The Scoop on Ice Cream Trucks

Blame it on the jingle, that maddening, scratchy tune that gets closer closer closer until it’s BLARING RIGHT OUTSIDE. Blame it on the jingle, that maddening, scratchy tune that gets closer closer closer until it’s BLARING RIGHT OUTSIDE. Blame it on the jingle . . .

The latest victim of Driven Nuts by Ice Cream Trucks Syndrome is Ventura County Supervisor John K. Flynn, who last week set out to lick the perennial problems of noise, litter and traffic hazard posed by the sweets-hawking fleets that cruise the county’s streets.

Citing complaints from constituents, Flynn has asked county officials to explore stiff, new restrictions that could regulate ice cream trucks’ appearance, decibel levels and sales routes.

“They play their music much too loud, they stop in front of homes much too long, the trucks don’t look very good and people are pretty concerned about the safety of their children,” Flynn said.

More than 150 ice cream trucks have permits to operate in Ventura County, records show. But while county health officials can enforce everything from sanitary standards to the temperature of the ice cream, there are no laws to regulate the trucks’ appearance or noise.

Oxnard has been grappling with the problem for a month of sundaes.

In Orange County, Costa Mesa didn’t shut the trucks down but it did shut them up: A law passed in May bans all bells, whistles, music and other sounds intended to draw customers to the roving sweet shops.

We think that is overkill. Like the church bells that periodically touch off noise complaints when some grump finds them objectionable, ice cream trucks are one of those traditional sounds that bring a nostalgic smile. Silencing them altogether would be a shame.

But we are glad to have county staff looking into ways to control Driven Nuts by Ice Cream Trucks Syndrome with reasonable rules such as decibel limits and a requirement that the music stops when the truck stops.

Blame it on the jingle. . . .