Ice Cream Trucks May Come Back

woi-tv.com ^ | 03/3/07 | woitv

[Ellesu]

A soothing summer sound may be making its way back onto Des Moines streets. The City Council will discuss the possibility of allowing ice cream trucks back into neighborhoods. The trucks were banned several years ago when a 9 year-old girl was killed when she was hit by a car while crossing the street. The meeting is scheduled for 4:30 this evening at City Hall.

[RexBeach]

Ice Cream trucks are common to my neighborhood.

When I was a youngster, I was lucky enough to have spent a few summers on Cape Cod. It sure was fun to hear the bells of the old ice cream truck early in the evening after dinner.

That's what I think of now when I hear the truck working its way down the street. It is a charming memory.

[loungitude]

In Denver, a child was killed in an ice cream truck-related accident.

Following that, no children got to experience the joy of the 'ice cream man' for 20 years or so.

Crazy. I hope Des Moines gets them back.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

That's what I think of now when I hear the truck working its way down the street. It is a charming memory.

In our neighborhood, they're a thing of dread, because they cruise around constantly playing that annoying tune at an ungodly volume. Every time I hear that effing song from The Sting, I go batty, like Curley when he hears Pop Goes the Weasel.

[HOTTIEBOY]

My dog hates those icecream trucks. The ones with the intercom speaker on top playing that jingle over and over drive him crazy...

[Arthalion]

they're a thing of dread, because they cruise around constantly playing that annoying tune at an ungodly volume

In mine, those have all been driven off by the Mexicans on the ice cream bicycles. The Mexicans have better ice cream, they're cheaper, and they only have one small bell to let you know they're coming. It's interesting too...my kids can hear that tiny bell blocks away, while they totally tuned out the loudspeakers.

[theFIRMbss]

People were proud in Doubleback Alley
Neighbors were loud, but ever so pally
People would shout
Joking about
The smoke and the soot
Mother would put
the milk bottles out

We had a good time in Doubleback Alley
With fences to climb and Father O'Malley
to clip your ear
and steer you clear
of the funny man
on the ice cream van
that talked so queer

Doubleback Alley takes me back and in my mind I see
happy smiling faces if I flog my memory

Plenty to do in Doubleback Alley
Play peek-a-boo with Saccharine Sally
Bouncing a ball
against the wall
showing her drawers
you come indoors
her dad would call

Doubleback Alley takes me back and in my mind I see
happy smiling faces if I flog my memory

Stinking of gin in Doubleback Alley
Grinning a grin in Doubleback Alley
Kick a dustbin
Bingo to win
Windows to break
mother would take
the milk bottles in

Doubleback Alley takes me back and in my mind I see
happy smiling faces if I flog my memory

Doubleback Alley takes me back and in my mind I see
happy smiling faces if I flog my memory

[TBP]

When I was a kid, we had two ice cream trucks that rolled through my nieghborhood: Good Humaor and a brand known as Bungalow Bar.

The kids in my neighborhood hated Bungalow Bar. This was the common chant:

Bungalow Bar
Tastes like tar.
The more you eat it,
The sicker you are.

Of course, it was done when the Bungalow Bar guy showed up.

[Constitution Day]

Ice cream, ice cream, ice cream!
Want a lick?



PSYCHE!

[Gay State Conservative]

I used to love the ice cream truck as a kid.I loved the milk truck too,in summer,because when the milk guy would leave it to make a delivery we used to sneak on and grab some ice.The drivers didn't really mind though.

[neb52]

I agree, that bloody loud speaker drowns everything out including the conversation one was having prior to the truck's arrival.

[Freedom4US]

and they don't play the coda... really annoying. There oughta be a law against that.

[tet68]

It is a charming memory.

Yep, and I remember too the mosquito control trucks would cruise our neighborhoods spraying their dense fog of deadly
insectacide, which we kids would ride through on our bikes,
little realizing that by doing so we were being hideously
mutated into staunch conservatives!

You don't believe me?
My sister wouldn't ride her bike through the fog, she's a liberal now.

I'll have an orange push up, thanks.

[Dutch Boy]

The hard part as an adult is pretending to work on your car long enough to let the ice cream truck to close enough to make a dash, get your treat and back to car before the neighbors see you.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Ice Cream Bicycles?!?!?!?

Now that's a new one for me. I'd hate to have to haul all that ice cream around on a bike, but if it works for them, God love 'em. Sounds much better than the a-holes with the loudspeakers.

[Arthalion]

Oh, these aren't cheap coolers strapped to a bike: http://www.industrialbicycles.com/v-ict.htm. Note the nearly $2,000 price tag. The guy that comes around my neighborhood actually has a larger unit, with two coolers.

It's a pretty neat setup. Our local ice cream bike cruises through our neighborhood twice a day on weekends, and once daily during the summer. No loud horns, just a simple jingling bell hanging on the cooler. I've seen others who have two or more bells, but without power, they're never too loud.

Now, if we could just get them to learn English.

[SoCal Pubbie]

Government generally has two alternatives for every problem (real or perceived). Raise taxes on it or make it illegal.