It’s easy for nasty feuds to explode these days. Yippy dogs, screaming kids, speeding cars and loud music top most people’s lists of pet peeves. Until annoying neighbors blow off fireworks at night to their delight — and at the expense of your peace and quiet. That really sets people off.
Fireworks are legal in Georgia any day of the year.
Yes, they’re more prevalent around major holidays, such as the 4th of July. The explosives for sale these days can frighten any unsuspecting citizen, along with otherwise cheerful dogs, cats and kids who think the world is coming to an end.
You and your neighbors are free to blow off firecrackers or roman candles or whatever each and every night until 9 PM. Yes, every night.
On July 4th, the celebrations can go on until midnight. New Year’s Eve fireworks displays can extend until 1 AM on New Year’s Day. No, there’s nothing we can do about it.
Well, almost nothing.
You’ll love this tip from our friends with the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office:
Fireworks are legal. We can’t make your neighbor stop shooting off fireworks because you don’t like them.
The state law supersedes the local noise ordinance. We can’t make your neighbor stop because you don’t like the noise or it scares your dog.
We are in the legal/illegal business not the you like it/you don’t like it business.
That being said, the local noise ordinance ends at 7:00 am each morning, and we can’t stop you from having a band of sugared-up eight-year-olds with kazoos along your neighbor’s property line or your having a chainsaw party in your backyard…
God bless America and God bless our law enforcement officials — even if they won’t arrest our annoying neighbors and confiscate their hoards of fireworks just because they aggravate us.
