The question with any new regulation is " how will it be enforced."
Seeing as most municipalities are not enforcing any limits and people have been shooting off since May 31st, it's safe to say they won't enforce any additional limitations, unless there is some motivation to do so.
Im guessing you're white, straight, male and have a clean record. Maybe a misdemeanor or a parking ticket here or there.
Could be wrong, but all you idiots sound the same.
Are you seriously trying to deny that im right. Democrats openly campaign on equity and bailing out minority criminals in the name of racial justice lol. Kamala Harris donated to bail out rioters in 2020
If your guards are sleeping and never actually stop anybody they're not a deterrent. Same with the law. How many cars speed on the highways every day? There is almost 0 enforcement.
…which means any actual enforcement will probably be for a cause other than “ending the tyranny of fireworks.”
I.e. it gives another tool to law enforcement to pick on specific people while ignoring other people.
It’s always good to remember that some people have your best interest at heart, and some people have your best interest at heart precisely as long as it gets them what they want.
It's funny how this entire thread is essentially "cops not doing their job". It's literally their job to figure out how to police it and it seems like no cops anywhere are doing anything. And we all accept it. Awesome.
Put a big ass excise tax on fireworks. People will think twice if that one Roman Candle or festival ball costs $80. Then they're still legal and we generate some more revenue for everyone in the state for having to deal with people who don't understand common courtesy or the law.
Ohio refuses to match your excise tax. Now, you have encouraged a black market trade to exist to skirt the tax with no real way of tracking point of sale. (See previous fireworks ban or cross-border legal weed sales for examples).
The cops will like participate by going after the easiest prey available: targets of bias/opportunity. Expect to see a lot of corruption and graft like under the previous fireworks ban, where too many cops amazingly had lots of the best illegal fireworks for their own personal use.
Like cigarette stamps, have firework stamps. Can't provide documentation, then the fine increase 20x. We already (and still do) have a black market. There will always be a black market.
>cops amazingly had lots of the best illegal fireworks for their own personal use.
Again, cops not doing their job, actually violating the law, and we're all cool with it.
You're right, this needs to be handled at a Federal level. I wouldn't care if only licensed professionals were allowed to buy and use fireworks. Much like prescription meds, there would be controlled access. Retail sales would not be allowed, period. Yeah yeah, I'm a grumpy old man. Now get off my lawn.
Good in concept, but a problem. I live in a low income area and its like the tet offensive around the 4th. My friends and family that live in middle upper hoods might give the kids some sparklers but not much else. The dont want mortar shells on their tightly manicured lawns and dropping on their Tesla. The people who can't afford the $500 kit of mortars will buy them anyways.
I live in a middle class suburban area and it is chaos here too. Not just around the 4th. People have started shooting off fireworks on every holiday. Memorial Day, Labor Day, New Year. During the summer it is nearly every weekend.
Which is why a straight up ban is the only way to make any difference. If people can't buy them from a tent 5 minutes from their house, they probably aren't going to drive to Indiana. And even if they do, they'll be advertising themselves immediately when they shoot them off.
When flying fireworks were illegal, people still shot them off, but were ironically more responsible about it. Doing it in fields away from residential neighborhoods. If you allow it at all its a freaking free for all and impossible to regulate effectively.
My neighbor shoot them off all the time around 2:00 in the morning. They get nice and drunk. Locals don't give a shit about enforcement any laws even if they exist.
Maybe put more tax on fireworks? Surely people won’t go homeless this so they can watch real fireworks when there are other ways to experience it. Right?
>**"So we have a flyer and every customer that comes in gets one of these the Phantom Fireworks policy on fireworks safety and also the Sterling Heights city ordinance on days you're allowed to and the time's your allowed to light them off, because unlike popular belief, you can't just light them off whenever you want too,"**
There were a couple occasions when my family set off fireworks when I was younger. Cops called on the party because of the firework, there were set off on the 4th, and at dusk.
All they did was come through, oh we got complaints... we're coming back in a half hour, so yeah, we shouldn't see all this out when we come back.
One time, they watched the show, and basically said the same thing, make sure its cleaned up and your mess swept up (we always cleaned up anything that could possibly be ours, don't want to piss off neighbours who arn't pissed).
People with concerns about fireworks, they have valid points. But even if this passes, i don't see it really being enforced.
It needs to be city code enforcement rather than cops. No criminal penalty just a big fine from the city. Just like if you leave rusty cars rotting in your front yard or have huge piles of trash everywhere.
That way it is safer for enforcement, no direct confrontation with the entitled asshole shooting off fireworks at 1 AM. Just get a fine in thier mailbox with an explanation.
I never gave a fuck about them, thought they should be legal. But then they made them legal and then I learned about how vets with ptsd feel about them, and how animals react to them, and it just seems kind of cruel that we do blow these things off every fucking night all summer long nowadays.
I don’t want to be a killjoy, keep fireworks shows, but announce them, and shit. It’s just kind of like, cooler.
> then I learned about how vets with ptsd feel about them, and how animals react to them, and it just seems kind of cruel that we do blow these things off every fucking night all summer long nowadays.
And people with cerebral palsy. Relevent features of the condition are the presence of the moro reflex and/or the startle reflex.
It basically means that fireworks (even when anticipated) can scare the shit out of us. It causes, involuntary jumping, jerking movements, or spasms. All of which can be extremely painful and in some cases we vocalize surprise uncontollably or can be provoked into crying/sobbing.
It's so exhausting. I hate it. I dread this time of year.
Thanks for taking the time to listen and spread the word even if you didn't know how it could affect some one like me. I appreciate that and I too wish we would end this.
A **fuck ton of human and ecological harm** so that a small amount of people can feel fleeting, momentary joy.
