Who lives in communities where jerk offs will fire guns at midnight

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

A few years back I spent New Year's eve in the California mountain base community of Yucaipa...when I awoke in the morning, there were bullet holes in my BMW that cost me 700 dollars to fix.

Anyone live where that is a given tonight?

(BTW everytime I think of someone shooting a gun in the air..I think of the Vonnegut novel Dead-Eye Dick!)

[LincolnMcGrath]

1. I think of the KKKer who had the bullet come

down and strike him!

[nini]

2. I used to and it got VERY scary a couple times

I was seriously afraid of a bullet coming into the house.

It got real fun when you could hear the firings and could tell if it was an automatic or not.


This is one big reason I hate going out on this night.


:scared:

[blondeatlast]

63. "Going out" has nothing to do with the danger. Read #62.

[kskiska]

3. This is nothing new

I had an old Great Aunt Rhodie who lived in Poughkeepsie way, way, back. My mother used to tell me how Rhodie's husband, an old-style Italian named Salvatore, would go out on the back porch at midnight and shoot off his gun.

Here in the South, where fireworks are everywhere, mini-displays will be visible.

[bleedingheart]

4. no but i have a neighbor who shoots varmints in his backyard during

the 4th of july so that people will mistake it for fire crackers...

[hippiechick]

5. indianapolis ....

oh yeah. :eyes:


:hippie:

[beyurslf]

And I thought we Kansans were the hicks. (j/k)

Seriously, I don't think I have ever known anyone to do that.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

55. Crap, what part of Kansas do you live in.... Topeka they do it

all the time.

[beyurslf]

6. delete

duplicate post

[trof]

7. yep

All around the bay.
I'll be keeping my head down.

[beyurslf]

8. Delete

Ok so it posted 3 times.

[TexasMexican]

9. I prefer fireworks

as they have a more colorful display. I particularily like the Saturn Missile Batteries.

I save my bullets for paper targets, or people.

[Scurrilous]

10. I live in Miami...

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/7602681.htm

Don't shoot guns in air on New Year's, chief asks

"Miami Police Chief John Timoney warns that welcoming the new year by shooting guns upward is dangerous because falling bullets can injure someone."

<snip>

"Around midnight, Miami officers usually take cover under bridge overpasses or in buildings to protect themselves from falling bullets."

[Mika]

13. I live in Miami-Dade too..

.. and I make sure to be under the cover of a solid roof overhead. The roof of my home in Coral Gables had bullet holes in it from the "celebrations" ringing in blasting in 2000.

You can hear the gunfire all around, as well as see tracer bullets streaking the sky at midnight (if you dare stand outside).

[Catch22Dem]

25. Jesus, tracers???

What are these people shooting, FLAK???

[RebelOne]

27. Yep, lived there, too.

They love (not going to state the ethic origin, cause Mods will send me a warning) to shoot guns off at New Year's. What they do not realize is that what is shot up has to come down and there have been a lot of injuries and deaths cause by idiots who do this.

[Cheswick2.0]

56. This is a Cuban tradition

I don't think there is any problem stating that. Anyone who lives in Miami can testify to that fact. I loved my Cuban neighbors, but I never understood the tradition.
I used to think it was a riot until I became informed to how dangerous it can be.

[blondeatlast]

64. "Their" political groups are actively getting the word out to stop it

here in Phoenix.

It is by no means isolated to "them," however.

[TexasMexican]

11. BTW

sounds like you could use a Kevlar Carport. lol

[LoZoccolo]

12. Chicago.

I could hear it some in 1999 -> 2000 but haven't been in that neighborhood the last few New Years Eves.

[Maeve]

14. Our community has been warned very severely

Because it might distract cops trying to find the Outerbelt Sniper. They don't even want us using firecrackers (not that this will stop SOME of our neighbors....)

