"It is ILLEGAL for any person less than 18 years old to buy, or attemp to buy, fireworks or to possess fireworks in a public place"
So it is alright for 16 and 17 year olds to join the army, drive cars and exchange bodily fluids but they can't wave a fucking sparkler around on Bonfire Night.
Tom Stephenson has the right idea.
What a
country we have become.
17 comments:
Oh my Banned, We Yanks have actually beat you Brits to the punch on this one.
Well kind of as it is really confusing from State to State but generally speaking this has been the law here for years.
Related,,,,,
When I say confusing (beside age) this is an example:
I live in Michigan where technically (law on the books) it is illegal to sell or use fireworks that when activated leave the ground but it is totally legal to have them in your possession?
One might inquire, being they are illegal to sell in Michigan, how can it be or why is it legal to possess them?
Well they are sold legally in our neighbor State of Ohio and other States south of us and banning them entirely would be against free Interstate Commerce.
[p.s., Canada used to have them as my Dad used to get really good stuff there, but that would still be out of the question, importing fireworks, especially after 9-11]
Christopher; you ban fireworks yet guns are ok?
I love the Yanks.
Many thanks for this. I'll have to wade through the Fireworks Act 2003 and the Fireworks Regulations 2004, but I'm not clear whether that's a statutory notice at all, although it is claimed to be.
Nor am I sure that is what the regulations say. It may be a case of Fantasy Law which can go in my collection. I'll let you know.
I love it when you get wound up.
Hi Chris "One might inquire, being they are illegal to sell in Michigan, how can it be or why is it legal to possess them?" is the position of proper lightbulbs throughout the evil EU at present.
"banning them entirely would be against free Interstate Commerce.Would that not also be the position of handguns? h/t Conan The Librarian.
That struck me too Woman on a Raft I can just see Local Authority Safety Wardens lurking at a Council run public bonfire party waiting to pounce on the wayward parents of a child dangerously wealding a handheld firework and issuing an on-the-spot fine for auch imaginary crimes. I look forward to the results of your research
You would get wound up too Woodsterman at the insidious banning by stealth that goes on in this country.
I and my friends all survived unscathed a teenage decade of annual bonfire/firework parties hosted by my parents in our 'backyard'.
We learned the lessons about having buckets of water at hand, sealing firework stocks in a metal box and the evocative intruction to "light the blue touchpaper and retire".
As the years went by and our level of collective and personal responibility rose my parents involvement got less and less until they eventually left us to it.
"Personal responsibility" is not something favoured by our rulers since it means that they are not in charge.
To save WoRaft the trouble:
Fireworks Regulations, 2004 as amended by Fireworks (Amendment) Regulations, 2004 - Regulation 4 makes it an offence for anyone under the age of 18 to be in possession of adult fireworks in a public place.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/1836/regulation/4/made
...and the over 18 bit is here:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2004/1836/regulation/10/made
Killjoy bastards.
RE: Conan,,,,
I do not ban them and yes it is very stupid if that is your implication.
RE: Banned (same topic/comment),,,
The answer would be yes being handguns and rifles are protected under the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution in the first place whereas fireworks are not - a distinction WITH a huge difference.
The fireworks issue is about entertainment and usage which was never to be included "In the pursuit of happiness" but the production and sale of them could very well work in that i.e. jobs, money etc.
But all my UK friends must realize that the usage of weapons in the U.S. is also heavily regulated and laws pertaining to it differ from State to State.
Thank you for that All Seeing Eye though wtf are "adult fireworks"?
For what reason did they introduce that ban?
It's not as though my generation acted irresponsibly. We knew that chucking bangers (US firecrackers?) and jumping jacks over the cubical wall while our mate took a dump was out of order and contented ourselves just lobbing them under the door. Worked just fine.
Hi again Chris, good point, I'd forgotten about the Constitutional right to bare arms in America. Would that cover shooting firework rockets out of (glass) milkbottles at your mates standing at the other end of the railway footbridge? Never did us any harm.
Cheers Banned,
What you describe is also a right of passage here as well but illegal as hell.
You see, the scenario you give not only is the "projectile" in question illegal (in Michigan) but also considered "assault with the intent to do great bodily harm". The former is a misdemeanor and the latter a felony resulting in prison time if convicted.
Now to ponder the legalities a tad more,,If a person only had 'fireworks' at the ready in a case of self-defense, well the victim might be charged with the "misdemeanor" but very well may face a civil lawsuit from the aggressor for anything under the sun from a clever lawyer.
Fucked-up I know (sorry for the language) but there is no other way to describe it. Use a gun against the aggressor, yes investigation, but if a totally legal weapon - no big deal and no lawsuit.
p.s., I pondered further to illustrate the "distinction WITH a difference".
p.p.s., I was also remiss in not using the term 'barrister' which if I am correct is the English term for lawyer, a distinction WITHOUT a difference.
But the intent was not "to do great bodily harm", it was just to capture the bridge. The prosecution would have to field a very fancy lawyer against the evidence of both perps and 'victims'.
A Barrister is such a fancy lawer, beyond the pockets of most and usually hired by the wealthy, insurance companies and those whose legal costs are being met by the State.
You and I both know the original intent but playing the devils (lawyers) advocate here; Just how does one "capture" a bridge being occupied by what is deemed as the enemy without intentional force?
If there is a notch to be had in a prosecutors belt or money to be made by a civil action lawyer believe you me, this would be sorted out in no time flat.
It's coming to America. Already many old-time fireworks are on the banned list. All in the name of "Public Safety" that catch-all is stealing more personal rights than anything else.
Thing is Chris, back in those days none of us would have dreamed of making a claim against each other, how times change.
Hi Ron Russell, welcome back. America usually leads the way in Western cultural change but with this I think we are neck and neck, we in the name of Health & Safety, you in name of The War On Terror.
Within the month our red-tops will be reporting on the refused sale of Christmas Crackers to an adult accompanied by a 17 year oldon the grounds that they contain 'explosives' and the guilty adult might share them with Junior Shock horror!
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