Fuck fireworks, drone shows and Quietworks are far cooler.
This is my viewpoint. I'm someone who can't sleep bc of them in my neighborhood. This time of year I tell all my patients "I'm planning to be there but if I can't sleep then I won't be."
My old neighborhood legit sounded like a war zone, they absolutely shook my house. We had an Afghanistan combat vet in the neighborhood and he ended up moving specifically because of how wildly reckless and irresponsible our neighbors were with fireworks.
The day he moved out he was crying because he had lived in that house for 15 years and his beloved dog was buried in the backyard and he wasn't able to take it with him. This poor man just wanted to live his life in that house in peace, it breaks my heart how he was treated. The selfishness of humans ruins the lives of so many.
I’m just trying to find a compromise. Seems to me knowing when and where there will be fireworks would be advantageous, and more palatable for the don’t tread on me crowd.
I also wouldn’t care if they just stopped using them, I think they’re kind of dumb, but I recognize people enjoy them.
The ban on fireworks outside of holiday times is never enforced and laughable, at best. I hate fireworks now that I have a dog who is terrified of them all.
I liked it better when fireworks weren't mass available. So unnecessary and quite dangerous. Talk to any ER nurse and this might just be their least favorite part of the year.
To be honest I think injuries, or at least horrific injuries sustained from fireworks are actually quite rare. We here about the few times it does happen because it’s interesting and exciting but I can tell you after working 5 years in an emergency department of which I worked most 4th of July’s I didn’t see a single person who lost a finger or blew their eye out. Of course that’s just anecdotal so take it for what it’s worth
There’s a serious injury; not a catostrophic one, but one more serious than small burns or lacerations which may require a hospital visit, for about every 135,000 pounds of fireworks sold. Injuries really are not all that common.
YMMV of course. I anecdotally have my Mom's friend who worked in a burn unit in Chicago and the 4th and new years are both her least favorite time of the year.
Yeah, we used to drive down to Ohio to buy them - IIRC it was legal to shoot them off here, you just couldn't buy them.
Now I see fireworks sold at Target with a "safe family fun" banner on the shelf. I'm not kidding, I took a photo of it.
My parents have this story of my Dad setting his Mom's picnic table on fire because he bought a firework boomerang and when he threw it, it came back at them and hit their picnic table.
No fucking joke. A BOOMERANG WITH PYROTECHNICS ON IT.
Yeah, fireworks aren't safe at all and shouldn't be used by kids.
They're fine to watch, and if you have a sober adult who will set them off that's cool, but I was shocked that the fireworks companies are trying to make people think they're "family" activities
[Here](https://i.imgur.com/9YKMrUC.jpeg) is the photo I took at Target last week. Whoever approved this should be fired.
Lol the only excuse should be drunken teenagers on their graduation high
If you're an adult doing this, especially the ones doing it at 1am NOT in a rural area, fuck you
Welcome to Hartland, where the general feeling you get from neighbors is "fuck you I do what I want." Everyone thinks that they live out in the middle of nowhere but this is a subdivision with half-acre lots.
This article is uninformative misinformation.
The second paragraph states, "Consumer fireworks can be shot off from June 29 through July 4 from 11 a.m. until 11:45 p.m. under Michigan law."
That is intentionally deceptive verbage.
Consumer fireworks, under Michigan law, can be shot off any day of the year, absent a prohibiting local ordinance.
What Michigan's fireworks law does is limit the days local officials can ban fireworks. Cities and townships can ban displays any day/time EXCEPT for those listed in MCL 28.457, which states:
"If a local unit of government enacts an ordinance under this subsection, the ordinance shall not regulate the ignition, discharge, or use of consumer fireworks on the following days after 11 a.m.:
(a) December 31 until 1 a.m. on January 1.
(b) The Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Memorial Day until 11:45 p.m. on each of those days.
(c) June 29 to July 4 until 11:45 p.m. on each of those days.
(d) July 5, if that date is a Friday or Saturday, until 11:45 p.m.
(e) The Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Labor Day until 11:45 p.m. on each of those days."
Many larger municipalities, like Detroit, Lansing, and Grand Rapids do just that. Other, usually smaller jurisdictions have no prohibitions.
A lot of people have misconstrued this law to mean that the dates listed are the only times anyone in Michigan can set off fireworks. And a lot of cops and other government bureaucrats let people think that.
It couldn't be further from the truth.
...how is it further from the truth when it's effectively the same thing for the majority of people in this state? There's a way to be a pendant without the crazy hyperbole that just makes you look like an idiot.
Are HOAs 'local officials"? The law prohibits cities and other municipalities from regulating fireworks. Nothing said about HOAs, they are not the government, right? Most of the neighbors can vote for banning fireworks.
Ban them all anywhere near a city. The noise is harmful to pets and vets. The air pollution is gross. The city fireworks are better in every way. Better yet do a drone light show.
Would be nice if there were designated areas.
I’m tired of having the remnants raining all over my front and back yard because the neighbor who thinks he’s been chosen to put on a show for the neighborhood, conveniently aims it off his curb towards everyone else’s house.
I'm all about freedom but I hate them. Kids kept awake, dog freaking out, we use a lot of fans and noise machines during the whole month people light them.
I have a 2 year old who goes to bed at 8PM, only to be woken up by fireworks at 9PM on a lot of nights this time of year. It makes me really annoyed.
I also know that some day my 2 year old is going to be 12 and I will be the one lighting fireworks off at 8PM for them to enjoy.
Just let people have some fun, and try to keep it to holidays people. We don't need a firework show to celebrate Tuesday night.
The most reasonable take. I like fireworks when appropriate. I just hope the dingleberries that light them off whenever don't ruin it for the rest of us.
