Ice Cream Truck?

[_19disnA]

Haven't seen/heard one in years. Recall in a prior state we used to live that one would circulate around the neighborhood. Always had the impression the loud music was an attempt to create attention and let you know they were around. Seems to me if they run out of ice cream they would go back to the warehouse and refill............LOL. Wouldn't make any sense to drive around an empty truck that has nothing left to sell. A silent ice cream truck wouldn't be noticed by as many people.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I heard of one in late spring in our cul-de-sac, surprised me as it's not a common thing. It's not a staple like it used to be.

Shaved ice is pretty popular, I know our HOA has gotten a food truck of a shaved ice company for events, a real estate agent in the neighborhood who does events has also gotten one but not really ice cream trucks anymore.

 

[barkley]

growing up in california in the 60's it was a regular thing at least once a week in the neighborhood I grew up in (rural suburbs-the kids in town saw them much more often). where I live in washington state you can encounter one making it's summer daily way from area to area at the 90 acre public park (not sure if they stop by the smaller neighborhood parks). in the little university town nearest where I live it's amusing to see one a couple times a week during the academic year (even when it's crazy cold with snow on the ground ) but NOT in the neighborhoods with kids-in the areas where the college students primarily live.

 

[AppleDumpling]

We had them here when I was a kid and still do now. The one of my childhood I remember most was Good Humor (there were a few others we didn’t like as much), and the driver had to manually pull a chain to ring the bells on the truck. There is one that goes through my neighborhood now several nights a week and it plays electronic music. As someone said upthread, they also sometimes sit at the local park, ball field or public pool during the spring/summer months.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I hear one very occasionally now, but back when DS and the neighborhood kids were young, we had one a lot!

 

[lanejudy]

Yes, we still have an ice cream truck that comes through the neighborhood a couple of times a week. It plays “It’s a Small World.”

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Just random questions that popped into my head.

Do any ice cream trucks drive around your neighborhood these days?
Or are they a thing of the past in most areas?
If you have one...does it play music? Ring a bell?

Where I live now, I will see a shaved ice/snow cone truck on occasion. (Well, more accurately, I will hear it because it plays super loud "island" type music.) But I never seen an ice cream truck.

Growing up in Iowa, there was an ice cream truck we'd see once in a while. It just had a bell, no music. And everyone called it "The Ding-Ding Man"...which my west coast husband finds hilarious.

Can't say whether it's a thing of the past. Our neighborhood gets one randomly. It plays a melody.

 

[CynBeth]

We have been in our house for over 20 years and all of a sudden have seen one in our development a few times as of late. Not sure how often it comes and what exactly it serves just that it plays old time music.

 

[kanne323]

My town never has an ice cream truck drive through. We do have at least six ice cream shops and stands plus at least six more stands that sell ice cream alongside other food, and two candy stores that have ice cream counters, all within about two miles of each other. I live almost across the street from one towards the edge of town, but most are within the town square and the street running along the beach.

 

[nene0182]

We have one that comes by at least once a night during the summer. It plays music. I’ve never actually seen him stop on our street but I’m assuming he must to keep doing it. Apparently it’s owned by a city policeman and a few others help him out. He doesn’t make much and just does it as a community thing.

 

[Dan Murphy]

We have one that comes by every day, later afternoons in the summer. Has been coming by now for maybe 6 weeks. Same guy, every year. Plays music, Turkey In the Straw, I think. Marie will buy an ice cream from him for both of us maybe a half dozen times a summer.

 

[LoveDaisy]

We have one that drives through our neighborhood a couple times a week. It plays Christmas music all year. My friend ran out a few years ago to buy an ice cream and ask about the Christmas music. She came back with an ice cream but said they only spoke Russian so she’s not sure why they play Christmas music. She said she had to point to what she wanted on their menu. I have never bought from them but it’s been the same truck with Christmas music for at least 10 years.

 

[tony67]

This is the first year where I have not heard one driving around - normally you hear it a few days a week in summer.

 

[slo]

Yes - I just saw and heard one on Thursday. Their music was so loud. I don’t see them as much as I did when I was a kid and I wonder if their demise has anything to do with gas being $3.45 per gallon. I’m sure those trucks go through a lot of gas and I doubt they sell enough to make a profit.

 

[leebee]

Where I grew up, the ice cream man drove thru our neighborhood daily in the summer (Boston suburbs in the late 50s-late 60s). I remember the excitement in the spring of waiting for the ice cream man to start his rounds. Originally he had a bell, but then played music. Yes, I realize not all ice cream truck drivers are men, but ours always were, and that's what we called him.

I know we had an ice cream truck in our homes in MI and PA, but I don't recall ever having one come thru our neighborhood here in Maine. There have never been a lot of kids living on our street (mostly older adults or college students), so maybe that's why. I know I see the "Darlings" ice cream truck (local car dealership sponsors it) on campus, at events, etc., but they don't charge for ice cream; payment is by donation, and money collected goes to local charities (whichever the group that has booked the truck wants to sponsor).

 

[evilmommie]

We don’t have one that comes down our street, but our town is known for its beautiful parks. Many times, when at one of our local parks, an ice cream truck or a shaved ice truck has stopped by!

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I do not think I have ever seen or heard one around here. I used to see Schwanns trucks, but I think they are gone now.

 

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Ours park at parks and set up shop - they don't drive around anymore

 

[disneychrista]

Yes but not on a schedule like I remember growing up. It comes by at random times. There can be weeks in between when I hear it. A few weeks ago I heard it 3 times in one day. It plays I believe “do your ears hang low.”

 

[marthachick]

The ice cream/lemonade/ice vendors in our area don’t usually drive around neighborhoods. Our county is very rural so they’d have a hard time getting enough business to make it worthwhile. My brother and his wife own 3 Kona Ice trucks and they usually are at events. Very rarely do they drive neighborhoods unless they’ve been asked to and it has been advertised to the residents.