The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon.
Today’s question:
If your neighbor was setting off illegal fireworks, especially near open space, would you call the cops on them, or just let them do what they’re doing?
Talk about it….
55 comments
Most definitely! No one wants their neighborhood burned down or anyone injured.
No, but I did use diesel fuel to burn a giant 8— in his lawn last year.
Why the number 8? Am I missing something?
It was veiled attempt to say dong
Arsonist! Jk, but not nice
I don’t call police, they have more than enough to do at that time. I have, however, twice directly approached people and asked them to stop when airborne items such as bottle rockets were being shot off close to my home. Both times the activity stopped.
Spoke with Con Fire Station #2 firefighters this morning. They said the day had been quiet for them so far, but they expected to become very busy as the day/night wears on.
I agree that you tell them to stop first, I disagree that it’s a waste of the authorites’ time if they refuse to stop. Fires spread fast
It depends on what kind of fireworks, but most likely not. I just wouldn’t feel right about being a rat. I don’t even like some of my neighbors, but I wouldn’t rat them out. The other day my neighbor was outside with his children and they were holding colorful sparklers. It reminded me of my childhood when my dad and I would play with sparklers. When I was a kid they weren’t illegal and we had fun. As long as there is adult supervision, let them enjoy themselves.
HAPPY FOURTH EVERYBODY.
“I just wouldn’t feel right about being a rat.”
SO…. how would you feel when they burned your house down with you & your family in it ??
Reread my first sentence. I said, “it depends on what kind of fireworks, but most likely not.” Most likely not, does not mean most definitely not.
>>”SO…. how would you feel when they burned your house down with you & your family in it ??”<<
Probably pretty warm.
It would depend on which neighbor it is.
Yes
Absolutely
Faster just to shoot them. *goes back to the grumpy old man corner*
Yes, I watched a neighbor’s house burn down when a bottle rocket landed on their roof. It was fortunate that the fire department was able to minimize the damage to the neighboring homes.
While camping one year, someone started a grass fire a short distance from our campsite.
I know many will decry interference in their “fun”, but it’s just too dangerous.
The real question is…
Will the neighbors call the copes on ME when I set them off????
No,
I would never think about it. Might talk to them or keep an eye on them.
Just isn’t right to narc on the neighbors.
The better question is would I call the police on my neighbor who was risking everyone’s life in my entire neighborhood because they’re too stupid to know that’s exactly how you burn down a neighborhood?? The answer is no, because people who are burned alive in their homes can’t call the police to tell them who did it..
hmm I guess the answer to that would depend on the situation, however, I would definitely ask myself if the danger the neighbors are presenting is profound enough to warrant potentially ruining neighborhood good relations.
It’s not my job to police my neighbors, people I see around me all year. One night out of the year isn’t going to harm me as long as nothing lands in my yard. Besides, I enjoy viewing them without the expense.
The people who complain are usually city folks, who are quarrelsome by nature. Everything bothers them.
“as long as nothing lands in my yard”.
Which brand of crystal ball do you use? Or do you use a magic 8 ball?
Like you, I always like to look into the future and see if my house is going to burn down or not before I call the cops to report illegal fireworks in my residential neighborhood 👍
I would ask them politely to stop.
My cousin and his friend were murdered eating ice cream on a school playground on 3 July 1964. People thought the noise was from fireworks being set off early and didn’t report the shots
If they were fireworks that never left the ground like what they sell in San Ramon or Sacramento hell no. Enjoy and let me come out and see! If it flys….I would go talk to them.
No, I would ask them to stop…. I’m the get off my lawn guy but I ask nicely
Absolutely and I have. We have an idiot neighbor who was letting huge bombs off constantly. All the neighbors found remnants on their roofs, yards and vehicles. It took some doing but managed to get it stopped thanks to CPD. I believe the idiot was threatened for probation or parole violation, in order to make it stop.
“I believe the idiot was threatened for probation or parole violation, in order to make it stop.”
****** choose a better neighborhood without those types
In my area fire isn’t as much of a problem. So no, I would go out and enjoy their show. One neighbor gets low to the ground fireworks and sets them off in the street – with a hose close by.
I wouldn’t call the police.
I’d talk to the people and do my best to get them to stop.
If they were fireworks that were relatively small and stayed on the ground and they weren’t stupid enough to be doing it on dry grass – whatever.
But if they were shooting up in the air where they could land on dry grass or start a fire by landing on a roof – I would either ask them to stop or call the police depending if I cared enough about their stupidity to try and talk to them myself.
I would call the cops. The fireworks Im hearing arent typical. They sound like a bomb. Nothing pretty to see and asking this neighbor to stop would likely make an enemy. He doesnt think rules apply to him. Ive lived here 15 years. Him, two and its sucked since hes moved in. Yep, if these bomb like explosions continue, Ill call.
Grew up at a time and in an environment when parents, neighbors and kids all came out to the street and lit off fireworks…no whining or freaking out…was fun
Finally, someone who isn’t on here to complain!
In some neighborhoods you get your nose broken or a knife pulled on you
First I’d ask them to stop, where we live there are just too many hills with dry weeds to not ask them. If they wouldn’t stop, I’ll call for sure.