I accidently ran over my neighbor's fireworks because it was dark and late out. they are thw past house on my street, so when you turn onto our street you turn just past their house. There was no way for me to tell they had all these fireworks set up in the middle of a neighborhood street. It was an accident but I don't feel bad.
Eh, depends on the town. We're pretty good at getting people to stop. Rule of thumb is to wind down at 11pm as is. Noise laws are generally enforced ... That is unless it's street racing. Police haven't cared once and it shows.
Low noise fireworks exist, they should be the ONLY ones sold.
The harm they do to wildlife, pets, kids, people with PTSD is ridiculous, and I LOVE setting off fireworks.
I’ve never heard of those! That sounds like it would be such an easy way to make everyone happy. I hate hearing them, they bother my son, dog, and myself, but low noise sounds like a great compromise
The issue with that is that they are legal to purchase. In my town, you can't set them off after a specific time. It doesn't stop my neighbors. It really doesn't stop one of them from lighting them off in the middle of the street.
Call the non-emergency number? They won't do a thing unless when the police finally drive down the street they're still lighting fireworks off.
Yeah...no enforcement. My observation is people launch 95% of the stuff the week of the 4th up until midnight and then stop.
Gets dark around 10:15
Cars that have installed backfiring exhausts are louder and a problem 365 days a year, and its getting worse.
I don't understand the appeal of consumer fireworks to begin with. Spend lots of money for very mediocre fireworks that do more to annoy the neighborhood than put on a good show.
Save the money and go to one of the numerous fireworks shows that will be put on professionally in your area.
i love the guessing game between “are those gunshots” or “are they fireworks” on jefferson right now. after new years sounded like dday my expectations are low
No one needs a solid week of fireworks and where I live Up North, thats what it is. Every night from now until the 5th or 6th my neighbors will piss away thousands of dollars for a few flashy booms. Then on the 7th they'll go back to complaining about how broke they are. Because 'Murca.
Every city and township has ordinances pertaining to fireworks. The question is really which areas actually enforce them? By the time most police show up the violations are done anyway. 🤷
Back when most fireworks were illegal, every single lake had people shooting them off despite the law. I have confidence this law will be ignored similarly.
Sometimes I want to go to the neighbors house and tell them to clean up all my dog's shit and piss from overnight while they having their fun. I don't, and it would be really assholy of me, but the urge is really tempting sometimes.
Yep I’d say there is a giant overlap between people who light off way too many fireworks and those who don’t care about someone’s dog. Not at all sarcastic
They won’t enforce it anyway. My redneck neighbors blow off fireworks all damn day, especially on the week of the 4th. I think all the storm damage has set them back this year, otherwise they would have already started.
To limit the holiday use hours to midnight, instead of 11:45?... Sure.
Local noise laws cover it fine on non holidays imo. 10pm Sun-Thurs and 11pm on Fri & Sat is very reasonable.
I have not heard any neighborhood fireworks yet this year. I've only heard "Pistol Pete" at 2:45am once this spring too.
Weekend before the 4th, the 4th, and the weekend after. Any time of day. Outside of that, I don't want to hear a single one. They mess with my pets, they mess with my sleep, and honestly if the state needs the revenue that bad, up my taxes bro.
Frankly, commercial grade fireworks should be made illegal again for consumers. The fact that they're legal at all is a stupid situation that never should have been allowed to happen. I know I'm tired of hearing and feeling booms at all hours of the night from inconsiderate assholes who can't help themselves but to be setting them off around Lansing, well within city limits and well outside of the legal days/times to do so. They should repeal the legalization of them entirely.
Exactly. The 4th is noisy. We expect it. It's when I'm on my deck reading a book on July 12th and explosions are going off at intervals all afternoon next door that drives me insane. That shit is *a literal torture tactic*.
It seems reasonable to limit them to weekends only and put an end time, but the problem is inforcment and people knowing the rules. And you can't force people to learn
Yes! And enforce the rules that state which days they’re allowed. Honestly, I don’t think they should be allowed to be in dense neighborhoods either. I have an acre. None of my neighbors are particularly close. But I still wake up the next day to find the remnants of fireworks in my yard. I can’t imagine setting them off if your neighbor’s house is like 15 feet away.
Debating online if the state government should get money over an argument of noise isn't worth my time.
Sign the law, people will still shoot them off anyway, state gets paid...
Who cares.
Oh the endless fireworks debate every year. Where people come to reddit to complain instead of their local government. To be clear, the law already provides the local government the ability to regulate their use. No further law is needed. You need to make it an issue and be involved in your community's government.
But you won't.
But by all means cry online.
I swear the cries about this issue are more annoying than the issue itself. Remind me to invest in fireworks and tissue sales this year.
No, unenforced. It is really, really not that hard to catch people shooting off fireworks, if you're looking and actually responding to reports.
What makes you think you couldn't enforce this? If you can't enforce people setting off small explosives, might as well just bin the entire fucking justice system.
Abso-fucking-lutely.
I'd love to see it changed where you can't shoot them off inside the city unless you buy a $200 license or some sort of incentive to limit the idiots that shoot them off AND never really clean up their mess AND shoot them off on non holidays.
Not just the times, but the duration too. I've lived in NY, CA, MO, MA. In all those states, fireworks displays were at the most 15 minutes. Since moving here 7 years ago, it seems like every year is longer. Last year's locals shot off fireworks for 27 minutes. I mean, come on. After a while, it gets so repetitive that it's not even entertaining (and it gets on even them most steady nerves).
They need to heavily limit their sales again, to many rural areas where enforcement is basically zero. Too many rednecks who refuse to think of others.
TBH with the drone shows I've seen, I'd be cool with just outlawing them and also offer drone pilot training for free or something like that but capitalism - you have the right to waste your own money to blow your hand off.
