Fireworks mishap on the 4th

[Dartful Dodger]

I spent the 4th in Michigan with my girlfriend's family.  One of her cousins put a mortar in backwards.  so it fired out of the tube like a jumping jack instead of straight up.  I was standing a couple of feet away, and didn't realize anything was wrong until it was over and everyone was asking me if I was alright.  I was showered in sparks.  Luckily he picked one that sparkled to mess upon, and not one that exploded.

Anyone else with an exciting 4th story?

[NoBonus]

In California, you cannot have cool fireworks, just crummy ones.  I did see a drunk guy stumble into a "fountain of sparks" style ground firework.  He did not realize the fountain was going to get bigger and all of the sudden he was covered in sparks.  Pretty funny   especially when you consider he was shirtless and trying to take pictures of the fireworks at night .  Ha!

[Ken Layton]

About 4 years ago I was visiting a competing drive-in theater (I worked normally at the drive-in 30 miles to the south of the one I was visiting) when there was a car fire at the boxoffice. I raced down from the projection booth (a good 500 feet away) with a fire extinguisher. I unloaded the whole thing on the car fire but it wasn't helping and I was only 3 feet away from the flames. All of a sudden the car BLEW UP! I went flying a good 25 feet threw the air, rolled on the ground a few feet and ended up at the base of the boxoffice foundation. I got scraped up, cut, and bruised pretty good, but nothing serious. All the customers said I looked like a stunt man when I went flying thru the air! Some thought it was part of the pre-show entertainment just like Universal Studios tour.

[DrewKaree]

My buddy blew his pocket off his shorts (I also believe he pissed himself, but he said it was just water from the creek he rolled around in to "put the stuff out") when he put his nice hot lighter back into his pocket, not realizing he had three packs of firecrackers still in there, and was absent-mindedly flicking his Bic.

For the rest of the night, we amused ourselves with throwing the little "snaps" at his feet and watching him jump half way out of his skin every time.  

[AlanS17]

I got yall all beat. My brother burned a hole is his hair this year where an aerial firework fell over and hit him in the head! It's about the size of a penny and it's right on his hairline!  

The same firework hit me in the hand, but my lightning fast reflexes swished it away.  

[NoBonus]

The same firework hit me in the hand, but my lightning fast reflexes swished it away.  

I see all of those years of playing arcade games has hightend your reflexes. Nicely done!

[Chris]

About 4 years ago I was visiting a competing drive-in theater (I worked normally at the drive-in 30 miles to the south of the one I was visiting) when there was a car fire at the boxoffice.

Where do you live that still has drive-in theatres?

[NoBonus]

About 4 years ago I was visiting a competing drive-in theater (I worked normally at the drive-in 30 miles to the south of the one I was visiting) when there was a car fire at the boxoffice.

Where do you live that still has drive-in theatres?

I don't know where he lives, but there is a Drive-In about 45 miles north of Sacramento, CA in Yuba City/Marysville.

[Dave_K.]

About 4 years ago I was visiting a competing drive-in theater (I worked normally at the drive-in 30 miles to the south of the one I was visiting) when there was a car fire at the boxoffice.

Where do you live that still has drive-in theatres?

I don't know where he lives, but there is a Drive-In about 45 miles north of Sacramento, CA in Yuba City/Marysville.

There is a drive in theater about 10 minutes from me in South San Jose.  Who says silicon valley is high tech!
http://movies.channel.aol.com/showtimes/theater.adp?tab=showtimes&theaterId=1150

[Ken Layton]

I live in western Washington state. The open drive-ins are :  

Skyline (in Shelton, where I worked for ten years till new owners took over 2 years ago and ran it into the ground. This is a single screen. New owners have let projection, sound, kitchen and restrooms go to hell. They jacked up prices too.  This used to be a nice theater but not anymore. Not recommended--stay away)

Rodeo 3 Drive-in (in Port Orchard, has 3 screens, sensational FM stereo sound, the brightest picture on the west coast, and brand new playground equipment. Great food and a huge menu. Just finished some major upgrades and remodeling including fully computerized boxoffice and snackbar with credit/debit cards accepted. Very highly recommended!)

Wheel-in (in Port Townsend, has nice indoor seating. Quaint little 150 car theater done up as a western ranch theme. Recommended.)

