# Sending the teenagers to the country because of fireworks, yes or no? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2017, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087 "2017-06-28T21:14:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/41 "2017-06-29T15:57:22Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Yes, I do. Children hurt themselves playing all sorts of sports (probably a larger number than injure themselves with fireworks.) Do you think that all sports should be closely regulated–not just in sports leagues, but children playing catch in their backyards? Do you think that all sports should be banned for amateur participation, and that if children want to see sports, they should be required to watch a professional game? After all, all that nasty, horrible _freedom_ (shudders) they have to play sports now means that they have a chance of injuring themselves! I think you missed the part where I wrote about the severity of consequences (getting poked with a pen, from my earlier post). Sports like LAX, football, hockey, with the dangers of brain injuries, absolutely should be highly regulated because the consequence is so high. Playing catch can have injuries, but the risk of something severe is much lower, so the need to “regulate” is lower. While more children probably do get hurt playing kickball, the risk of the type and severity of injuries associated with fireworks makes it worth regulating. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/42 "2017-06-29T15:57:52Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > But where is the fun in that? > > Yes, I do. Children hurt themselves playing all sorts of sports (probably a larger number than injure themselves with fireworks.) Do you think that all sports should be closely regulated–not just in sports leagues, but children playing catch in their backyards? Do you think that all sports should be banned for amateur participation, and that if children want to see sports, they should be required to watch a professional game? After all, all that nasty, horrible _freedom_ (shudders) they have to play sports now means that they have a chance of injuring themselves! Do you believe that everything dangerous should be legal? Should anything be regulated, ever? Where would you draw the line? Obviously not at fireworks, but… where? ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/43 "2017-06-29T16:29:07Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’m struggling to understand what’s so hard about just taking the kids to a fireworks demonstration. Spoken like someone who never got to play with fireworks as a kid. There’s a difference between seeing a shiny in the sky and running around shooting roman candles at each other and scaring the shit out of the cows and having the most fun of your life until you eventually get laid a couple of years later. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/44 "2017-06-29T16:51:29Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’m struggling to understand what’s so hard about just taking the kids to a fireworks demonstration. Because however cool the demonstration is, it isn’t as fascinating in the teenage mind as the opportunity to blow something up themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/45 "2017-06-29T17:24:35Z")
I had same experience others of previous generations have mentioned. Everyone I knew fooled around with fireworks (and not necessarily just on 7/4), nobody I knew ever got hurt. But obviously _some_ people got hurt. There’s no way it’s safe, compared to staying home and reading a book. Unlike some other things though where parent/societal risk aversion on behalf of kids has escalated dramatically since I was a kid, we were always harangued not to play with fireworks, that isn’t new at least not in suburban/urban middle class northeast US. My parents would have ‘killed’ me if they knew. Our chapter book in 4th or 5th grade was about some kid blinded by fireworks. It was mainly a story of conquering adversity, but started with the object lesson _don’t use fireworks_! 🙂 I never let my kids (and ‘read a book’ is still a standing joke with them now that they’re grown), but I assume the most rambunctious of them did anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/46 "2017-06-29T17:37:33Z")
> [@Corry\_El](#): > > I never let my kids (and ‘read a book’ is still a standing joke with them now that they’re grown), but I assume the most rambunctious of them did anyway. You never let your kids hold a sparkler? ---
**Author:** ![Corry\_El](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecae2f/32.png) [@Corry\_El](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corry_El)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/47 "2017-06-29T17:51:46Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > You never let your kids hold a sparkler? I’m thinking more blow stuff up fireworks like we used to play with as kids. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/48 "2017-06-29T18:03:55Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > You never let your kids hold a sparkler? Those really aren’t fireworks. Although I do know a few kids that got pretty bad burns with sparklers. Once they’re out kids forget they are still hot at the top or they want to run and hit someone with them. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/49 "2017-06-29T18:04:34Z")
Well, according to [this](http://www.nfpa.org/news-and-research/fire-statistics-and-reports/fire-statistics/fire-causes/fireworks), sparklers caused more than 1/4 of the emergency room fireworks injuries in 2014. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/50 "2017-06-29T18:11:08Z")
The teens are coming back, right? Or is this like when Rusty gets sent to “live in the country” after he bit the mailman? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/51 "2017-06-29T18:13:13Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Well, according to [this](http://www.nfpa.org/news-and-research/fire-statistics-and-reports/fire-statistics/fire-causes/fireworks), sparklers caused more than 1/4 of the emergency room fireworks injuries in 2014. Sure and I think they are dangerous, as I said. But generally the consequences are fairly low compared to the types of fireworks that are illegal. I can buy sparklers and similar types in my grocery store here, even though sale of fireworks is illegal in NY. Sparklers can burn and if an eye gets burnt it can be bad. But the big fireworks leave 3rd degree burns and maimed hands. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/52 "2017-06-29T18:17:15Z")