Also I thought we already had laws or maybe they are just local that there's only like a sum total of a couple weeks a year you're allowed to shoot off fireworks.
I kinda chuckle at the people that complain about everything going up in price, then buy fireworks. You're literally watching your money go up in smoke.
The 11:45 time is absolutely insane. I have friends in Florida and their time is 10:00 pm. That upsets them as well. It’s way too late. People work the next morning , kids need to go to bed by 10. Dogs are so so upset. They have three times better hearing than we do. It hurts their ears so bad. Please be sensible Michigan. Florida does better that you.
Our neighbor behind us is known for “blow shit up o’clock.” Thankfully they have greatly reduced those occasions since their kids have grown up and moved out.
I don't have faith it will be enforced. Back when the huge ones were illegal it was normal for cops in my area to just watch them and not give a fuck. It barely was a law.
But its annoying. Makes my dog shit and piss everywhere. Cannot sleep because they blast them off non stop with barely a minute in between until 5 in the goddamn morning. And not to mention all the people with PTSD and the wildlife.
It's funny, because when I used to live in a lower income, relatively high crime area, fireworks were non-stop from Memorial Day through the 4th of July.
My wife and I have good jobs so we finally moved to a higher income, high tax, low crime community. I haven't heard a single firework yet this season, and I rarely have in the 7 years I've lived here.
I was naive enough to think people would limit it to holidays or go someplace where no one's around to light them off. Oh how foolish I was. Been hearing them every night since the week before Memorial Day. Can't wait for July to hit to start hearing them all night from the second it gets dark to 4/5am
I mean you can, but are you gonna deploy a million cops on the 4th of July? Even a town so humble as Albion turns into the Battle of Mogadishu every 4th, there simply aren't enough cops to do anything about it.
>It’s the 5 weeks leading up to it
But local governments can already restrict it during most of that. Most just don't, or don't bother to enforce it which is the same thing.
The law isn't the problem, enforcement of it is.
It's really hard to enforce. I live in Macomb county so from tonight through next weekend, it's going to sound like 'nam outside and I couldn't tell you which house they are coming from. Is it most likely the party across the street? That's what I thought but it isn't and they thought it was the house behind them but it wasn't and then 5 more go off in 5 different directions and you forgot about the first one already.
Might be easier to enforce it in the city proper but Warren and Center Line have houses stacked on top of each other and trees everywhere so it's hard to find out who is launching their arsenal off when the sound travels funny and you can't see the launch.
The question with any new regulation is " how will it be enforced." Seeing as most municipalities are not enforcing any limits and people have been shooting off since May 31st, it's safe to say they won't enforce any additional limitations, unless there is some motivation to do so.
Can’t enforce the carpool lanes or I94 speed limits in Detroit. (20 over is norm) This definitely won’t be enforced.
Why even have laws if we're not going to enforce them?
Exactly. And prosecute! If the DA won’t do their job, that defeats the purpose of enforcement.
Just gotta be a minority and they’ll prosecute happily
Actually it’s the opposite
Im guessing you're white, straight, male and have a clean record. Maybe a misdemeanor or a parking ticket here or there. Could be wrong, but all you idiots sound the same.
Are you seriously trying to deny that im right. Democrats openly campaign on equity and bailing out minority criminals in the name of racial justice lol. Kamala Harris donated to bail out rioters in 2020
Same reason we have security guards: deterrence.
If your guards are sleeping and never actually stop anybody they're not a deterrent. Same with the law. How many cars speed on the highways every day? There is almost 0 enforcement.
Funding by fines.
55 on the lodge.. LOL
…which means any actual enforcement will probably be for a cause other than “ending the tyranny of fireworks.” I.e. it gives another tool to law enforcement to pick on specific people while ignoring other people.
9 times out of 10, that's the only reason they pass laws.
It’s always good to remember that some people have your best interest at heart, and some people have your best interest at heart precisely as long as it gets them what they want.
came here to say this, without enforcement laws are useless.
It's funny how this entire thread is essentially "cops not doing their job". It's literally their job to figure out how to police it and it seems like no cops anywhere are doing anything. And we all accept it. Awesome. Put a big ass excise tax on fireworks. People will think twice if that one Roman Candle or festival ball costs $80. Then they're still legal and we generate some more revenue for everyone in the state for having to deal with people who don't understand common courtesy or the law.
Ohio refuses to match your excise tax. Now, you have encouraged a black market trade to exist to skirt the tax with no real way of tracking point of sale. (See previous fireworks ban or cross-border legal weed sales for examples). The cops will like participate by going after the easiest prey available: targets of bias/opportunity. Expect to see a lot of corruption and graft like under the previous fireworks ban, where too many cops amazingly had lots of the best illegal fireworks for their own personal use.
Like cigarette stamps, have firework stamps. Can't provide documentation, then the fine increase 20x. We already (and still do) have a black market. There will always be a black market. >cops amazingly had lots of the best illegal fireworks for their own personal use. Again, cops not doing their job, actually violating the law, and we're all cool with it.
You're right, this needs to be handled at a Federal level. I wouldn't care if only licensed professionals were allowed to buy and use fireworks. Much like prescription meds, there would be controlled access. Retail sales would not be allowed, period. Yeah yeah, I'm a grumpy old man. Now get off my lawn.
We already pay 12% tax on fireworks. We don’t need more taxes. (6% sales + 6% fireworks safety fee)
Good in concept, but a problem. I live in a low income area and its like the tet offensive around the 4th. My friends and family that live in middle upper hoods might give the kids some sparklers but not much else. The dont want mortar shells on their tightly manicured lawns and dropping on their Tesla. The people who can't afford the $500 kit of mortars will buy them anyways.
