M-80s, rockets,mortors etc.

Also, M-80s and sparkler bombs are already illegal under state law. If they are indeed lighting these off, a simple call to the Sheiff's office will take care of this problem.

Again, enforce the existing rules before creating new ones.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by bigtrees

As I've posted here before, I am against additional regulation. Several cities in the Flathead regulate fireworks. I might ask why you live in the county if you would like to see more regulation? There's lots of nice places for sale in the city of Kalispell where they do regulate fireworks.

Fireworks are a proud tradition in Montana and something that I enjoy seeing every year when I return. My parents have a place in Whitefish (I was born and raised there, my father has lived there since 1965) and I'm able to watch the city fireworks and all of the private fireworks all over the valley from their place. They usually start a couple nights early so I'll get about four days of beautiful fireworks displays while I'm back there again. It's quite a sight to see!

The problem with regulations is they regulate everyone, not just the few problem folks. My parents live on 20 acres, there's no reason why they should have to abide by the same rules that jimj is proposing becuase they don't have close by neighbors to bother. They were the first people to live in their area. It doesn't make sense that they need to be more regulated due to the fact that people from California and Arizona have moved in.

I would suggest checking for a disturbance of the peace ordinance that may be on the books in Flathead County. If you're neigbhors are disturbing the peace, you can file a complaint with the Sheriff's office and let them investigate.

I believe it's important to enforce the rules currently on the books before writing new ones.

Your right, people should be able to do whatever they want with no consideration for others. I also find it interesting that some of the people who complain the most about possible new ordinances or laws don't reside in this state full time or at all and that begs the question "why do they care"?.
Just so you know I did call the sheriff and that's when I was informed that until midnight nothing can be done and in fact all they can do at midnight is REQUEST that they stop. If the post I'd first written had been read carefully it would also have been noticed that currently THERE IS NO EXISTING LAWS to deal with fireworks with the exception of sparkler bombs and some fireworks available on the res but even then they have to be caught in the act.
Now to someone who doesn't even live here and just visits his parents for a couple of days around the 4th I'm sure it is a sight to behold but for those of us who live here and have to actually SLEEP at night or have livestock it's not right to be denied that sleep or have your livestock flip out for well over a week just because of some inconsiderate residents or visiting "tourists" who leave their common sense in WA or CA or wherever they're from. As for the people that live on so much land that there are no neighbors near, even if there was regulation who'd call in to complain?
As for the suggestion that I shouldn't live in the county well, that's so silly as to not even justify a response. Sure people have no consideration so I shouldn't live here...
Again, if people would stick to the 4th I'd never have written this. I really do like fireworks but just like cheesecake not every night for weeks.