Well, I’m not advocating that 5 year olds be given mortar rounds or anything. But a 13 year old is more than capable of shooting off bottle rockets, or lighting a few firecrackers. It just seems strange to me to say “I would never let my kids play with fireworks! Except for the safe kind you can buy in grocery stores, which by the way, account for 25% of emergency room visits” ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/53 "2017-06-29T18:43:30Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > The teens are coming back, right? Or is this like when Rusty gets sent to “live in the country” after he bit the mailman? Yes, I have no plans to leave them in the country. Our host is someone I would like to remain friends with. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/54 "2017-06-29T20:05:46Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > Do you believe that everything dangerous should be legal? Should anything be regulated, ever? Where would you draw the line? Obviously not at fireworks, but… where? In a broad sense, I suppose I think that things that have a significant, foreseeable potential of doing harm to an unconnected third party should be regulated or possibly illegal, and that things that are most likely to only harm willing and voluntary participants should be left alone. People should in general have the right to do stupid, risky things to themselves if they want to do stupid, risky things to themselves. For instance, I believe in speed limits for vehicles because you can kill someone else if you speed. But if you drive a car without a seat-belt or ride a motorcycle without a helmet? (Shrug) It is your funeral–go for it. In general, I think it is pretty easy to tell someone else that there needs to be a law stopping them from doing what they are doing _if it is something that **you** aren’t doing_. You are much less likely to be happy with it if somebody comes along and tries to outlaw or regulate something that has been a traditional practice of your own culture for generations. Outlawing fireworks on the 4th of July and New Years is (in my neck of the woods, at least) easily as big a deal as would be outlawing eggs on Easter (because every once in a while someone gets salmonella) or outlawing trees for Christmas (because every once in a while a dry tree catches on fire.) It would be a Very Big Deal with a lot of noise. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/55 "2017-06-29T20:45:53Z")
Come on, how can you have a [Roman Candle Street War](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biAVdBLbZJM#t=42s) without streets? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/56 "2017-06-29T21:00:22Z")
> [@Randolph](#): > > Come on, how can you have a [Roman Candle Street War](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biAVdBLbZJM#t=42s) without streets? More fun in a bamboo grove. (The only injury was a guy who fell on a shard of bamboo.) ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/57 "2017-06-29T22:49:27Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Spoken like someone who never got to play with fireworks as a kid. > > There’s a difference between seeing a shiny in the sky and running around shooting roman candles at each other and scaring the shit out of the cows and having the most fun of your life until you eventually get laid a couple of years later. Yep. We would cut the ends off of wiffle ball bats, drop bottle rockets into them lit, and use the to aim and protect. Had different rigs for roman candle wars, would wear welding gloves and wear shooting glasses for eye protection - that was our form of safety. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/58 "2017-06-30T03:50:59Z")
[Meanwhile, in Kentucky…](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.wsaz.com/content/news/Man-loses-hand-after-fireworks-accident-431219683.html&ved=0ahUKEwiDtPGW0-TUAhUCOj4KHbL1A-gQqOcBCB0wAA&usg=AFQjCNHGGcS96FEnjgiQ8tNXNLlBTvOOOg) [Illinois…](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2017-06-27/fireworks-accident-sends-fithian-man-hospital.html&ved=0ahUKEwiDtPGW0-TUAhUCOj4KHbL1A-gQFgg-MAo&usg=AFQjCNGFMZ3Vji-lN9My7sxAikA2Q4lLZw) [and in Florida…](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=/amp/www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/plantation/fl-sb-plantation-fireworks-injury-20170629-story,amp.html&ved=0ahUKEwiDtPGW0-TUAhUCOj4KHbL1A-gQFggsMAQ&usg=AFQjCNGZXC1rGNCEUzJCv8KhAPr0YU7e4g) ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/59 "2017-06-30T05:02:18Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > There are a lot of dangerous activities that have no societal benefits. Bungee jumping? Parasailing? Free-climbing? > > Should those be outlawed too? > > Nothing wrong with bottle rockets or roman candles on the 4th of July. Did I say fireworks should be totally outlawed? No, I didn’t. I did, however, on what people should take into account when making decisions about the safety and benefits of their activities. You are free to disagree, but as far as I’m concerned, I’d be far more likely to drive, and allow (even encourage!) my son to drive, than I would to encourage the private use of fireworks. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2017, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087/60 "2017-06-30T10:36:15Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > as far as I’m concerned, I’d be far more likely to drive, and allow (even encourage!) my son to drive, than I would to encourage the private use of fireworks. Which is a highly irrational, illogical, unreasonable position to have. In 2016, [4 people were killed and 11,000 people were injured](http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2017/06/30/456213.htm) by fireworks in the US. In 2016, [35,092 were killed](https://www.google.com/search?q=deaths+per+mile+driven+us&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8#q=deaths+automobile+accidents+2016) and [more than 2 million injured](http://asirt.org/initiatives/informing-road-users/road-safety-facts/road-crash-statistics) in automobile accidents. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sending-the-teenagers-to-the-country-because-of-fireworks-yes-or-no/790087.md?page=4)