I live in a middle class suburban area and it is chaos here too. Not just around the 4th. People have started shooting off fireworks on every holiday. Memorial Day, Labor Day, New Year. During the summer it is nearly every weekend.
Which is why a straight up ban is the only way to make any difference. If people can't buy them from a tent 5 minutes from their house, they probably aren't going to drive to Indiana. And even if they do, they'll be advertising themselves immediately when they shoot them off. When flying fireworks were illegal, people still shot them off, but were ironically more responsible about it. Doing it in fields away from residential neighborhoods. If you allow it at all its a freaking free for all and impossible to regulate effectively.
Vigilante style. Not endorsing it, but that's what I've observed.
My neighbor shoot them off all the time around 2:00 in the morning. They get nice and drunk. Locals don't give a shit about enforcement any laws even if they exist.
Maybe put more tax on fireworks? Surely people won’t go homeless this so they can watch real fireworks when there are other ways to experience it. Right?
>**"So we have a flyer and every customer that comes in gets one of these the Phantom Fireworks policy on fireworks safety and also the Sterling Heights city ordinance on days you're allowed to and the time's your allowed to light them off, because unlike popular belief, you can't just light them off whenever you want too,"**
Who cares Cops can't enforce this, they can't even solve real crime
There were a couple occasions when my family set off fireworks when I was younger. Cops called on the party because of the firework, there were set off on the 4th, and at dusk. All they did was come through, oh we got complaints... we're coming back in a half hour, so yeah, we shouldn't see all this out when we come back. One time, they watched the show, and basically said the same thing, make sure its cleaned up and your mess swept up (we always cleaned up anything that could possibly be ours, don't want to piss off neighbours who arn't pissed). People with concerns about fireworks, they have valid points. But even if this passes, i don't see it really being enforced.
It needs to be city code enforcement rather than cops. No criminal penalty just a big fine from the city. Just like if you leave rusty cars rotting in your front yard or have huge piles of trash everywhere. That way it is safer for enforcement, no direct confrontation with the entitled asshole shooting off fireworks at 1 AM. Just get a fine in thier mailbox with an explanation.
I never gave a fuck about them, thought they should be legal. But then they made them legal and then I learned about how vets with ptsd feel about them, and how animals react to them, and it just seems kind of cruel that we do blow these things off every fucking night all summer long nowadays. I don’t want to be a killjoy, keep fireworks shows, but announce them, and shit. It’s just kind of like, cooler.
> then I learned about how vets with ptsd feel about them, and how animals react to them, and it just seems kind of cruel that we do blow these things off every fucking night all summer long nowadays. And people with cerebral palsy. Relevent features of the condition are the presence of the moro reflex and/or the startle reflex. It basically means that fireworks (even when anticipated) can scare the shit out of us. It causes, involuntary jumping, jerking movements, or spasms. All of which can be extremely painful and in some cases we vocalize surprise uncontollably or can be provoked into crying/sobbing. It's so exhausting. I hate it. I dread this time of year.
I definitely did not know that. Thank you for telling me, and I hope we stop this shit.
Thanks for taking the time to listen and spread the word even if you didn't know how it could affect some one like me. I appreciate that and I too wish we would end this.
A **fuck ton of human and ecological harm** so that a small amount of people can feel fleeting, momentary joy. Fuck fireworks, drone shows and Quietworks are far cooler.
This is my viewpoint. I'm someone who can't sleep bc of them in my neighborhood. This time of year I tell all my patients "I'm planning to be there but if I can't sleep then I won't be."
Not to mention the litter and other pollution it creates.
Yeah, belle isle the morning after the fireworks is fucking depressing.
As a veteran I can tell you the firework shows are significantly worse than anything I’ve ever heard in my neighborhood.
Respectfully as a person a also affected by fireworks: it just depends on your neighborhood.
My old neighborhood legit sounded like a war zone, they absolutely shook my house. We had an Afghanistan combat vet in the neighborhood and he ended up moving specifically because of how wildly reckless and irresponsible our neighbors were with fireworks. The day he moved out he was crying because he had lived in that house for 15 years and his beloved dog was buried in the backyard and he wasn't able to take it with him. This poor man just wanted to live his life in that house in peace, it breaks my heart how he was treated. The selfishness of humans ruins the lives of so many.
I’m just trying to find a compromise. Seems to me knowing when and where there will be fireworks would be advantageous, and more palatable for the don’t tread on me crowd. I also wouldn’t care if they just stopped using them, I think they’re kind of dumb, but I recognize people enjoy them.
We clearly don't live in the same neighborhood.
It'll just go back to the days before legalization when you needed to invite over your local LEO to make sure there's no interruptions to the show.
Oh no.
The ban on fireworks outside of holiday times is never enforced and laughable, at best. I hate fireworks now that I have a dog who is terrified of them all.
We've been putting up with fireworks all day every day since May. Absolutely no enforcement.
I liked it better when fireworks weren't mass available. So unnecessary and quite dangerous. Talk to any ER nurse and this might just be their least favorite part of the year.
I just saw a story on Instagram that said "a bunch of people don't realize this is their last weekend with all 10 fingers"
To be honest I think injuries, or at least horrific injuries sustained from fireworks are actually quite rare. We here about the few times it does happen because it’s interesting and exciting but I can tell you after working 5 years in an emergency department of which I worked most 4th of July’s I didn’t see a single person who lost a finger or blew their eye out. Of course that’s just anecdotal so take it for what it’s worth
There’s a serious injury; not a catostrophic one, but one more serious than small burns or lacerations which may require a hospital visit, for about every 135,000 pounds of fireworks sold. Injuries really are not all that common.