Valley 6 drive-in (In Auburn, has 6 screens but is being run into the ground. The place is a total dump and very dirty, has bad projection, AM radio sound only, screens are covered with moss and pictures are very DIM, food is awful. Same people that are now running the Skyline in Shelton. Not recommended--stay away)

Puget Park (in Everett, Single screen, has recently cleaned up the place, new paint, new projection equipment, great sound, good food. Recommended))

Blue Fox (in Oak Harbor near Whidbey Island Naval base, single screen, open year round, good projection and sound, good food, has a seperate game room building with all kinds of games, they have a go-kart track operating in the summer. Very nice theater. Recommended.)

[ErikRuud]

I have one near my house outside of Chicago.

I beleive there are two others still open in the Chicago area.

[ErikRuud]

Go here to find local drive-ins.

[Minwah]

Shame we don't have drive-ins in the UK (or perhaps a blessing given our weather  )

[microwrx]

This was about 15 years ago but:

In most states here in Australia fireworks have been banned for enough years so that just when I could start to afford buying my own it was illegal to.  Consequently the only time we get to see fireworks are at public displays.

About 15 years ago my brother and his friends were at a carnival that is held every year at a major tourist spot from Christmas to Easter.  Each new year for as many as I could remember there was a large budget fireworks display with the fireworks launched either from a barge on or on the opposite bank of the lake.  However, this particular year the guys setting off the fireworks decided to have a few beers and in the middle of the display knocked over one of the rockets just after it was lit.  The rocket launched across the water and into the crowd right smack in the middle of where my 15 year old brother and all his friends were watching the display from.  Although the rocket didn't hit anyone directly and nobody was killed (thankfully) the shrapnel from the impact hit many people, mostly my brother and his friends.

My brother was hit in the knee and thigh.  After several operations to remove shrapnel (up to dime sized pieces of plastic) from within his leg he was able to walk around again within weeks but lost all feeling in his thigh (this remarkably began to return slowly after about 5 years until he had full feeling again another 5 years later).  Several of his friends had similar injuries but one was worst hit.  He took a major hit in the groin and had 3rd degree burns from the abdomen down to his thighs.  He was in hospital for 3 months and ended up loosing a testicle, I can not remember if the other one still works or if he is now sterile.  Every single one of my brothers friends was injured except one.  And it was this kid who was the worst off psycologically.  For years after he still couldn't accept the fact he got away without a scratch.

Anyway, most of the guys have fully recovered and funilly enough most of them were working together up until a few months back when the company they work for went under (they all got new jobs elsewhere).

For some strange reason my brother hasn't liked fireworks since, can't figure why.

[Dartful Dodger]

Anyway, most of the guys have fully recovered and funilly enough most of them were working together up until a few months back when the company they work for went under (they all got new jobs elsewhere).

Ouch, the only thing funny about that story is the company from down under going under.

I live in Illinois, were fireworks are illegal, but you can legally buy them in Michigan and Wisconsin.  But they are illegal to set off in Michigan and Wisconsin.

A couple of years ago I remember having to show an I'd proving I lived outside of Wisconsin to buy fireworks.  They can sell fireworks to people in Illinois, a state where fireworks are completely illegal, but they couldn't sell to people who lived in the state the fireworks were being sold in.

I'm not complaining, infact it works out great for me.  I just think it's funny.

[fredster]

I live in TN.  Not only are they legal, but we get to set them off all year anywhere.

I had the coolest fireworks this year.  Artillery shells in mass quantity.  I buy them on the 5th, at 1/2 off.

I had a tube knock over and shoot behind us once.  It was a big one, but the ground screwed up the blast so it was pretty local.  No casualties.  Not everybody seemed to smell right after that though....

I always get a fuse burn or two.

[DrewKaree]

I live in Illinois, were fireworks are illegal, but you can legally buy them in Michigan and Wisconsin.  But they are illegal to set off in Michigan and Wisconsin.

It's up to each city and their rules, but in WI now, it's legal to set them off, but only if they do not leave the ground i.e. bottle rockets, no, firecrackers, yes (but I bet it's up to Ossifer Frenly to "discern" what he wants as he writes up the ticket), although you CAN buy the illegal-as-soon-as-it-takes-off stuff.