Selling Expired Flares
- Thread starter dolabriform
- Start date
rszemeti
Well-Known Member
Indeed. I find it fascinating that people consider them safe and experience has proven them safe when being bounced around for decades in the locker of a boat ... but somehow think they are going to set themselves off the moment they go near a van.
FWIW, we bought a coastal flare pack. It arrived on the usual courier from the online chandlery (DHL or similar) with a hazard sticker on it. I don't recall any special precautions being taken, I suspect they just pile them in the van along with everything else. I don't think the hazard sticker had any significant effect on the likelyhood of it going off.
As others noted earlier, they have seen in date flares fail and hurt people, I remain unconvinced that if stored correctly, the expiry date is anything more than a marketing tool!
Robert Wilson
Well-Known Member
Elemental
Well-Known Member
Well, don't worry - they're still for sale
.Whatever anyone's views on the merits (or not) of pyro-technics as distress signals, I'm amazed that anyone would defend the casual sale/delivery of such items.
Ohlin Karcher
N/A
The flares arrived this morning, they are like new, very well wrapped, and delivered by a popular courier.Well, don't worry - they're still for sale
Whatever anyone's views on the merits (or not) of pyro-technics as distress signals, I'm amazed that anyone would defend the casual sale/delivery of such items.
That's how they are usually delivered anyway.
Do you imagine that if you pay extortionate chandlers' delivery prices, you get a special EOD trained technician and an explosive-resistant steel container? They come in a cardboard box, dropped off by a courier!
If they are still for sale, that's just someone demonstrating common sense.
Old Bumbulum
Well-Known Member
I read some of the above comments with utter amazement.
Do people really think it is acceptable to be selling out of date pyros on a popular public forum like ebay?
These things are scrap in terms of the purpose for which thay are made. Who's going to but them? A few silly yotties maybe, but mostly no doubt to football hooligans and others with less than responsible intent..
The vendor advertised delivery by Hermes which specifically forbids fireworks and inflammable goods so no hazmat label would be acceptable, and despatch without one makes it an act of wilful criminally negligent endangerment.
I'm astonished ebay haven't taken this guy down.
I'm trying to view this against someone selling out of date food but without bothering to mention that inconvenient fact, and the howls of outrage that would follow.
Which is worse, selling ood life-saving pyro kit or mere stale food? Blimey!
Do people really think it is acceptable to be selling out of date pyros on a popular public forum like ebay?
These things are scrap in terms of the purpose for which thay are made. Who's going to but them? A few silly yotties maybe, but mostly no doubt to football hooligans and others with less than responsible intent..
The vendor advertised delivery by Hermes which specifically forbids fireworks and inflammable goods so no hazmat label would be acceptable, and despatch without one makes it an act of wilful criminally negligent endangerment.
I'm astonished ebay haven't taken this guy down.
I'm trying to view this against someone selling out of date food but without bothering to mention that inconvenient fact, and the howls of outrage that would follow.
Which is worse, selling ood life-saving pyro kit or mere stale food? Blimey!
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prv
Well-Known Member
Regardless of the merits of this sale, it's not a like-for-like comparison because there's no attempt to deceive the buyer. The expiry date is front-and-centre in the main picture of the ad.
Pete
ShinyShoe
Well-Known Member
As far as eBay is concerned it's more like someone selling a gun, ammunition or explosives.
I do not understand why it's not been taken down. Might list a gun to see how long it stays up!
I do not understand why it's not been taken down. Might list a gun to see how long it stays up!
Talulah
Well-Known Member
Perhaps the comparison with food should go further. Instead of an expiry date they should have a best before date.
PilotWolf
Well-Known Member
Not sure about flares - think I'd fire up wind so they blow back to me?
If it has a line like a line thrower IIRC fire down wind so the wind effect on the line sends it back to my position?
Its late and I'm drowning my sorrows still so probably wrong...
W.
If it has a line like a line thrower IIRC fire down wind so the wind effect on the line sends it back to my position?
Its late and I'm drowning my sorrows still so probably wrong...
W.
