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(90 posts)

Aren't fireworks illegal in Seattle?

Started 10 months ago by jego_misia
Latest reply from miws

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jego_misia
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How do we report this? Seems their only use lately is to see how many car alarms they can set off....

Posted 10 months ago #
HunterG
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Call the police. I had to last year.

Posted 10 months ago #
happy hour
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Police never bothers anyone. I was standing in the middle of the street two years ago and someone put a 2' rocket in my hand. A police car happened to drive up on me @ that exact moment and everybody with fireworks- in hand- ran. Sounds like high school. So I assume they are illegal, but the police took pity on a 50 something fool, standing in the middle of the road.

Posted 10 months ago #
anonyme
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Unfortunately that's what usually happens, which explains why we have a fireworks nightmare in West Seattle - especially in the neighborhoods closer to White Center. If there were a 'fireworks squad' during the week of the 4th handing out BIG tickets, I warrant we'd see a lot less of this in following years. I'm really fed up with having to drug my pets senseless every year, put out fires (literally) and having my sleep interrupted with countless explosions going on for weeks.

Posted 10 months ago #
austin
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I feel like the 4th leadup personal fireworks have been much less than in previous years. Then again I may just be getting used to being within earshot of nucor, countless explosions going on for weeks is kind of par for the course over this way.

Posted 10 months ago #
datamuse
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Austin, it's seemed so to me too. And I live in Highland Park so am right next door to White Center. It may be different tomorrow night but so far it's been remarkably quiet compared to previous years.

Posted 10 months ago #
anonyme
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It has actually been quieter this year, although I was awakened several times last night. My earlier post was in regard to the norm, rather than this year specifically. Hope the trend continues....

Posted 10 months ago #
AlkiCabCompany
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My little beagle just sits and shakes in the corner all night. I don't see why it's a thrill making something go POP really loud. To me they are just lighting their dollars on fire. Waste of money. And it's usually the people who don't have a lot of money who buy these things. But I guess after a few beers it might be fun for them. Two more nights of this crap.

Posted 10 months ago #
datamuse
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People can waste their money in any way they see fit, as far as I'm concerned. But it is really annoying, and I say that as someone very fond of fireworks and things going boom. I wish they'd confine it to one night.

Posted 10 months ago #
DP
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At this point, I would be grateful just to have fireworks for one night of the year.

It can be any night. I'm not picky.

Posted 10 months ago #
velo_nut
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Bunch of Homers. BOOM!!!

Posted 10 months ago #
JanS
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velo...so you say until they land on your roof ;-)

Posted 10 months ago #
velo_nut
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Bring it!

Posted 10 months ago #
velo_nut
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Wait... My roof? He'll no. Damn you kids! Get yer damn noise makers outa here. I'm callin the cops!

Posted 10 months ago #
WSB
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http://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2011/07/01/fourth-of-july-safety-message/

Posted 10 months ago #
WSB
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and take care of your pets:

http://www.seattlechannel.org/news/detail.asp?ID=11862&Dept=44

Posted 10 months ago #
JanS
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had windows open tonite, quite a few big "booms" in the 'hood about 10pm tonight. Cat sat on the desk in front of me, didn't flinch, strolled over to the back of the big chair and took a nap - lol...nothing fazes him !

Posted 10 months ago #
MBarrettMiller
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My poor dog is hiding in the bedroom.
I'd be okay with one day of fireworks. The week warm up followed by a week of post celebration explosions is getting to be too much-Come on-enough is actually enough!

Posted 10 months ago #
jego_misia
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We live on Delridge & my kitty is petrified under our bed & will not budge. However, my biggest concern is these jerks lighting them in small parking lots with cars right next to apartment complexes, or a dry yard... what if it causes damage to someone's vehicle? Or lands on someone's balcony & that catches fire? I really don't understand why people just can't obey a simple law... I know I sound like a lame-o that just doesn't want to be "fun" but it's seriously ridiculous. If you want to make things blow up, at least be responsible & go somewhere where it's legal.
It certainly doesn't help that there is (or was, not sure if it's still there) a fireworks stand across from the Safeway on Roxbury

Posted 10 months ago #
datamuse
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Sheesh, it's 12:30 in the goddamn morning. Enough already.