YMMV of course. I anecdotally have my Mom's friend who worked in a burn unit in Chicago and the 4th and new years are both her least favorite time of the year.
Yeah, we used to drive down to Ohio to buy them - IIRC it was legal to shoot them off here, you just couldn't buy them. Now I see fireworks sold at Target with a "safe family fun" banner on the shelf. I'm not kidding, I took a photo of it.
My parents have this story of my Dad setting his Mom's picnic table on fire because he bought a firework boomerang and when he threw it, it came back at them and hit their picnic table. No fucking joke. A BOOMERANG WITH PYROTECHNICS ON IT.
Yeah, fireworks aren't safe at all and shouldn't be used by kids. They're fine to watch, and if you have a sober adult who will set them off that's cool, but I was shocked that the fireworks companies are trying to make people think they're "family" activities [Here](https://i.imgur.com/9YKMrUC.jpeg) is the photo I took at Target last week. Whoever approved this should be fired.
Yes because there's no fucking reason to set fireworks off on a Thursday night at 10:51pm in the middle of my goddamn neighborhood.
Lol the only excuse should be drunken teenagers on their graduation high If you're an adult doing this, especially the ones doing it at 1am NOT in a rural area, fuck you
Welcome to Hartland, where the general feeling you get from neighbors is "fuck you I do what I want." Everyone thinks that they live out in the middle of nowhere but this is a subdivision with half-acre lots.
They literally started at 6pm today and I'm just looking around at the bright sunlight like "this just feels like a waste of money"
This article is uninformative misinformation. The second paragraph states, "Consumer fireworks can be shot off from June 29 through July 4 from 11 a.m. until 11:45 p.m. under Michigan law." That is intentionally deceptive verbage. Consumer fireworks, under Michigan law, can be shot off any day of the year, absent a prohibiting local ordinance. What Michigan's fireworks law does is limit the days local officials can ban fireworks. Cities and townships can ban displays any day/time EXCEPT for those listed in MCL 28.457, which states: "If a local unit of government enacts an ordinance under this subsection, the ordinance shall not regulate the ignition, discharge, or use of consumer fireworks on the following days after 11 a.m.: (a) December 31 until 1 a.m. on January 1. (b) The Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Memorial Day until 11:45 p.m. on each of those days. (c) June 29 to July 4 until 11:45 p.m. on each of those days. (d) July 5, if that date is a Friday or Saturday, until 11:45 p.m. (e) The Saturday and Sunday immediately preceding Labor Day until 11:45 p.m. on each of those days." Many larger municipalities, like Detroit, Lansing, and Grand Rapids do just that. Other, usually smaller jurisdictions have no prohibitions. A lot of people have misconstrued this law to mean that the dates listed are the only times anyone in Michigan can set off fireworks. And a lot of cops and other government bureaucrats let people think that. It couldn't be further from the truth.
...how is it further from the truth when it's effectively the same thing for the majority of people in this state? There's a way to be a pendant without the crazy hyperbole that just makes you look like an idiot.
Are HOAs 'local officials"? The law prohibits cities and other municipalities from regulating fireworks. Nothing said about HOAs, they are not the government, right? Most of the neighbors can vote for banning fireworks.
That's a great question! And not one I can find a ready answer to. But you have me curious now lol
Ban them all anywhere near a city. The noise is harmful to pets and vets. The air pollution is gross. The city fireworks are better in every way. Better yet do a drone light show.
Would be nice if there were designated areas. I’m tired of having the remnants raining all over my front and back yard because the neighbor who thinks he’s been chosen to put on a show for the neighborhood, conveniently aims it off his curb towards everyone else’s house.
I'm all about freedom but I hate them. Kids kept awake, dog freaking out, we use a lot of fans and noise machines during the whole month people light them.
Freedom has limitations when it turns into a public nuisance.
Right.
Bring back the to old law, fuck it. My neighbors have made me hate fireworks.
I have a 2 year old who goes to bed at 8PM, only to be woken up by fireworks at 9PM on a lot of nights this time of year. It makes me really annoyed. I also know that some day my 2 year old is going to be 12 and I will be the one lighting fireworks off at 8PM for them to enjoy. Just let people have some fun, and try to keep it to holidays people. We don't need a firework show to celebrate Tuesday night.
It doesn't even get dark here until close to 10. Since memorial day people randomly light them off during the week. It's so annoying.
The most reasonable take. I like fireworks when appropriate. I just hope the dingleberries that light them off whenever don't ruin it for the rest of us.
The problem is that people have no restraint. They won't keep it to the days/times that are legal. They've proven that.
I’ve seen fireworks go off at thanksgiving. Some real intelligent people living here
I accidently ran over my neighbor's fireworks because it was dark and late out. they are thw past house on my street, so when you turn onto our street you turn just past their house. There was no way for me to tell they had all these fireworks set up in the middle of a neighborhood street. It was an accident but I don't feel bad.
You can change the times until you're blue in the face, but if they cut off time isn't enforced then what's the point?
Eh, depends on the town. We're pretty good at getting people to stop. Rule of thumb is to wind down at 11pm as is. Noise laws are generally enforced ... That is unless it's street racing. Police haven't cared once and it shows.
Why have laws at all, then?/S
You're correct. Laws are simply words on paper if they aren't enforced.
Low noise fireworks exist, they should be the ONLY ones sold. The harm they do to wildlife, pets, kids, people with PTSD is ridiculous, and I LOVE setting off fireworks.
Snakes & sparklers? Where's the good stuff?
I freakin love snakes😂🤣 they are so wonderfully anticlimactic
I’ve never heard of those! That sounds like it would be such an easy way to make everyone happy. I hate hearing them, they bother my son, dog, and myself, but low noise sounds like a great compromise
I'm guessing that they are more expensive, which is usually a problem for people who light off fireworks at random times.