[blondeatlast]

72. How absolutely ironic; but if it works, what the Hell?

[underpants]

15. I remember hearing a DJ in Baltimore talk about losing cable every year

He always called the cable company and they always told him the same thing, "Oh that is because someone must have shot out a box near you"

Very matter of fact like

I will probably be able to hear them tonight.

[Intelsucks]

16. I thought Jethro Clampett moved to Beverly Hills

n/t

[Padraig18]

17. I do!

But shotguns seem to be the favored weapon on NYE here. :)

[mitchtv]

18. Cathedral City

not far from yucaipa,I only wish the bullets came back like boomerangs to roost.

[blondeatlast]

65. Agreed, but they end up in innocent victims.

IDIOTS!

[DuctapeFatwa]

19. urban areas are not the best place for celebratory gunfire

neither are densely populated apartment complexes.

If either discharging firearms or pyrotechnics are precluded by population density, local ordinance, and/or cultural hostility, arrange to hold your festivities in an alternative location where there will be fewer non-celebrants, safe-distant parking, and out of the auditory range of hostiles.

If you prefer to shoot into the air while galloping on an unsaddled horse across a large pasture or field screaming traditional greetings, choose horses that are accustomed to this activity and choose experienced fellow participants who know how to do it so bullets do not fall on anything with legs.

Several hours before setting off pyrotechnics, wet the ground to minimize the risk of dry vegetation catching fire.

Encourage children to watch carefully how adults handle fireworks, unless the adults are doing it incorrectly.

Do not allow children to hold fireworks in their hands and light them. If adults do this, it is a teaching moment. Explain to the children that those adults are stupid.

[ochazuke]

20. In other words, if you're going to act like an idiot, be responsible

Somehow, I doubt that anyone will get the message.

Shots are usually heard as the clock passes zero-hundred hours here in suburuban Kansas City, Missouri.

A couple years ago, someone firing shots into the air killed someone a few blocks away.

Idiots must think they burn upon re-entry.

[catmandu57]

23. Re entry

thats a good one.

Not so much as in years past, but I still pull the covers tighter at midnight like they'de stop a bullet.

[annonymous]

21. This has been a problem in Baltimore for years.

The police always step up patrols around midnight to stop people from discharging guns.

[wingnut]

22. I do

El Barrio in central Phoenix.

[blondeatlast]

66. Curious if there was less of it last night with the awareness campaign?

[Demobrat]

24. Not usually. I certainly hope not.

Firecrackers galore, yes. Guns, no. I live in the North Beach section of San Francisco, walking distance from at least 100 bars. A bullet fired into the air around here tonight would land on a person more likely than not.

[Jack_Dawson]

26. You just talked me into parking in the garage

I'm going to make my gf come pick me up since she doesn't have a garage at her house. Damn...$700? That blows.

[greatauntoftriplets]

28. Chicago fireworks on NYE tend to be of the .32 caliber variety.

Fortunately, it is up on the main street a bit to the west of me. The cops have reminded people that they will be charging anyone who discharges a gun to celebrate with a felony. (As they should.)

On edit: And the damned things wake me up. I'd be really unhappy if I had bullet holes in my car.

[Ellen Forradalom]

32. Same when the Bulls won the championship

Knuckleheads emptied their magazines on that occasion too.

[greatauntoftriplets]

40. Oh yes, I remember that as well.

Only horns last fall when the Cubs were doing well, of course. Go figure.

[Karenina]

29. I put my (grown) baby

on a plane this morning. He, to this day, is NOT fond of loud noise. Some years back when we went down to the street to welcome in the New Year in Hessen (lots of fireworks, no live ammo) he grabbed my hand and said, "MOM! ALL THIS NOISE AND NO GUNS!!! I can't wait to tell Dad!"

[amazona]

30. it does occur

Mostly in New Orleans though...have not heard of it happening more out in the countryside. But how could you tell if someone was shooting off a gun with all the frickin' fireworks going off?