JumbleDuck
Well-Known Member
It's not unusual for carriers to accept from companies things which they wouldn't take from private individuals, with special arrangements for packing.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Exactly. I guess they wouldn't want people selling time expired flares over the internet and sending them in one of those plastic mailing bags.
ShinyShoe
Well-Known Member
Indeed.
And just like you could be driving some in your car to the boat, you would be aware of it so if your car caught fire you can say to the fire service.
Not sure you'd be allowed through certain tunnels etc.
And while I'm sure they get a bit of a battering in the flare box, I've seen how parcels are lobbed around in courier depots etc. If I haven't told them it's dangerous it's my fault if it goes off. If I told them it's theirs.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
I agree with you as this was taught to me. However, on the pamphlet below it is not mentioned: -
https://www.painswessex.com/docs/default-source/catalogues/pains-wessex-brochure.pdf?sfvrsn=10
https://www.painswessex.com/docs/de...a7e81543094f6dc8b783ff000066fb4b.pdf?sfvrsn=6
https://www.painswessex.com/products/solas/para-red-rocket-mk8a
It is mentioned and described in the "training animation" on the 3rd link and the 'product demo'.
D
Deleted member 36384
Guest
Ohlin Karcher
N/A
I've just ordered a multipack of 24 camping gas bottles, from a discount mail order supplier. They will be sent as a parcel, in a cardboard box.
The energy in that box is far more than the energy in a few flares, and they are easy to punture, being disposable tins of thin metal.
I suggest the keyboard safety gauleiters get in touch with Amazon, they post millions every year.
The energy in that box is far more than the energy in a few flares, and they are easy to punture, being disposable tins of thin metal.
I suggest the keyboard safety gauleiters get in touch with Amazon, they post millions every year.
PaulRainbow
Well-Known Member
Just saw the local garage taking delivery of a few thousand litres of petrol, delivered in a suitable container and appropriately marked, not in plastic bags, delivered by the village posty.
Ohlin Karcher
N/A
Jolly good, LPG and flares are normally delivered in cardboard boxes by cheap courier companies though.
dolabriform
Well-Known Member
So whatever all the naysayers think, or want to believe, we seem to have a difference of opinion here which is fair enough, but some of the attitudes that have been presented I find quite shocking.
In theory, we are all seafarers and skippers and have a duty of responsibility to those in our care. Yet despite published and promoted guidelines / laws there are those that deem it acceptable to say what the **** and ignore everything.
So go ahead and launch an out of date flare from a suspect source and bet your life and the life of those on the boat with you on it.
Go ahead and order a year old flare of ebay that causes a one in a billion chance of a fire that changes someones life in not a good way.
By all means, if your conscience as a skipper and human being accepts that, take that risk.
I for one will not be doing that and I applaud and commend all those who have posted on this thread who think the same way as I do.
edit: clarification of my final sentence
In theory, we are all seafarers and skippers and have a duty of responsibility to those in our care. Yet despite published and promoted guidelines / laws there are those that deem it acceptable to say what the **** and ignore everything.
So go ahead and launch an out of date flare from a suspect source and bet your life and the life of those on the boat with you on it.
Go ahead and order a year old flare of ebay that causes a one in a billion chance of a fire that changes someones life in not a good way.
By all means, if your conscience as a skipper and human being accepts that, take that risk.
I for one will not be doing that and I applaud and commend all those who have posted on this thread who think the same way as I do.
edit: clarification of my final sentence
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Ohlin Karcher
N/A
The most well-publicised, non-anecdotal UK flare accident was caused by an in-date flare..and that's not a one in a billion chance..
By the way, an OOD flare worked, and got us towed off some rocks, this summer. (A 100% success rate for the flares I have let off to attract attention at sea. Out of date of course).
I have let of lots of flares of all types, all out of date, and they all worked fine.
By the way, an OOD flare worked, and got us towed off some rocks, this summer. (A 100% success rate for the flares I have let off to attract attention at sea. Out of date of course).
I have let of lots of flares of all types, all out of date, and they all worked fine.