Sparklers Illegal?

Quidam · Post by **Quidam** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:11 am

I was under the impression all fireworks were illegal at the event, yet a couple of my friends were under the impression sparklers were okay.

I'd hate to draw the eye of Sauron- anyone know if they're legal or not?

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:33 am

I've never seen anyone using sparklers anywhere in BRC in six years. I'm pretty sure they fall under Consumer Fireworks and are not allowed.

from the main site fire safety:

Safety Perimeters

* An appropriate Audience Safety Perimeter and Performer's Safety Zone shall be set well in advance of the performance and approved by the Performance Safety Team:

4 feet
Finger fire, handheld finger props.

15 feet
Chains, staves, torches or smaller props. Chains and fire tools must come no closer than 5 feet to lights or overhead structures.

25 feet
All scenery and decorations are flame retardant. Unless intended to combust.

50 or more feet
Sparklers, fountains, firecrackers (Consumer Fireworks) or as approved by the Performance Safety Team.
Open Fire Perimeter - multiply the height of artwork time 2 (example, if artwork is 30 feet high the perimeter would be 60 feet radius).

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:35 am

From Page 2 of the Survival Guide:
Aerial flares, rockets, explosives, and fireworks are prohibited in Black Rock City and could result in a fine.

>>Yes that includes sparklers. When it comes to fireworks it's a TOTAL ban unless it's been ORG approved in advance.

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 8:46 am

I say go for it anyway!

HA HA HA

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:21 am

I saw someone with a sparkler there once. I also saw someone shooting off a roman candle on the way to see the man burn.

Not only were they breaking the rules and doing something annoying and slightly dangerous, but they looked really lame trying to impress people with this dinky little bit of fire when there were much larger, cooler burning shit all around them.

skygod · Post by **skygod** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:26 am

Dork wrote: trying to impress people with this dinky little bit of fire

That IS seriously funny. I mean , what a huge difference in scale.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 9:53 am

It's only illegal and expensive if you get caught. I'm not advocating breaking the rules...I'm just saying the obvious.

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:15 am

Dork wrote:I saw someone with a sparkler there once. I also saw someone shooting off a roman candle on the way to see the man burn.

Not only were they breaking the rules and doing something annoying and slightly dangerous, but they looked really lame trying to impress people with this dinky little bit of fire when there were much larger, cooler burning shit all around them.

How do you know they were trying to impress? That seems to impose a lot on somebody you don't even know. Maybe they just had to get rid of them.

Yeah, one year we kept waking up in camp to find all sorts of firework and roman candle detrius on our tents. This pissed us off mightily, because, well those tents are flammable and IT'S AGAINST THE RULES.

But getting all upset about the rules being followed or not, is not why I go out there. There is elementary school for that. There are no easy answers, all I'm going to do is keep my own inner school marm under wraps. Unless of course the situation calls for it. Then it'll be my art.

Burp! · Post by **Burp!** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:34 am

Man, it's scary to think how far we have come, that there is even a discussion about sparklers and whether or not they should be allowed on the playa or not. Back in the day, way way way back, about 8 years ago, one of our groups main focus was figuring out how we were going to get a hold of Class C fire works that are illegal just about everywhere, stuff like aerials and the oh so dangerous but oh so cool Saturn Missile Batteries. Usually involved some real covert mission to get them from Florida to Nevada. Anyway, we would have these really cool firework displays that really put the "You take your own life into your hands" disclaimer on the ticket to the test. so here we are now, talking about whether a sparker is a good idea or not??!! Yikes! First they take away the Fire, then fireworks, what next??? Anything with a sharp edge?

I say fuck-em! Burn your Sparkler!!!!

T.

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:37 am

But getting all upset about the rules being followed or not, is not why I go out there.

Me, too. Drop by some time for a sip of port from our glass decanter and the glass stemware cordial glasses. We may even have some jar cake from the glass jars they're baked in.

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:43 am

It makes the Regionals look even more interesting. Don't like something at one of their events? It's not overloaded with the morass of bureaucracy that the main event has, you can get involved and push for change.

Maybe it's time to put some of the "edge" back on the BRC experience, a refocusing like Borg2 accomplished with the art last year. Who runs this event anymore? Is it the ORG sitting in their HQ in SF most of the year, or do the participants really have any say in what's acceptable? It's an interesting question. (Do the participants have any tools left for truly influencing the event at a high level? The town meeting wasn't held last year. AG rarely posts here so you can't catch her ear. How do we seriously effect change without using the Borg's direct challenge approach?)

Yet I'm sitting here typing away about making changes yet I'm afraid of a fucking BLM ticket if I challenge the rules...it's not as easy to do this as it was for the Borg to have their revolution. It's certainly worth thinking over though. When we get to the point where sparklers are banned.....it's a bit much.

phil · Post by **phil** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 11:28 am

Who runs this event anymore? Is it the ORG sitting in their HQ in SF most of the year, or do the participants really have any say in what's acceptable?

Neither - certainly not the participants. I'd _guess_ that most of the stupid restrictions are the work of BLM trying to protect us from ourselves. And maybe most of the smart restrictions, too. :->

Post by **AntiM** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:54 pm

It makes the Regionals look even more interesting.

Oh, there were BLM tickets handed out at Singularity for fireworks. The fireworks ON the effigy as I heard it! And Utahns are well trained not to set off almost any sort of fireworks because of all the burn restrictions in the summer.

Are railroad torpedoes considered fireworks?

Cabanasprings · Post by **Cabanasprings** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 12:57 pm

Burp! wrote:Man, it's scary to think how far we have come, that there is even a discussion about sparklers and whether or not they should be allowed on the playa or not. Back in the day, way way way back, about 8 years ago, one of our groups main focus was figuring out how we were going to get a hold of Class C fire works that are illegal just about everywhere, stuff like aerials and the oh so dangerous but oh so cool Saturn Missile Batteries. Usually involved some real covert mission to get them from Florida to Nevada. Anyway, we would have these really cool firework displays that really put the "You take your own life into your hands" disclaimer on the ticket to the test. so here we are now, talking about whether a sparker is a good idea or not??!! Yikes! First they take away the Fire, then fireworks, what next??? Anything with a sharp edge?

I say fuck-em! Burn your Sparkler!!!!

T.

I say Sparkle your Burner

skygod · Post by **skygod** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:26 pm

I had a bunch of skyrockets and mortar shell fireworks I got in Alaska stored in my garage for years. Finally got rid of em, couldn't find a place to set em off with out risking charges of arson or terrorism and I was afraid they might set my garage on fire.
bleh.