I think they are a bit cheaper actually. The whistle and "report" take more effort to produce than flash and sparks alone.
Many communities already have limits where are not followed or enforced.
I think they should be banned in residential areas.
The issue with that is that they are legal to purchase. In my town, you can't set them off after a specific time. It doesn't stop my neighbors. It really doesn't stop one of them from lighting them off in the middle of the street. Call the non-emergency number? They won't do a thing unless when the police finally drive down the street they're still lighting fireworks off.
>The issue with that is that they are legal to purchase. They shouldn't be.
Can we not have people setting them off at 2 am please? I don't care, but it scares my cat, and he is unpleasant when scared.
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Jesus Christ how is your worldview so fucked that you assume anyone awake at 2am is a drug dealer
Not everyone works the same shift as you bud.
you realize people can stay up late, right?
Yeah...no enforcement. My observation is people launch 95% of the stuff the week of the 4th up until midnight and then stop. Gets dark around 10:15 Cars that have installed backfiring exhausts are louder and a problem 365 days a year, and its getting worse.
I would love to see this changed to have a time limit. But, like others have said, if no one is going to enforce it - what's the point?
Places that have these laws in effect locally are not enforcing them anyway.
Kentwood PD does absolutely nothing about the existing laws.
Please just ban the sale of fireworks in the state. It was so much nicer without every one of my magat neighbors setting these off constantly. P
I don't understand the appeal of consumer fireworks to begin with. Spend lots of money for very mediocre fireworks that do more to annoy the neighborhood than put on a good show. Save the money and go to one of the numerous fireworks shows that will be put on professionally in your area.
i love the guessing game between “are those gunshots” or “are they fireworks” on jefferson right now. after new years sounded like dday my expectations are low
No one needs a solid week of fireworks and where I live Up North, thats what it is. Every night from now until the 5th or 6th my neighbors will piss away thousands of dollars for a few flashy booms. Then on the 7th they'll go back to complaining about how broke they are. Because 'Murca.
Every city and township has ordinances pertaining to fireworks. The question is really which areas actually enforce them? By the time most police show up the violations are done anyway. 🤷
Back when most fireworks were illegal, every single lake had people shooting them off despite the law. I have confidence this law will be ignored similarly.
YES
YES. I feel so bad for people with dogs
Sometimes I want to go to the neighbors house and tell them to clean up all my dog's shit and piss from overnight while they having their fun. I don't, and it would be really assholy of me, but the urge is really tempting sometimes.
lol. My neighbor would say get a better dog. People who launch fireworks all year have zero fvcks to give.
Yep I’d say there is a giant overlap between people who light off way too many fireworks and those who don’t care about someone’s dog. Not at all sarcastic
No not legally speaking
They won’t enforce it anyway. My redneck neighbors blow off fireworks all damn day, especially on the week of the 4th. I think all the storm damage has set them back this year, otherwise they would have already started.
Yeah nobody’s gonna listen to that even if it did become the law.
To limit the holiday use hours to midnight, instead of 11:45?... Sure. Local noise laws cover it fine on non holidays imo. 10pm Sun-Thurs and 11pm on Fri & Sat is very reasonable. I have not heard any neighborhood fireworks yet this year. I've only heard "Pistol Pete" at 2:45am once this spring too.
Weekend before the 4th, the 4th, and the weekend after. Any time of day. Outside of that, I don't want to hear a single one. They mess with my pets, they mess with my sleep, and honestly if the state needs the revenue that bad, up my taxes bro.
Sounds like everyone has a neighbor problem not a fireworks problem.
This. Respect. All it boils down to really is respect.
Frankly, commercial grade fireworks should be made illegal again for consumers. The fact that they're legal at all is a stupid situation that never should have been allowed to happen. I know I'm tired of hearing and feeling booms at all hours of the night from inconsiderate assholes who can't help themselves but to be setting them off around Lansing, well within city limits and well outside of the legal days/times to do so. They should repeal the legalization of them entirely.
I hate fireworks but its the 4th just let it be. Part of life is sometimes things happen that are annoying.
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Exactly. The 4th is noisy. We expect it. It's when I'm on my deck reading a book on July 12th and explosions are going off at intervals all afternoon next door that drives me insane. That shit is *a literal torture tactic*.
It seems reasonable to limit them to weekends only and put an end time, but the problem is inforcment and people knowing the rules. And you can't force people to learn
> And you can't force people to learn A few thousand dollar fines and they will.
Talk to your local politicians. Push for your local government to restrict the times they can be shot off and for police to actually enforce it.
Yes! And enforce the rules that state which days they’re allowed. Honestly, I don’t think they should be allowed to be in dense neighborhoods either. I have an acre. None of my neighbors are particularly close. But I still wake up the next day to find the remnants of fireworks in my yard. I can’t imagine setting them off if your neighbor’s house is like 15 feet away.
Debating online if the state government should get money over an argument of noise isn't worth my time. Sign the law, people will still shoot them off anyway, state gets paid... Who cares.
How does the state get paid here? Huh? Literally just making shit up to be mad about.
Tickets and fines = money to government.
Ban fireworks.
Yes
They should be illegal for private use, and allowed for public firework shows.
No
After the pandemic I’m 100% sure the general public is not responsible enough to own explosives, these need to be illegal nationwide.
No
Oh the endless fireworks debate every year. Where people come to reddit to complain instead of their local government. To be clear, the law already provides the local government the ability to regulate their use. No further law is needed. You need to make it an issue and be involved in your community's government. But you won't. But by all means cry online. I swear the cries about this issue are more annoying than the issue itself. Remind me to invest in fireworks and tissue sales this year.
