The entire city of LA giving a middle finger to the banning of fireworks this year.

As a Californian who often traveled out of state just in time to be back in CA for the Independence Day shenanigans, I thought I mention a few things for anyone who isn't from here:

CA is one of a handful of Zero Fun states when it comes to fireworks. Here it's fine to buy and sell the "Potato Tier" fireworks like the little cones that shoot up some colors, Piccolo Petes, spinny rosebuds that change color, and the fake sparklers that are on wood sticks and covered in loose paper. They can only be sold from the end of June up to July 4th and require a vendor to have a generic little wooden stand with a permit. Even then, some counties (like mine) forbid even those, regardless of state law. Here the only thing you can get are birthday party favors, basically. However, since it varies by county, any county neighboring a total ban is gonna cash in and allow the sale of the Potato Tier, so you can drive a few minutes and just buy them anyway.

Most states are a little bit more lenient (or less lenient) and basically ban the big, fun shit that shoots up a couple hundred feet. Bottle Rockets are OK in places, but not something that launches like an actual rocket. They of course allow the Potato Tier stuff as well.

Now, there are several states that give zero fucks and let Americans be as reckless as our freedom allows and will sell the Stoli and Grey Goose tier shit. These places are often found in MASSIVE aluminum warehouses and have distance laws to follow because one spark means the apocalypse. These are where you wanna be during buying season. Also, at least one Top Tier state (Kansas) sells (or used to sell) way out of season, like during the spring and late summer. This is where you get all the Blackcats, M80 explosives, Bottle Rockets, Roman Candles, flame hurlers and shit that should need a FAA license to be able to take off. They sell everything short of the huge DisneyLand type fireworks, basically. They are worth an annual pilgrimage in order to smuggle the Grey Goose level stuff back to your home state.

As for enforcement, I'm in a zero tolerance county and routinely (and safely) put on backyard shows for the family for years without ever once having any kind of fireman or law enforcement drive by the house or a neighbor complain. It happens though, but the cops are more worried about the drunk college kids lighting off rockets and roman candles in the middle of downtown and having drunken wand fights with the candles. Those things are amazing if you use them carefully. It's a colored fireball shooter that shoots literal fucking balls of flaming beauty out to about 30 yards. Aim them up, cool. Shoot your buddies with them and possible start a fire or burn them alive? Not cool.

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