Is it just me?

I think its because they are a young couple Jen. Worrying about getting their fingers burned !
Are you a Smokeless Zone ?
I have asked for a community leaflet here giving all the rules about convivial living procedures.
(No rows after 11 p.m. etc. )

I know Diane, I've calmed down now. Back in Pembury no one was allowed bomfires but here they are allowed. You just have to notify the local fire station so they don't get called out by mistake. I don't mind them having bomfires, it's the timing I object. They lit it at lunchtime with no warning. I had to rush and get my washing in and shut my windows and doors as the wind blew all the smoke my way.

There was a byelaw in a place I once lived, to the effect that bonfires could not be lit before 7 pm.
Maybe you could check if there's one in your area.

And it isn't just you Jen. People around here also light fires in the daytime - and two of them in this road are elderly ladies in their 80s

I find it very annoying, and I also find barbekews (can't spell that !) annoying. We can't sit in the garden on a summer's evening because of the *** things - we have to go in and close the doors and windows ... and why should one be forced to do that on the rare warm evenings we get !!! :(((

We are lucky here as rarely do we get any, saying that if we do its two doors up and always on a lovely summers evening, the garden is a tip so why they do it I'll never understand....Yes it makes one feel very angry...

I do agree with you Hywel - I loathe the smell of other people's BBQs.
I'm a bonfire offender but do check the wind direction first. We have one or two in the autumn if we manage it before the rains starts, and one in the spring after the baby rooks have flown away. We haven't really got an alternative with the amount of branches etc we cut. We always have water and forks on hand and if the wind changed and the smoke started heading for houses we would put it out.

Fire pits are the problem where I live. They burn poor quality wood which stinks and I really don't know how they can cosily sit around these things stinking their clothes and bodies up and creating an insult to my right to breathe in fresh air on my property. Open fires such as those for burning property refuse (leaves, twigs etc) are banned. What is needed is a regulation that these pit and barb fires be generated by a gas fuel source propane or otherwise.

Yes, I agree with Diane, guess it's because they are a young couple.

When we first moved here we were the youngest in the lane. We were "advised" not to burn any wood (thatched cottages around) ; to keep our ditches clear: not to have bonfires without contacting the local fire station. ( any smoke brought them out looking for heath fires); to check trees could/could not be chopped down; to keep Sundays as quiet as possible, I have never forgotten these "hints".

Now we are the oldest in the lane the "youngsters" fell trees indiscriminately; park cars on ditches and so fill them in; burn leaves occasionally, ( though they have got the message about bonfires): have log fires that create sparks.........
They have learnt country ways, I'm glad to say, except on November 5th, and the Nature Reserve has a draconian warden who keeps an eye out for transgressors.

Young people aren't always the ones at fault. Today, retired neighbour mowed his lawn with a very noisy machine. He's home all week, for Goodness' sake!

Hubby thinks it wasn't just garden waste as at one point the smoke was very black and acid smell. I was informed by the lady who is my other neighbour, but lives 2 small fields away that bomfires are allowed here when I moved in and it was she who told me about informing the fire station. Next door have much more land then us that I totally understand them having a bomfire, just wish they would do it later on in the day and give me a bit of warning. They have my mobile number so could txt me.

I am hoping the council produce the little leaflet I suggested.

There is not enough people living here for anything like that Diane. I have the couple living behind us, one who I always forget about across the road, have never met them or even seen them and the lady who told me about informing fire station about 150 yrds up the road.

I hate the smell of bonfires but love it when my neighbours have a BBQ. I can't bear cigarette or cigar smoke but love that of pipe tobacco. Someone in our street recently had a huge bonfire in the back garden which was left unattended and flames were high. I rang the council for advice and they said 'bonfires are allowed but let us know if it becomes dangerous'!

Leaving them unattended is pretty dangerous! Others round here have bonfires occasionally and nobody complains. Have to say I like the smell of woodsmoke.
We would need at least six trips to the tip, five miles each way, so ecologically burning is better for us. And try putting blackthorn into the back of the car...or even a trailer. So we are lucky to live where we do!

Now theres the dreaded plant again lol. The blackthorn I got out this last week I have cut into small pieces and put in my bin. Tim had got me some very thick leather gardening gloves couple of years ago and I found them handy dealing with the blackthorn. Put it in the bin as like you Sue, really didn't want it in my car.

We have by laws about bonfires and I stick to them but it would never occur to me to tell my neighbours, nor have I ever had someone knock and say they are having a bonfire.

Drc726, I would so as I said maybe it is just me. Years ago I got accused of being old before my time. I lived in Romsey and had wonderful neighbours. I was only in my early 20s but became very close to one side. They became Grandma and grandpa to my girls and as I had no family near helped me with them. I don't do Bbqs anymore as Tim doesn't like them but my ex did. We always warned bothsides if having a Bbq and more often or not they joined us. If they went out for day and had washing out and if started to rain I would get it in and they did the same. I love listening to radio 4 and 4 extra when doing the gardening but alway do it with ear plugs so don't invade my neighbours peace and quite.

Good for you Jen - I can't abide hearing other people's radios in the garden.I've been tempted to retaliate with a blast of Beethoven but never actually done it...
We don't have a green waste bin, it would take hours to cut everything up and weeks to dispose of it. Ought to get a trailer really but OH doesn't fancy towing one.

In some areas, people get so frantic and aggressive about bonfires.......some of the local Facebook forums in our local areas get so nasty about it that people are probably frightened to say anything to anyone when they have one but, they really should, in my opinion, wait till the evening if it's absolutely necessary to have one.
There's an old fella near us who seems to have one nearly every night and seems to put toxic materials such as plastics on it....judging by the smell. He even put an old mattress on once! He now has a metal Spring unit laying in the garden. But, at least it's at night time.

I have the choice of two tips, one is just over 10 miles away and the other about 15 miles. But I am lucky having my daughted so close. Her bins are normally fairly empty so she lets me fill up hers. We also can have an extra garden bin for £60 a year.

Sue, hubby got me a lovely little rechargeable digital radio for my birthday one year that fits in my pocket. I like listening to the plays on 4 extra and sometimes use it when even doing my housework as can still carry on listening while hoovering due to the ear plugs.

Paul, poor you having to see the state of that man's garden and put up with the smell of burning plastic. Like you I wish and think they should have bonfires later in the day. It was a lovely day here sunday but I ended up having to tumble dry my washing as I didn't want it smelling of smoke.