Fireworks 2007

[from Annys Shin]

Anyone else find the fireworks noise intolerable?

Comments

[AJS]

This is for those who claim that firing off sophisticated fireworks is not hazardous:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/11/AR2007071102128.html?nav=hcmodule

[ml]

is this rant only about the firworks on the 4th? the 4th is meant to have fireworks, and if it was just on the 4th i would have no problem with it...

however, here on Taylor it, the late night explosions, started the weekend before. it was consistant every night, very late, very loud, which then of course set off the lovely dog who technically lives on upshur but is in his backyard 24/7, barking insesently along with the idiots setting off fireworks illegally late at night.

so un-neighborly, so rude, so disrespectful, bottom line completely selfish, obnoxious and ILLEGAL!

why do we, here in petworth, here on taylor st. have to put up wth the 3 booths selling these things being on our corner?? and they are illegal to set off on any other day other than the 4th, but they sell them a week in advance...argh

[DJ]

This is my Fourth 4th of July in Petworth. I don't mind the noise from the fireworks. Then again, no one was lighting fireworks that close to my house.

This year, my wife and I watched the fireworks at the Mall, and were so tired by the time we made it home, that someone could have been lighting fireworks in our bedroom and we would have slept right thru it. haha

[Toby]

My bad. I opened my mouth praising the fireworks in Petworth, which I observed from my closed upstairs back porch, before I read the rants and comments on princeofpetworth. People who had to drive through firework displays on their streets on their way home, people whose alleys were littered with firework debris the next day, and were even threatened by illmannered kids etc, have valid reasons to be upset. Yet I'm not about sitting in some meeting (reminds me college back in the day) or lobbying elected officials. I just put up with it. And am never out late.

[Toby]

In previous years, the fireworks noise in the neighborhood had been particularly loud and had kept us up a bit. But this year it seemed less. There is nothing more amazing than looking out your window and seeing beautiful fireworks in the sky. I love it. Yet I asked a friend who lives around AU Park and she said there were no impromptu fireworks set off by local kids. Give me the 'hood any day.

[Tim]

Glenn, it is illegal to use these fireworks in DC, unless you have a permit. You are only allowed to have sparklers, fountains, crackle and strobe and novelty fireworks without a permit; Bottlerockets, firecrackers, roman candles, missles, smoke bombs, display shells, et al require a permit. This is not a "another proxy for a "new" vs "old" resident debate?", its about the law and what constitutes a public nuisance. Contrary to popular perception, not every discussion in DC is about gentrification, race or class issue. Washington DC hosts one of, if not the biggest, fireworks displays in the world, people should go there for the Bang and Pow and Aaaaah. Some people find the whole thing annoying...especially at 3 in the morning.

[evc]

Last July was my first here in Petworth. It was nice but then it just got too much. This year I decided to get out of town and will probably do so every year for a while.

[Glenn]

Okay, let me get this straight. People are actually complaining about fireworks on the 4th of July? The pre-4th warm up and the post-4th burn off are one thing. But to complain about fireworks on the day that is synonymous with fireworks displays? Unless you're talking about people doing stupid and dangerous things - like pointing or throwing fireworks at people or animals, or using something illegal - I don't get it. Is this discussion really about fireworks or is it yet another proxy for a "new" vs "old" resident debate?

[Cliff]

Tim, I like the 4th of July and fireworks, but your post reminds me of just why fireworks were invented: to light up the sky so you can see your enemy. the holiday itself might be patriotic but its origin really is violent.

[Tim]

Well, this year we left town...headed out to WV, stayed in a motel in the middle of nowhere, sixer of beer, some pretzels and sandwiches, a few sparklers for the boy. And it was quiet. Oh, there were a few fireworks out there but it lasted exactly 5 minutes and then that was it. Great. That makes the last two years we have been out of town. I highly recommend it. But ya know this year didn't seem so bad...compared to last couple of years. Hell, usually it seems like three weeks leading up to the fourth it's just bang and pop all night long. Me, I'll be the first to stand up and say, I hate fireworks....big displays like the Mall, small worthless firecrackers...the whole lot. And the Fourth of July used to be one of my favorite holidays but nowadays...especially in the middle of this worthless and wasteful war, it's just too depressing. And if that makes me seem like a whining, miserable killjoy...fine.

[Brian]

Fireworks don't bother me on the 4th if they're sized explosives and they stop at a decent hour. Mostly it's the Pre-4th build up and the long slow trickle of explosions that last well into late July that bother me.

My 2.5 year old daughter is terrified of these things. If I only had to get out of town for one night that would be ok, but a whole month!

Also, the first three years I was here both trash cans at Sherman Circle were melted to the ground. Past two years that hasn't happened, so I take that as progress.

[Kieca]

I find the endless pop pop pop annoying and juvenile, too, especially last night when I was trying to get to sleep. But honestly (maybe I am used to it after last year) I didn't think it was as bad this year. The annoying person with the popping noisemakers stopped at about 1, and there were streetcleaners and guys out picking up crap this morning on our street (Taylor).

But last night I didn't see anyone shooting pyrotechnics straight down the street and we didn't have to hide inside, so I take that as a win over last year. The noise was annoying once it got late but it didn't go till 3 or 4 like last year. It sucks people can't clean up after themselves, but the trash didn't hold a candle (uh, hah) to the Caribbean festival trash. And we get a lot of trash around here anyway, fireworks or no.

[Bill]

Wow, I just skimmed through the comments on Prince of Petworth. Pretty passionate stuff on both sides. Some people screaming for a total ban, others say 'move to the burbs'... Personally I think it shouldn't be so hard to compromise in the short term. How about super-strict enforcement - AFTER midnight? And extra city street cleanings the day after? I know, I know... but just because people SHOULD have picked up all their leftover debris doesn't mean we should have to look at it for weeks after.

[mv]

no offense meant POP, i was talking about the bloggers

[Bill]

Just as a practical move, my wife and I took the baby to my mom's place outside DC for the night.

In theory I don't have a problem with the local extravaganzas. In our first years in Petworth we sat on the roof and watched the fireworks. They can be impressive, I sort of enjoy it to a point. That point being around 11pm-midnight.

But firecrackers are, in my opinion, a pretty juvenile idea of fun. Ha ha, it went pop-pop-pop. Over and over and over. I mean, in some countries firing guns into the air is a common form of jubilation and that's wrong and senseless too.

To say nothing of the issues of fireworks illegality in DC. What's with the near-complete lack of enforcement?

[Jenna]

I thought it was obnoxious and worse than last year. Fine to have a few poppers and sparklers, but the pyrotechnics I witnessed made our block sound like a literal war zone. We found it infuriating and inconsiderate, first at midnight, then at 1 AM, 2 AM, and so on. This crap is illegal with good reason.

[Cliff]

I thought it was great until about 11:00. Then at midnight I was a little annoyed. The 2am fire-crackers kinda pissed me off. Then the 3am cherry-bombs sent me over the edge.

[Prince of Petworth]

Just for the record the PoP was not whining. Also, I'd say it is fairly even split between people who are upset and people who loved the show.

[mv]

lots of whining on the Prince of Petworth blog