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Aloha, Is is just me or do firecrackers launched across yards so far they whiz past neighbors windows seem dangerous?
I've lived in Hawaii off and on for over 12 years but never have seen/heard so many dangerous pyrotechnics right new door and flying into my yard. But then I hadn't lived in HPP since the 80's up until 2 years ago.
The firecrackers started about a week before Christmas. Then last night, Christmas, one whizzed by my window and tonight everal aerials burst over my carport and my very dry side and back yards. I've always enjoyed the local tradition of fireworks on New Year's Eve, but then we could prepare for that and bring our pets indoors. I think they're all shell shocked this week. They can't even use their pet door because it faces the pyrotecnic's house.
This starts up at various times every afternoon and continues until late at night. Every day. At one point one of the cousins over there was standing at our fence line lighting firecrackers, and there's nothing there but dry grass. Their driveway and back yard where they usually do this is clear on the other side. I asked him if he could go somewhere else other than right by my window. I just don't understand this lack of consideration, and for all the animals. I know people who actually get sedation for their dogs for New Year's Eve, but my pets have to get scared out of their wits day after day after day. I figured a few more days anf PAU till next year (at which time we'll back on the mainland) , but tonight when the aerials were bursting over what looks like a big dry wheat field out back of here, and after that firecracker whizzed past by window last night, I thought enough already!
I am either going to try talking to the woman over there and see if she can talk some sense into her boyfriend or I'm going to wait till they start up tomorrow and call the police.
Am just really scared one of us or our pets is going to get hurt or the house is going to burn down. It's awfully dry out there. I think they banned aerials in Honolulu after several fires. And why on Earth would some one rocket off firecrackers?
Cindy
Sounds awful, Cindy! I'm pretty sure the permitted fireworks are only allowed on the holiday itself, and maybe the minor ones as well. Plus the dry grass is a no no. Of course, calling police without talking to the neighbors first is pretty much frowned on. The police expect you to try to resolve it between you and their first question will be whether you've talked to your neighbors. People get pretty crazy with these things, but also feel that it's normal and traditional and may not see your point, so good luck. My neighbors let off firecrackers too, which do scare my cats, but they don't propel them into my yard. If they did, I would have to say something. That's literally crossing the line.
Hope you resolve it easily and you and your pets can get some peace.
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Permitted fireworks are only allowed from sunset on New Year's Eve till 1 am on New Year's Day according to the things I have read. I agree with Kathy calling the police probably should not be your first course of action. Why don't you talk to your neighbor and suggest he do them in the street instead of where they will zoom past your house. I am sure if he knew he was upsetting you and your animals he would think twice.
Aloha au i Hawai`i,
devany
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True aerials such as rockets are illegal, IIRC. Of course thousands of them get sent up in HPP every New Year's Eve, so enforcement during the prescribed fireworks hours would appear to be minimal. Setting them off this far outside the approved time might get a police response, but talking with the neighbor, as already recommended, would be better to start.
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whether it's tradition or not, i don't like fireworks at all neither do the dogs or cats (dogs have to be sedated). off in the distance is okay. we had the same problem two years ago in kailua on o'ahu--neighbors throwing fireworks right outside our window ALL day long. renee went and talked to them which worked. as has been suggested, i'd try that first.
"a great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."
w. james
"a great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."
w. james
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I heard a bottle rocket screaming way up into the sky yesterday morning. It made all the neighborhood dogs bark. It seems there are a lot of immature young people around here that don't care if they annoy the neighbors. Maybe they think it's funny. I'm a little worried about fires this year because it's been so dry. I hope there are some good guys out there (volunteer firefighters) until the New Year noise is over.
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Perhaps ask your local fire department to visit the neighbors,and asking to keep your inquiry be kept annonymous.
yeah, when I mentioned "tradition" that wasn't my personal excuse, but it is the mindset here, that if it has always been done it should continue, and the police can partake of the mindset. In my experience, many locals are not into catering to their dogs and don't really care about bumming them out. If anything, my neighbors will cuss at the dogs for barking (they are tied up) and that's the extent of it. So they don't get all the concern for pets and think it's over the top. I'm sure they think I'm nuts for being so into my cats, and I would not dream of asking them to cut down on their party because of my pets.
Fire though, is a concern that everyone should be able to relate to, and one would hope they get the idea of your property their propeerty. Immature young people ... yep, but from what I see, grown men can turn into kids when it comes to fireworks. There's a reason the mantra is "safe and sane" -- because so many approach it from the Unsafe and Insane state of mind.
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Thank you for all your suggestions. I get that about the fire angle instead of pets due to the large amount of people here who don't see animals as anything but watch dogs or food. The woman next door really enjoys our cats but not sure how the boyfriend feels about them or animals in general. I wonder if asking if they could please be extra careful about where they aim that firecracker gun (because if I'd been on my lanai I could have easily been burnt) and to hold off on the aerials till New Year's Eve due to the dry vegetation would work, or if I might also ask if they could hold off till evenings. I work at home and it's just really really hard to focus, but I somehow don't think they'd get that. Plus for some reason the boyfriend has always been very rude to me. I've lived in Hawaii for a total of over 12 years and in the late 80's early 90's worked with youth at a treatment center here and taught two years at Waiakea. We mostly lived in Hilo but partly out here. And I've just never encountered this crazy amount of fireworks so far before New Year's Eve. On the other hand a friend of mine and her husband who is a cop lived in HPP for over 10 years and told me to get ready for a month of this. I really don't want to call the police but just not sure this guy really gives a hoot. I'll see what I can do though. Maybe I'm reading him all wrong.
Sistersue - isn't a bottle rocket a glass bottle that explodes? That's really scary.
I was told if the police see/hear them they will do something - probably a warning but that would be enough I bet. But you're right this isn't really the coolest way to go and there's really no aloha in that.
PS Their location really is the best. The street would be worse. They are on the other side of their house, so when they're pointing their launchers into their back field, that would be say 12:00 and we are at 3:00. Not sure why things are flying this way though.
Confirmed backyard fireworks and firecrackers only allowed on New Year's Day and up through 1 a.m. (And the 4th of course but that's not a big deal here).
PS That's a good idea about the fire dept. Also, the police dispatcher told me they would send a patrol car out and if the officer sees/hears something they would stop and talk to them and that they wouldn't say the neighbors complained. I think they would give a warning not a fine, so it's not like I'd be getting them into trouble. Last resorts though - I will try talking to them first. Also I won't want anyone over there getting mad and taking it our on my cats - not that they likely go there anymore, but still...
Thanks again
Cindy
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It was awkward, but I took your advice and talked to my neighbor. The woman wasn't home so I talked to her boyfriend. He was very nice, not anything like I'd expected. He apologized and said they'd be more careful. I asked if my cats caused trouble and he said he'd never seen them. So we talked about the cats a few minutes, and I mentioned that we bring indoors in the late afternoon around the time they start shooting the firecrackers. They've actually been staring earlier and earlier each day, but I didn't say anything about that - just mentioned that's it's been working out since we bring them indoors in the afternoon before they start up, and he looked a little sheepish. Nice guy. I don't understand firecrackers at Christmas, but nice family anyway. I feel better now. So does my son. Thanks.
Oh, I did swing by the firestation to see if they had a fireworks safety handout. They didn't. One had said he'd made a firecracker gun when he was a kid. All very nice though and gave me ideas of things to bring up with the neighbor.
Thank you again for all your help!
Anyway, I guess I was just lucky before to never have lived so close to anyone who did the firecrackers several hours a day for over a week before Christmas.
Party on Puna...
Cindy
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