They know guns were being shot in New Orleans because one year a bullet came down and killed someone downtown. Sad and stupid.

[blondeatlast]

67. Cops are well aware of the differing sounds.

They kind of have to be, ya know?

[hel]

31. I live in a community

where jerk offs will fire guns in the air, after soccer games, at holidays, just when we're entering a new year (which, we did just half an hour earlier by the way) (we got here, first, as always!), at weddings, and, basically, whenever they feel like it. and all that while it's illegal to own firearms without a license in this country.

You get pretty used to it after a while. Then you watch on TV people getting killed while looking out of the window just at the wrong moment.

Happy New Year to all DU'ers from -not exactly but still- Middle East.

[MediumBrownDog]

33. New Orleans....

The do it CONSTANTLY on New Year's.

[HEyHEY]

34. Who lives in a community where son-of-a-guns will jerkoff at midnight?

I was gonna start a thread with that then thought better of it. :-)

[blondeatlast]

68. Better that than this idiocy.

[supernova]

35. I do *raising hand*

:hi:

BUT I live in the country, and most of my neighbors hunt. They go into the woods for target practice, not mindless air shooting. :eyes:

There will probably be fireworks too, but I'll be at a friend's house in a different part of the county.

[RUexperienced]

36. I live in a place where I can shoot

whenever I want. One sunday morning I was sitting listening to jazz and saw the 'varmit' that was tearing up my yard.

Half an hour later my neighbor calls my wife and asks who is the caddyshack guy in our yard walking around in his bathrobe pouring gasoline down a mole hole and shooting in the other end.

And it wasn't even New Years Day.

[blondeatlast]

69. Shooting DOWN is one thing, shooting randomly over one's head is

idiocy at it's worst.

[5thGenDemocrat]

37. Saginaw, Michigan -- West Side

Oh, hell, yes. It sounds like the Battle of the Marne.
John
HIT THE DIRT!!

[mlawson]

38. OMG, no!! Who ever heard of such a thing???

What are those people, on drugs???

[BlueCollar]

39. Fort Worth, Texas

I absoloutly guarantee that there will be the sound of gunfire tonight. I'm even more certain of that than Powell/Bush/Cheney/Perle/Wofowitz et al were about WMDs in Iraq...

[aQuArius]

44. Cowtown, nuff said.....

;)

[tishaLA]

41. Here in L.A. (Hollywood)

motherfuckers blast their guns at midnight too. Was the same way when I lived in Koreatown. Drives me NUTS.

[mouse7]

54. Lived right by Melrose and Vine for years

There was a Columbian-owned dance club on Melrose one street down from me in the early 90's. Guess what it was a cover for and guess who owned it through shadow corporations? First two guesses don't count. More currency probably went through that club than went through most of the banks downtown.

Anyway, they like to have monthly shootouts that would make you dive behind the cinder block firewall in your unit, and New Years was real freakin' special for a couple of years.

Put it this way... I can now tell from a gunshot generally what type of gun it is and whether it is aimed in my direction. If you hear the air crackle and whistle just before you hear a shot, you just got lucky and you best hit the dirt and not press your luck further.

[LWolf]

42. I do.

Right now there is a competition going on between the guy next door and the guys behind me; can Zep & Skynyrd overpower the mariachi band?

It's early yet, they're barely getting started. I've got 4.75 hours before the shooting starts, I hope. I'm putting in earplugs shortly.

[Philostopher]

43. When I lived in New Mexico,

In the high desert, where it was dry as a bone nine months of the year (and we only averaged ten inches of rain in the 'monsoon season'), they not only shot guns into the air but set off fireworks. There was always at least one gunpowder injury, and more often than not, at least one local edifice burned down because of a stray bottle rocket. One year, it was everybody's favorite dance hall -- reputedly, since local cops hung out there, they started cracking down on the fireworks after that.