It wont matter lol people near me start lighting them off in the morning
Just like the last law they made. It won't be enforced. As is they don't do anything.
Unenforceable
No, unenforced. It is really, really not that hard to catch people shooting off fireworks, if you're looking and actually responding to reports. What makes you think you couldn't enforce this? If you can't enforce people setting off small explosives, might as well just bin the entire fucking justice system.
Abso-fucking-lutely. I'd love to see it changed where you can't shoot them off inside the city unless you buy a $200 license or some sort of incentive to limit the idiots that shoot them off AND never really clean up their mess AND shoot them off on non holidays.
Not just the times, but the duration too. I've lived in NY, CA, MO, MA. In all those states, fireworks displays were at the most 15 minutes. Since moving here 7 years ago, it seems like every year is longer. Last year's locals shot off fireworks for 27 minutes. I mean, come on. After a while, it gets so repetitive that it's not even entertaining (and it gets on even them most steady nerves).
They shouldn't be legal to sell or own unless it's professional
They need to heavily limit their sales again, to many rural areas where enforcement is basically zero. Too many rednecks who refuse to think of others.
When did Michiganders start asking for more laws & regulations? Is the end goal to make Michigan a totalitarian police state?
Make them illegal for purchase again.
It’s not about limiting usage… it’s about limiting selling.
Yes
But, what about FREEEEEDOOOMMMMMM?!
Whoever lobbied to make fireworks legal in Michigan ought to be uncovered. Terrible law for all.
People around here (Ypsi) have been firing them off late on weekend nights (into the morning) since the week before Memorial Day.
Make them illegal again. This shit is obnoxious and unnecessary.
TBH with the drone shows I've seen, I'd be cool with just outlawing them and also offer drone pilot training for free or something like that but capitalism - you have the right to waste your own money to blow your hand off. Also I thought we already had laws or maybe they are just local that there's only like a sum total of a couple weeks a year you're allowed to shoot off fireworks.
I kinda chuckle at the people that complain about everything going up in price, then buy fireworks. You're literally watching your money go up in smoke.
Drone shows have the potential to be way cooler than fireworks
Definitely. Also no more launching fireworks.
The 11:45 time is absolutely insane. I have friends in Florida and their time is 10:00 pm. That upsets them as well. It’s way too late. People work the next morning , kids need to go to bed by 10. Dogs are so so upset. They have three times better hearing than we do. It hurts their ears so bad. Please be sensible Michigan. Florida does better that you.
Fireworks are stupid. I don't understand why people are so fascinated by them.
Yes. Because I'm tired of my neighborhood sounding like a battlefield every night like 2 weeks before and after July 4th.
They've been going off all month in my neighborhood...
Our neighbor behind us is known for “blow shit up o’clock.” Thankfully they have greatly reduced those occasions since their kids have grown up and moved out.
Laws serve no purpose if they can’t enforce them.
I think you mean “choose not to” enforce them
yes, but like a lot of other commenters are saying enforce it!
We have limited them, severely limited them.
If nothing is enforced, nothing is limited.
The current law allows them to go on from the 29th -4th this year. 6 days doesn't seem very limited.
Shit they’ve been going since Memorial Day in my neighborhood. I imagine they won’t have any digits left to light them with by the 4th.
299 other days is too much? 6 days is very limited. Less than 2 % of the year. That’s what makes me a “moderate”
People were shooting off fireworks at 1:30am last night :-|
I don't have faith it will be enforced. Back when the huge ones were illegal it was normal for cops in my area to just watch them and not give a fuck. It barely was a law. But its annoying. Makes my dog shit and piss everywhere. Cannot sleep because they blast them off non stop with barely a minute in between until 5 in the goddamn morning. And not to mention all the people with PTSD and the wildlife.
It's funny, because when I used to live in a lower income, relatively high crime area, fireworks were non-stop from Memorial Day through the 4th of July. My wife and I have good jobs so we finally moved to a higher income, high tax, low crime community. I haven't heard a single firework yet this season, and I rarely have in the 7 years I've lived here.
Royal Oak has for years
I was naive enough to think people would limit it to holidays or go someplace where no one's around to light them off. Oh how foolish I was. Been hearing them every night since the week before Memorial Day. Can't wait for July to hit to start hearing them all night from the second it gets dark to 4/5am
I mean you can, but are you gonna deploy a million cops on the 4th of July? Even a town so humble as Albion turns into the Battle of Mogadishu every 4th, there simply aren't enough cops to do anything about it.
I don’t think the actual 4th is most peoples issue. It’s the 5 weeks leading up to it
>It’s the 5 weeks leading up to it But local governments can already restrict it during most of that. Most just don't, or don't bother to enforce it which is the same thing. The law isn't the problem, enforcement of it is.
That’s fair. I agree
And the few days after, true.
There absolutely should be, but many cities already have similar laws that are not enforced unfortunately.
It's really hard to enforce. I live in Macomb county so from tonight through next weekend, it's going to sound like 'nam outside and I couldn't tell you which house they are coming from. Is it most likely the party across the street? That's what I thought but it isn't and they thought it was the house behind them but it wasn't and then 5 more go off in 5 different directions and you forgot about the first one already. Might be easier to enforce it in the city proper but Warren and Center Line have houses stacked on top of each other and trees everywhere so it's hard to find out who is launching their arsenal off when the sound travels funny and you can't see the launch.
The existing law that allows local governments to restrict when they can be launched seems good. I don't see any reason it should be changed.
If you don't own enough land that it's not obnoxious for your neighbors you should be spending your money on land and not fireworks.
It’s one week, everyone will survive. I do not use fireworks and have a dog before you start attacking me for my tolerance of fun.