ALL fireworks are illegal in Contra Costa County.
The non-emergency dispatcher says the CPD wants us to call the department when you hear the FIRST explosion near your home. (It helps if you know the people’s name and address, but that is not necessary because the police can figure that out if you give the general location.)
My neighborhood adjoins the CNWS open space with its tinderbox grasses and weeds. Fire danger.
One paraplegic and one PTSD veteran live very near us. One family has a newborn daughter. Many neighbors’ dogs are terrified. And the rest of us are kept awake until the wee hours by battlefield-grade explosions….
UNLESS we call the instant we hear the first firework go off.
The police quickly become backlogged, but they don’t care about the requests so long as they might be able to prevent personal or property damage.
Now that it’s legal to grow Marijuana in My back yard I call the Police on MY Neighbors all the time for every violation they do!
It’s against the law, so in a blink of an eye, yes absolutely I would call for any kind of fireworks being set off in my neighborhood. It only takes seconds for things to get real bad real quick. I think our law enforcement and firefighters would appreciate it.
If I called the cops when my neighbors shot off fireworks, I’d be on the phone all night.
Groundworks perhaps no, if they are setting them off in the street away from dry vegetation and have a hose nearby. Airborne absolutely! As parched as the countryside around here is by this time of year, it would be putting my family in danger if I didn’t. People break the fireworks law without any regard for other people…or the poor animals…
What is fun and excitement for some people is intense anxiety for others. Mine is reaching levels I can barely contain. I would love to call the cops on my neighbors on my street right now. But my panic attack has risen to levels I have never experienced before and I am too scared to take off my headphones. Even with the TV turned up, the white noise from the AC going on, I can hear the booms that have me screaming. Yeah. That’s not normal. Believe me, I wish I could be calm about simple booms and pops, except I am probably doing worse than anyone’s dog. I don’t expect anyone to even want to understand my anxiety. But it’s here and my neighbors just set me off that had me screaming in terror. I am NOT OK right now and I’d love to call the cops on them but I can’t even remove my headphones to do it. I usually leave town, but this year I couldn’t, so here I am shaking and crying over something so standard. Enjoy your lights and explosions anyway.
Yes – for the property of my neighbors, the animals, those with PTSD and for the safety of their family. Safe Fireworks is one thing that you can get at Target. But Fire Burns, the neighbor behind me a few years ago roof started on fire, they were gone, my family and I were gone. I stay home now because of it and do not get to enjoy the City of Concord Fireworks. They say it is their right what about your neighbors rights?
what to do, what to do? 23 out of 25 of my neighbors ARE putting off fireworks.
Tonight on park highlands boulevard they were lighting them up in their patios in the duplex. I went out and told them to stop because my kids were scared and there are trees and wood fences near. One spark would have caused so much harm in the duplex’s and homes behind them. They were nice and stopped, but if they didn’t yes I would call the cops. Our home is in stake. Lives are at stake. It would only makes sense too. I hope the cops are patrolling park highlands in the Clayton valley area tonight, it was scary, so close to many homes.
A week leading to the 4 of July and New Years Eve; NO. Setting them off at 2am in the middle of November on a weekday morning; Absolutely. I had a bad neighbor that made it a habit of setting off fireworks at random times of the day. Since he moved seven years ago, the neighborhood has become a better place.
Unfortunately I think he has moved into my neighborhood.
It sounded like a war zone in our neighborhood everyone seemed to have mortars. If you wanted to see fireworks just step into the street way too many for the police to deal with and we could already hear sirens. People are getting out of control I am shocked we didn’t have more fires.
Good ol’ California… where burning the American flag is legal, but fireworks are not.
It is a safety issue, not a political issue
Nah, it sounded like someone was firing off 30 rounds outside my back fence last night and I just closed the windows. It doesn’t bother me, and I figure the Police in my town have much bigger fish to fry and someone else will call if it upsets them.
I’d hit the Thumbs Up, if I could find it, Dr. Jelly. 😉
Pretty upset this morning, the chuckleheads on David sent off about 100 bottle rockets directly into the trees at the BART tracks. Utter idiocy. I don’t begrudge people their fun, and if they keep the fireworks on the ground, none of my business. When you endanger the whole neighborhood though, public transit, and firemen’s lives, something has to change. DId not want to call the police last night as they were so busy, but next year, am going to do preemptive strike and alert CPD ahead of time.
“DId not want to call the police last night”
******** its attitudes like yours why law & order are failing–this is what they are paid for…we have scum among us that will kill us & you are afraid to call
I would if they were professional level of fireworks and I could determine the area it was ignited. I don’t mind the ground level fireworks or even sparklers.
One year a non-descript car placed something in the middle of an intersection a block away. They lite it and took off. There was a huge boom. I didn’t report it because they were gone.
Depends on the neighbor. If I know them to be decent responsible people I would probably join them, might even bring out the fire extinguisher just in case. If the neighbor is a known d-bag than yeah in a heartbeat. It also depends on the neighborhood. If it’s place that is susceptible to a sudden blaze then yes, or I would talk to the neighbor at least. If it’s a lush green neighborhood, with responsible people then no.
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