BlogHer - Happy Fourth! Hey, can your kid or spouse hold this lit firework? - Comments

It was apparently Dumb Neighbor Night

Tab1975 — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:56:29 -0500

Hey! I'm new to BlogHer but had to post here after a horrible July 4th. I noticed my neighbor allowing his kids to do the same thing, Lisa! The children, very young, were lighting the fireworks IN their hands and THEN throwing them.
After making a mess if their yard and the neighbors' yards on either side of them (one wasn't home and one is an nearly 100 year old lady - considerate!) the kids then began shooting bottle rockets across the street. At my house. At 11:30 at night. When I complained, I was called every name under the son. It took TWO calls to the police, one to get the kids to stop, and another to get the ADULT to stop.
And he, the brilliant person, was lighting bottle rockets while holding them, and letting them shoot out of his hand. Of course, toward my home.

Those were last year's accidents

suebob — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:50:24 -0500

So most of those links are out of date. But never fear - if you just google news "Fireworks accident" dozens pop up, including many burned children. It hurts my heart.

I probably would've smacked

Pamela Sansour — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:10:13 -0500

I probably would've smacked thumped the grownup in the back of the gourd. You didn't overreact. You were exhibiting intelligence in the midst of dangerous stupidity. Kudos.~MoM

My dumb neighbor was channeling your dumb neighbor last night

Erin Kotecki Vest — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 09:45:00 -0500

I heard my neighbor last night say 'let's see if I can hit the car with this one'- which is when I promptly put in my earbuds and listened to some loud music while monitoring the situation out my window.

Then of course there are my childhood memories that involve my uncle's annual bbq and his idea to try and get the fireworks as close to us kids as possible so we could 'see them better.'

One landed next to my foot and as I reached out to grab it (I was like 7) an older cousin yanked me back as it exploded.

Then of course last night my husband was also showing the kids how to make those popit noisemakers snap in his hands. I yelled at him, he had to explain to me their lack of danger , etc. I still don't believe him.

Sigh.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

SueBob, everyone, thank you. Could you please move to my 'hood?

Lisa Stone — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:43:04 -0500

I really appreciate your confirmation about this guy's judgement. And I think everyone was moving slowly enough aroud the hood yesterday that there might have been other factors at work.

SueBob, this here THE definitive list of WhyNotToBeA@#$%^@IdiotWithExplosives. Thank you so much. I think a subtle touch is in order, like I wall-paper his front door with printouts. You are the best!

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

Last year I posted these links on Linkateria

suebob — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:37:44 -0500

These were just the worst cases last year - it is truly scary what happens with fireworks:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4949606.html

Toddler dies in fireworks accident, set on fire by her sister, officials say

http://www.registerguard.com/news/2007/07/06/a1.firefolo.0706.p1.php?sec...

Four-year-old boy dies after igniting firecrackers stored in family's closet

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/070707/tragedy.shtml

7-year-old boy killed after being hit in chest with fireworks shell

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19619939

8-year-old boy killed in fireworks accident

http://www.kxmc.com/News/141602.asp

12-year-old boy badly burned in face by fireworks

http://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/localnews/2007/07/07/teen_dies_afte...

13-year-old dies in fireworks accident

http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/8352312.html

15-year-old girl loses most of hand in fireworks accident

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_6315659

Teen drummer loses right index finger after fireworks tossed at her

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/457981,CST-NWS-fire06.article

Disabled man dies in fire caused by fireworks

http://www.kansascity.com/115/story/179304.html

Kansas man dies in fireworks accident involving professional-grade mortar

http://www.fox28.com/News/index.php?ID=21188

Mother of 3 struck in face, killed by fireworks

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4944777.html

Baby suffers burns when blanket set afire by stray fireworks

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBLN08IT3F.html

11-year-old suffers second-degree fireworks burns

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/05/AR200707...

11 people, including 8 children, injured when fireworks malfunctioned

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--firecrackerfire... Nine-year-old boy charged in destruction of 3-story apartment building with firecracker

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/05/AR200707... shot dead in Ohio fireworks dispute</a>

http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070706/NEW...

Two Visalia men lose fingers in separate accidents

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070705/NEWS03/70705037...

Two men severely burned trying to make fireworks

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003776929_fireworks06m....

32 in Seattle hurt in fireworks accidents

Horrible. I could have included dozens of others, but I think that this is quite enough. Your point is well taken.

What happened to using a manhole cover?

eyefulofcanon — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:42:58 -0500

When I was a kid, we would each get a box of sparklers, from which we were only ever allowed to have ONE ofthem lit at any given time, and my parents would set off the spinning or whistling firecrackers on the street's manhole. Meanwhile, we all had to stand back approximately 10-20 yards. Those spinning ones managed to at least cut that distance in half more often than not.

Your neighbor is cracked. That is insane.

-Kirsten

www.eyefulofcanon.com

I have vivid memories as a

Super Jive — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:32:59 -0500

I have vivid memories as a child of fireworks going off too near me. I think it was those jumping jack things that can skitter around and follow after you, ugh.

I would feel very sad if someone lost fingers, but what is truly burned into my brain is the bottle rocket launching technique used by the "Jackass" crew. OY.

Your Pop Culture Librarian also writes almost daily at I, Asshole.

uhhh agreed with professor kim

washwords — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:04:06 -0500

washy || http://washwords.wordpress.com || washwords.dc@gmail.com

issues, big time. eek.

happy fourth of july! happy independence day.

You are not overreacting

Kim Pearson — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:37:03 -0500

Your neighbor has issues. Serious issues.

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Happy Fourth! Hey, can your kid or spouse hold this lit firework?

Lisa Stone — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 11:38:00 -0500

Last night at my 'hood's annual block party, one of my neighbors pulled up a lawn chair and started lighting firecrackers and handing them to kids. Some kids threw them on the ground next to their own feet. Others threw them on the neighbors' lawns. Then I said in a lady-like tone, "THAT IS AMAZINGLY STUPID AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT. BUT NOT US," and stomped home, family in tow.

Call me a priss, but I won't touch fireworks myself (salad tongs and a butane lighter, no kidding), much less give a sugar-addled six-year-old a spinning firework to throw (or not). Last summer, Denise shared some scary statistics about fireworks. Today LizzieH looks back at her own family fireworks and how times have changed. Keepingkidssafe has some tips that I may just print and nail to my neighbor's door -- along with the news that the California Coast is aflame in the worst fire season in years.

So - am I overreacting? Have you seen any random acts of Fourth of July enthusiasm that deserve a Darwin Award?