I'm so over amateur fireworks. (Boston: safe area, subsidized, taxi)

[such sweet thunder]

Originally Posted by 495neighbor

Maybe call the fire department instead of the police?

We called 911 and were directed to the police dispatch. The response from Boston authorities feels coordinated -- someone made the decision that the BPD and BFD don't have the manpower to worry about fireworks that haven't already set a building on fire or removed someone's appendages, which I grudgingly admit may make sense.

What I'm looking for is first to vent, because that was terrible. (Sorry.)

Secondly, I would like to hear some victory stories. Has anybody solved this problem by heading it off at the pass. How do you stop fireworks at the local park/professional fireworks viewing area without getting confrontational?

[wolfgang239]

Originally Posted by such sweet thunder

Secondly, I would like to hear some victory stories. Has anybody solved this problem by heading it off at the pass. How do you stop fireworks at the local park/professional fireworks viewing area without getting confrontational?

As to the amateurs, don't go beyond calling the police/fire. You will be wasting your time as well as city resources, as generally people light them off and run away. If you somehow are able to catch up with them in person, be prepared to deal with any consequences (physical, verbal, explosive).

Why would you try and stop professional fireworks? I'm pretty sure that would also be a waste of time, as it happens once a year at the same time with plenty of advanced notice. I think the overwhelming support for such activities would drown out the opposition.

Good luck, I understand how disruptive it can be, but this is part of being in the city.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by such sweet thunder

Secondly, I would like to hear some victory stories. Has anybody solved this problem by heading it off at the pass. How do you stop fireworks at the local park/professional fireworks viewing area without getting confrontational?

You don't.


Pretty much just gotta learn to live with it.

[Bruins_Fan]

As much as you dislike fireworks, I'd suggest vacationing outside the country the first week of July. Canada isn't too far. You may not avoid ALL fireworks, but you'll miss most of them.

[pennyone]

Originally Posted by wolfgang239

As to the amateurs, don't go beyond calling the police/fire. You will be wasting your time as well as city resources, as generally people light them off and run away. If you somehow are able to catch up with them in person, be prepared to deal with any consequences (physical, verbal, explosive).

Why would you try and stop professional fireworks? I'm pretty sure that would also be a waste of time, as it happens once a year at the same time with plenty of advanced notice. I think the overwhelming support for such activities would drown out the opposition.

Good luck, I understand how disruptive it can be, but this is part of being in the city.

Agreed. While I sympathize with the complaints about folks sending off fireworks in their yards and annoying neighbors, trying to stop professionally run firework displays funded by local town and city taxes for the benefit of all is overstepping the bounds.

[jayrandom]

Originally Posted by such sweet thunder

Secondly, I would like to hear some victory stories. Has anybody solved this problem by heading it off at the pass. How do you stop fireworks at the local park/professional fireworks viewing area without getting confrontational?

Originally Posted by pennyone

Agreed. While I sympathize with the complaints about folks sending off fireworks in their yards and annoying neighbors, trying to stop professionally run firework displays funded by local town and city taxes for the benefit of all is overstepping the bounds.

I interpreted this as amateur fireworks done in the "professional fireworks viewing area", not actually stopping the professional fireworks themselves.

In some cases, vets with PTSD have signs they put up asking people to be respectful:

Veteran asks for courtesy with holiday fireworks

People are a little more respectful of veterans with PTSD than parents with small children, but that doesn't really help the OP (and many people aren't respectful of either).

Originally Posted by Bruins_Fan

As much as you dislike fireworks, I'd suggest vacationing outside the country the first week of July. Canada isn't too far. You may not avoid ALL fireworks, but you'll miss most of them.

Make sure to go after July 1st. There are often random fireworks for Canada Day.

[such sweet thunder]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I interpreted this as amateur fireworks done in the "professional fireworks viewing area", not actually stopping the professional fireworks themselves.

That was how I meant it. My issue is that area pyros seem to view the end of the Boston fireworks show as their cue to set of similar "big ass" fireworks from the neighborhood viewing location. Except, unlike the pros, they are not using any of the safety precautions.

[charolastra00]

I live on a side street off of a side street of densely packed two and three family homes. It also sounded like a warzone this year, which hasn't been a problem in years past. At one point, there were fireworks exploding RIGHT outside of my 2nd story window and I couldn't do anything but scream in my house as my cat clawed the crap out of me in terror. It also gave me my first ever flashback to being in a bomb shelter in Israel 2 summers ago having had 15 seconds to run out of bed and make it to the shelter.

My downstairs neighbor is a combat vet with PTSD. We had signs up in our yard and at the park at the end of the street to please be courteous and at least give him a heads up when the fireworks were planned to occur so he could put on noise cancelling headphones or be out (as he was on the actual 4th). Instead, we had fireworks going off every night from Thursday night on and it was really tough on him. No one bothered to knock on the door or drop a note. :\

[PyroZach]

@SuchSweetThunder I sent you a pm on what could become a possible solution for this situation.

[btownboss4]

It is once a year, let people have their fun.