That Old Familiar Tune
At first the sound blends into the other sounds in the neighborhood; car engines, kids playing in yards, a mower; birds singing. But the closer it gets, the sound is undeniable; completely recognizable to anyone over 12 months old; the soft, persistent tinkling of a tune.
It brings back childhood memories for most adults; it's synonymous with hot days, sprinklers and summer vacation; it's the ice cream truck.
And I've grown to hate that strained, relentless music; that herald calling all children, everything within earshot to come running with little fistfuls of money; running without care; running for that chance to buy a cold, sweet treat from some stranger slowly, methodically driving up and down the neighborhood streets.
So, call me a wet blanket, a downer, a killjoy or any other name, but ice cream trucks have long left a bad taste in my mouth.
Even as a young child, I can recall hearing the little tune playing, running to get my money, running outside to the street, buying my sweet confection, realizing my brother didn't have enough for his bomb pop, running back to the house, getting more money from my stash, running back out to the ice cream truck and skinning my finger in my haste to get him the money before the truck pulled away from the curb.
Ever since that incident when I was 10.5 years old, I have wondered about the whole concept of ice cream trucks. OK, so I've always been keen on safety issues, but often for good reason. You may recall my article from last October, posted on my birthday, about the day I hit a kid with my car, all because of an ice cream truck. No? Well, then you should definitely read it right after you read this one.
Regulation of the Ice Cream Truck
With my kids now at the age that their first reactions to the strained music teasingly, tantalizingly weaving in and out of proximity is to grab a fist of money and run towards the street I started thinking about the whole Idea of ice cream trucks and the regulations holding them in check.
Here's what I found. Most ice cream trucks are regulated at the local level of government whether by city by their particular ordinances or by the county. Many of the cities and counties have a licensing fee and inspection process. But what surprised me most was that most of the inspection/licensing processes had nothing to do with driving records, criminal records or safety training.
In fact, I found no regulations providing restrictions or guidance on when and where to stop, vehicle speeds or any safety measures for that matter.
Tucson, AZ, requires the drivers to be fingerprinted and Massachusetts requires both a state and local license with a number of restrictions in place. Parts of OH have tightened restrictions and requirements amid concerns of drug dealing along with peddling ice cream treats and ensure the drivers are not sexual predators with past convictions, etc.
I did find a local regulation for Arlington, TX, that gave suggestions for taking care that children didn't walk out into oncoming traffic and requirements that signs warning drivers to watch for children be placed on the front and rear of the vehicle in addition to flashing caution lights, etc. These are standard requirements and warnings, but it's more than some regulations require.
The Scoop
So, what's a parent to do? Be careful and take precautions. Be sure your kids know to NEVER run out into the street, not even when there is ice cream to be had. Be sure your kids understand the dangers, and that kids do get hit and can get killed. I know. I hit a child with my car after the child dashed out from around the ice cream truck without ever looking; without ever stopping.
On a recent late afternoon when all four of us happened to be out in our front yard working on some project, I looked up and saw the ice cream van – as many of them actually are in our neighborhood – slowly driving up our street, miraculously without music playing. But then, he spied our kids in the yard and flipped the switch on. The kids, upon hearing that old, familiar tune, immediately looked up with a grin, began running toward the street. Now, mind you, my kids have never had ice cream bought from a street prowling vendor, and yet this is still their reaction.
I caught the driver's eye and waved him on. He flipped the switch back off and continued trolling the streets for eager kids with money. Over and out...
*Don't worry no ice cream was withheld from the children of the perhaps {overly} cautious parent. We just prefer to get our frozen confections from the nearby Mexican market or the local DQ.
Anna
