No more New Year’s kaboom? Don’t count on it
As I sat outside in the first minutes of the new year, with exploding rockets so loud that conversation was impossible and smoke so thick I could barely make out the kids running around in the street, I couldn’t believe it was the last year for fireworks on O‘ahu.
I don’t say that with any sense of nostalgia, but because I really don’t believe it’s the last year; there’s no guarantee that the weak compromise of a fireworks ban passed by the City Council will have much of an impact.
The aerial rockets that are the source of most of the safety concerns will be no more illegal next year than they already were this year, and you saw the great job of enforcement we had this year.
The noisy, smoky and ubiquitous red firecrackers will still be legal with permits under the new law in a bow to “cultural” sensitivities.
The new ban mostly covers the sparklers, fountains and spinners that small kids enjoy and are probably the most harmless part of the pyrotechnic mix. Many folks seemed to buy extra this year to stockpile for next year.
It’ll be interesting to see if police bust 10-year-olds waving sparklers while continuing to give a pass to the guys shooting off dangerous aerials in between heavy drinking.
Tags: City Council, fireworks
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January 3, 2011 at 6:40 am
You might want to check out the Minutes of Illegal Fireworks Task Force meetings. Click to them on the main page of the legislative website – http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov
I agree with you that not much will change, but you might want to talk to our City Councilmember as to what went on in the debates. There is definitely a split based upon age, ethnicity, residency & education as to how the public wants the issue to be handled.
A Belated Happy New Year – and I wish you were able to be covering Congressional politics in person.
How long do you think it will be before teapartytypes will get it about satisfying constituent demands for government services while trying to reduce spending & taxes.
What do you think will be seriously considered for cutting or at least reducing? Social Security? Medicare? Military? Taxes benefiting home owners and other special interest groups?
Finally, will you be watching Paul Brewbaker present his prognostications to Ways & Means this morning?
January 3, 2011 at 9:46 am
“Cultural sensitivities”. Hehehe. That phrase just cracks me up. It’s sole application is to justify doing things that have no rational explanation.
January 3, 2011 at 10:08 am
I think they need to redefine
the wording of fireworks to be more
specific in which is most or least dangerous.
To allow the least to be used
with supervision of an adult.
One thing I notice is that an aerial can be traced to origin by following smoke trail like that of a missle launched from ground. Police can follow and make arrests of illegal aerials. They don’t.
There should be stricter enforcement on these illegal aerials, not sparklers, unless you throw
the sparkler at someones house. Firecrackers just
make noise and makes ONE DEAF. The smoke clears with the wind like Vog in the tradewinds.
Let’s see what happens on Fourth of July.
Better yet, Chinese New Years (Feb. 3, 2011) is around the corner.
Will there be an aerial show by those who
are Not Chinese? What reason, since it
is not their tradition?