Posted 10 months ago #
metrognome
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I live next to an apartment building where the tenants frequently come home during the wee hours, slamming doors, etc., so I play classical music at a quiet level all night. Doesn't completely muffle the fireworks they have been setting off, but it helps. Ear plugs do wonders too. However, it has been quieter than usual this year.

Posted 10 months ago #
WSB
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Yes, the fireworks stand just off Roxbury is back this year. The city limits go right down the middle of Roxbury there, so it's perfectly legal. For what it's worth, police really are out there dealing with this as best they can ... for example, they were summoned to write up a report in a Westwood neighborhood after the fire marshal determined that a fire in a trash can had been started with fireworks. Then there was a call from Alki that an officer was heard on the scanner to declare himself to be "with the chronic fireworks culprit." Don't know what happened from there, but they do get dispatched. The booming peaked over here around 10 pm; I went for a drive around 11 to look at usual hotspots (a few years ago, Highland Park had community volunteers guarding the elementary school field because things got so ugly over there) but didn't see anything corresponding with everything we'd heard through the window at home.

Posted 10 months ago #
sweetflutterby41
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I live about 3 blocks north of the junction and it sounded like someone was setting off fireworks outside my bedroom window until about 11 last night. Every time one exploded, it almost gave me a heart attack because I had been asleep. I work at 6am every day so these people were *lucky* I didn't call the cops on them! I can understand setting them off on the actual holiday, but it's ridiculous to do it for days before and after!

Posted 10 months ago #
sam-c
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last night I thought about calling that non-emergency number from SPD blotter, (which, after listening to the whole menu, you want to press 8). I decided not to call and report cause it was late, I was wearing pjs, and i didn't want a cop to show up who knows when. I just went to bed, and the window fan did help to drown it out a little.
so far it hasn't been like last year, going til 4 am with the super loud and bright (as in lighting up all the windows in our house) ones. maybe that's tonight.

Posted 10 months ago #
Zenguy
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I like fireworks just as much as the next guy and have light off my fair share.

I know the dangers of even "safe and sane" fireworks as my father burned down our hedge as a little kid, it was ok cuz my mom wanted a fence anyway.

Last night on Alki some boob (apologies to boobs in general) decided to light off what I would guess was several quarter sticks of dynamite! This was way after ten o'clock and some I know were trying to sleep and is totally unecessary.

Posted 10 months ago #
jwws
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I heard them at 2:30 this morning in Genesee Hill area - tonight should be interesting

Posted 10 months ago #
bsmomma
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I personally LOVE fireworks.......the pretty sparkly kind. NOT the pointless ones that just go BOOM! Those are dumb. It saddens me that my kid will not experience the same 4th of July's I did growing up. Once again the "idiots" ruined it for the rest of us. :( Happy 4th!

Posted 10 months ago #
westwoodmom
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All respect for certain neighbors on 31st and 30th, and I know who you are, all went out the window last night when I was kept awake with fireworks way up through midnight. I was tempted to show them the same courtesy when I left for work at 630am-hope they get a nurse as tired as me when they come in with blown off fingers.

Posted 10 months ago #
Jiggers
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I used to live in White Center and yes like Tracy stated, it is legal to pop fireworks across Roxbury the city line. It almost like shock and awe, like lighting up Bahgdad, Iraq. I find it amazing that people love to throw away their money on firecrackers especially when we are in a bad economy. All I see is money blowing up literally.

Posted 10 months ago #
datamuse
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Jiggers, I live just north of White Center and so far it's been considerably quieter this year. Of course tonight may be another story.

Posted 10 months ago #
anonyme
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Not everything south of Roxbury is King County. West of 30th is within the City of Seattle, including all of Arbor Heights.

Posted 10 months ago #
Gina
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Jan--your cat and my cat have the same reaction.

My father would stock up on the Black Cat finger firecrackers, light up his yearly cigar, and sit on the front porch, lighting the firecrackers--

one. at. a. time.

From about 5 in the afternoon until after the Ivar's show was over.

And he had the hose on standby just in case. He would set the sprinkler on the parking strip for protection from the stray missiles of others.