Here in the Midwest, at least in the 'burbs, people frequently scream and bang on pots and pans outside, or make other loud noises -- not actuated by gunpowder -- at midnight. Supposedly, that's to scare the evil spirits away, I guess.

[maveric]

45. Here in San Diego it sounds like a war zone...

every new years eve. A lot of gun owners out here that dont realize that bullets shot in the air always come dowm.

[burythehatchet]

46. Hey I live in Baghdad...we'll be firing off at midnight

just kidding

[sasquatch]

47. I do

Every year the redneck transplants of SW Ohio go out and shoot their guns in the air. Every year as well someones car gets shot up because the fucking bullet has to land somewhere:dunce:

[Lady Freedom]

48. ME!

Going through Joplin,MO tonight at midnight? Duck!!!!!!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

49. Any casualties yet?

[greatauntoftriplets]

60. Dunno what happened, I slept through it.

:shrug:

[blondeatlast]

71. None so far in Phoenix, thank God. Very unusual not to have at least

an injury or two. I can say I heard far less shooting thatn usual last night,and in my neighborhood, it has been a common occurrence.

Two of the redneck families have moved this year, fwiw.

[The Zanti Regent]

50. 10 PM in Los Angeles and the Guns are firing all over the place

It started at 9 PM and has been going on real heavy ever since. Also hear a lot of paramedic sirens. Idiots have to go out on the street and get hit. Darwin award winners

[ajacobson]

51. Detroit

There's some heavy ordinance out there.

[Hillsey]

52. Maybe a few gun shots here just now

But mostly fireworks. We just hit the stroke of midnight here.

[Forkboy]

53. Why should tonight be any different?

:shrug:

[Kathleen04]

57. Yep...here too..

Southern CA.

[BGAL1965]

58. GUNS????????

Hell around here some asshole has been setting off DYNAMITE!

[LWolf]

59. Well, about 11:00 or so

I started hearing sirens; in two different directions. The local parties quieted down. I'd been trying to sleep; all of the excitement kept the dog up; she knew something was going on, and she was determined to be outside announcing all of the action. I was just as determined to keep her in.

The sirens traveled back and forth, off and on until I gave up and put the earplugs in close to midnight.

[Kellanved]

61. no guns needed

Last year jerks destroyed one of my car-windows :grr: with fireworks. I was lucky that they didn't throw any fireworks inside the car.

[blondeatlast]

62. It's common in Phoenix, but the cops are really cracking down

on it.

A couple of years ago, a 14 year old girl was standing in her backyard talking to a friend on a portable phone when a bullet came straight down on her. She died instantly. From this, the state legislature enacted Shannon's Law:

snip
When, in connection with the investigation of Shannon's death, the Phoenix police told her parents that Phoenix had some of the weakest gun laws for any city of comparable size in the country, and that the discharge of a firearm within the city was a simple misdemeanor, the Smiths set about to change that. They had widespread and bipartisan support, including the Governor, the Attorney General, the County Attorneys and City Councils in Phoenix and Tucson, law enforcement statewide and many others. The proposed amendment to the law came to be known as "Shannon's Law." The Smiths thought that making it a felony, under the appropriate circumstances, to discharge a weapon in a city, was eminently reasonable and would pass easily and quickly-there couldn't be a "random gunfire lobby" to oppose it. However, they were wrong. The NRA and other local and national members of the gun lobby resisted mightily.

http://www.bradycampaign.org/activism/victims/shannon_smith.asp

Last year, a sevenish boy was asleep in his bedroom when a bullet came through the roof, injuring him in the stomach.

ARe there two more innocent victims of stupidity in the US? This is the most inane, asinine thing anyone could do.

[RebelOne]

70. Surprisingly, I didn't hear any gunfire last night.

I live in a mobile home park north of Atlanta. There are a lot of Latinos and I expected to hear shooting, but all was quiet. Maybe the fact that the police station is just a mile down the road had something to do with it.