Ice Cream Truck Noise Pollution

Rick Eells, Milwaukee

Dear readers:

While I certainly agree something needs to be done about loud car stereos and motorcycles, I think that city hall forgot about two other noise polluters: car alarms and ice-cream trucks!

I used to live across from the McDonald's in Bay View, and in addition to loud stereos, I had to put up with car alarms going off at LEAST 5 times A DAY. That's in addition to the alarms of the cars that actually live on my block! Sometimes I would have to call management at McDonald's to ask one of their patrons to turn off their alarm, as it was going off for the past 15 minutes! You have to wonder how effective car alarms are when they go off with such regularity that NO-ONE, much less the alarm owners themselves, go to the window to check on their car.

Concerning ice-cream trucks: While it certainly can be annoying when a car goes "boom-boom" down the street, it usually passes in 2-10 seconds. Those damn ice-cream trucks can be heard 2-3 blocks away as they crawl through your neighborhood blaring "Pop Goes the Weasel", or "The Entertainer" over and over for the next 10 minutes.

I would encourage every citizen fed up with these other noise polluters to take down license plates and call the police non-emergency number to report them. Which brings me to another problem I have with the city's plan---it requires no proof. Someone with a personal grudge against you could call the police without the cops actually witnessing any violation.

Down with "Pop Goes the Weasel"!!!

Rick Eells

REPLY TO THIS COMMENT

darksacks

Rick, I can't agree with you more about the ice cream trucks. I can understand the car alarms a little, but it is a good theft deterent. The irony in this is that some of these alarms are probably being set off by the "bass busting" cars driving by. Oh our technology! But about the ice cream trucks... I've often had nightmares of driving those things around and not being able to get that terrible rendition of a song out of my head. The torrment must be unbearable.

anonymous

Rick, I live in the County of Los Angeles, and there are three ice cream trucks that come by on a daily basis, including weekends. The music is extremely loud and it goes on for 1/2 hour to 20 minutes per truck, they park in front of my neighbors driveway, across the street from my house. I'm so fed up with it and would like to know what could I do about a situation like this. I'm sure there's got to be a noise ordinance code. However, since we live in Los Angeles, it doesn't get enforced. I know for a fact that in some parts of the city such as Downey... you don't hear that kind of noise from the ice cream trucks, it's more like a ring of a bell. Any suggestions are welcome Thanks ARO

I have to agree about those ice cream trucks. I'm surprised at 4 bucks a gallon they can make a profit. Where the ice cream trucks are annoying, the loud motorcylces are actually painful and can be damaging to ones ears and hearing. I was riding my bicycle the other day and got blasted by one. He put the throttle all the way down just as he got along side me. The loud blast practically knocked me over and felt like my eardrum was being ripped out! My ear was sore for 3 days, in fact it's still messed up. This is the 3rd time this has happened this year! I can't believe this is legal. What purpose does it serve? It's to the point I don't want to go outside anymore. Can't wait for winter.

Auto alarms are useless, I agree. No one seems "alarmed" or alerted to the possibilty of theft when the noise goes on for minutes on end. In fact, i think it makes decent citizens want to throw rocks or eggs at the car in annoyance.

wow, yall are whiney bitches. especially the dude ridin the bike. awww, ur ear hurt from a motorcycle drivin by. grow a pair and shut up.

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Ice Cream Truck Noise Pollution

Rick Eells, Milwaukee

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