I'm pretty durn desensitized to the noise because of that.

Posted 10 months ago #
nighthawk
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I'm pretty tolerant of random fireworks to a point. I figure around the 4th until 10pm and maybe a little after it's no a big deal.

The ones that really get me are the random ones at 2 and 3 in the morning. That's just nuts. It's not enough to call the police about because they are generally smart enough to light 3 or 4 in succession and then nothing.

I really don't understand the comments though about "such a waste of money" and "how dare they blow up money in this bad economy" (paraphrasing sentiment from a couple of posts). Think about it another way, if someone is buying the fireworks hen someone is selling them and that person has a job selling fireworks. If the fireworks are legal where they are selling them then all the more power to the entrepreneur.

Posted 10 months ago #
DP
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http://movieclips.com/i2G4b-coneheads-movie-beldars-fireworks/

Posted 10 months ago #
Cait
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I have a VERY high strung dog - Aussie and Lab. He has to enthusiastically investigate a friggin' mosquito fart. He'll bark at dogs on the TV. He'll no stark raving nuts if the kid down the street bounces a basketball ONCE. However, he seems to be completely oblivious to fireworks. Nothing out of place there, apparently. LOL.

Posted 10 months ago #
Zenguy
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mosquito fart...lol

Posted 10 months ago #
1280z
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Independence Day has become a PAIN ... it seems the sovereign indian nations (!) now supply the idiot portion of our population with all sorts of explosives ... in the name of celabration of our independence from the english. Give me a break. IT'S JUST STUPID

Posted 10 months ago #
Cait
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Spoke too soon - now he's hiding under the couch. NOW I'm annoyed.

Posted 10 months ago #
NFiorentini
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There is something that just went off here at 41st and Admiral that cannot be legal anywhere in the US. Wow!

I also think I may be the only one in this area NOT setting off fireworks.

Posted 10 months ago #
bebecat
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I was thinking how well North Admiral was doing till a moment ago when a huge bomb went off.

Posted 10 months ago #
datamuse
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Clearly everybody saved their wad for tonight. Highland Park sounds like a war movie.

Posted 10 months ago #
saney
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Admiral area is ridiculous. It sounds like we are under attack.

Posted 10 months ago #
charlabob
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Admiral is, indeed, insane. Loud bomb-like sounds; just heard a bunch of sirens and now it has become refreshingly quiet. It really does feel as if we're in the middle of a gun fight -- my cats don't like it, my house guests don't like it -- Bob, who can sleep through anything is tossing and turning -- and I'm complaining to the blog. To each his and her own.

Unfortunateloy, my experience with WS is that this will not be the last straw. They're just warming up.

Posted 10 months ago #
JanS
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NFiorentini, and others...Just came back from Capitol Hill through downtown, which was extremely quiet and no traffic..except for one numnut at 2nd and Pine who was walking down the street shooting a roman candle into traffic...takes all kinds..

Posted 10 months ago #
wsguy
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Thanks to the fine folks in Seaview at the bottom of Erskine who waited until mid night to set off the heavy artillery...

Must be nice to have tomorrow off

Posted 10 months ago #
HelperMonkey
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Arbor Heights also ='d war zone. none on my block, which I appreciate greatly. all around though, and dying down now.

Posted 10 months ago #
anonyme
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This 4th may have started out quieter than usual, but sure didn't end that way. Arbor Heights was unbelievable - one of the worst ever. I heard the last M-80 about 1 a.m., but it didn't end there, not completely. My dog was shaking, panting, and running from one end of the house to the other. I'm supposed to be on my way to work now, but 3 hours sleep just won't cut it. Anybody else really angry? I just don't understand why something serious enough to carry a $5,000 fine and/or jail time is almost completely ignored. How many 5K tickets were handed out last night in WS? I'll guess - none.

Posted 10 months ago #
bebecat
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What good is a law if it is not inforced.

Posted 10 months ago #
GoGo
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I agree, bebecat. Why did they bother making it illegal? Makes absolutely no difference with these idiots.

Posted 10 months ago #
velo_nut
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I saved all my fireworks for TONIGHT. Heck yes!

Posted 10 months ago #