Residents irritated by ice cream van music

17/Jan/2013

Comments: 34 readers have left a comment

Captain Soft Serve Rockingham owners Des and Jane Broadfield. Captain Soft Serve Rockingham owners Des and Jane Broadfield.

THEY are a summer staple in Rockingham and Kwinana streets, but the humble soft-serve ice cream van has become a noisy nuisance for some.

The Courier has received several letters from annoyed residents in both cities complaining about the “irritating” music played by the traditional mobile vendors as they trawl through suburban streets.

According to one reader from Safety Bay, the offending tune was Greensleeves, played continually for several hours in a small area.

Rockingham Mayor Barry Sammels said all mobile food vehicles had to be registered with the City’s health services department.

“There are some trading restrictions that are placed on the licences, including that the operator is not to cause a noise nuisance with amplified music,” he said.

Cr Sammels said there were four licensed ice cream traders in the City.

Last year, Captain Soft Serve Rockingham owner Des Broadfield told the Courier it was important ice cream vans operating in the City had licences and those that did were amicable with the community.

“We would welcome the support of the council in ridding our streets of rogue vans as a matter of urgency,” he said.

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What everyone else is thinking

Petals

08/05/2013

How is an ice-cream truck any different from a door to door salesperson or caller? It is unsolicited annoying noise! If i want ice-cream i will go and buy it surely?! Ok i am a mother of 2 young children and the infernal noise wakes them up most times so I am sure you can understand my irritation. I wouldnt be surprised if other mothers with young children and shift workers would agree :-) Maybe one day they will be a thing of the past, one can only hope.......

Community matters

04/03/2013

Ice cream vans are part of our community and people need to understand that these vans are some times what we need as we go out and buy an ice cream to meet our neighbors for the first time. There will always be the complainers who keep complaining and there will always be those who enjoy and wish the better for others. I was not allowed to buy ice cream from a van when I was a child as I was brought up in a family of ten, so now when I hear aN ice cream bell or siren I yell ice cream to my kids and they run through that front door like no tomorrow. I see no better joy than to see the smiles on there ice cream smothered faces as they eat an ice cream. It's reminds me of what I missed out on. Please don't take away from our kids and the community a happy moment. Thank you Mr.Whippy

Happy Cones

31/01/2013

I understand how aggravating Greensleeves can be. I have a hard serve ice cream van in the City of Armadale but due to injury I cannot operate. When I was operating, I only played the tune as I entered an area. Most of my customers actually rang me to place orders ahead of time, so my weekends were often tune free and everyone was Happy!

Macca

24/01/2013

In QLD the Icream guy used a bell so it did not break any copyright laws and it was great as the kids would hear it from miles away! It was not played continously and was only rung once or twice as they entered the street. Greensleeves payed continuosly in a small neighbourhood is like tourture to some. Seems odd that you can peddle sugar laced junkfood with loud music through the street but if you were to wanted to sell super healthy food with loud music through the streets it would be rejected. I must admit that it is a hard topic to strike the right balance of debate but if you want an icecream go to the shop and get one as I cant see how this can be argued that it is traditional to have an icecream van.

Stanley

21/01/2013

Music or head thumping noise, the louder it is the deafer the driver gets, like many hoon drivers. The louder it is the deafer they get, the deafer they get the louder they have it. Some foftserve drivers might be a bit tone deaf too if they have it too loud.

Blueiis

19/01/2013

We're fed up with it too. Wouldn't be so bad if he turned it off and only used it now and again, but it's played continually, even when he's serving and already has customers. Please give us our peaceful Sundays back...

Julie Bird

19/01/2013

Hi,
I understand that listening to that music for several hours may be irritating.
Unfortunately, in Pearsall ( near Wanneroo), we don't seem to have a service at all. Or if I hear the music, the van is going too fast for me to get outside with the money for a treat.
Does anyone know does the areas of Pearsall, Hocking or Wanneroo have a mobile ice cream business serving these areas?
I'd love a treat or two and so wold my husband

linda

19/01/2013

well common place in melville too, i can here them coming from streets away, same ole tune since i were i kid, over it, have plenty of time to shut the window's, plenty of kid's in this street, umm but no taker's, hope they bypass from now on !!!

jackie

18/01/2013

Can't believe this has been made a issue of. I have really heard it all now.
Wish a icecream van was going past MY House now. Feel like a choc soft sever with a half flake. Mmmmm

jane

18/01/2013

With all the issues facing us in our world and all the problems society is encountering I think the most crucial dilemma today is how do we cope with Greensleeves played for hours at a time from an icecream van.

steve waghorn

18/01/2013

Well, we have been in this industry for 21 years and have only had 2 complaints one being "he had a hangover". After he bought a ice cream he seamed to be feeling better. It seams to me this Captain Soft Serve has a grudge with any other vendors not just the rouge vendors. I don't know what he is implying by rouge? He is a new vendor and when he has been around as long as some other soft serve operators he can have some WORTHWHILE OPINIONS that is if he has any. It would appear the complaints only started after Captian Soft Serve has complained about the competion coming on. Australia would be in a sad way if we only had one service station company to pick from and as for the noise complaints we along with the other vendors in the areas named turn the music off whilst serving. What a trivial thing to complain about with global warming, wars, terrorism and the like we are being petty to say the least. We need to pay our bills that is why we do this service for our customers

Catatonic

18/01/2013

Miserable sandgropers find SOMETHING ELSE to whinge about...

AW

18/01/2013

We told our kids that they play greensleeves when the truck has run out icecream :D
It had only passed our house once, the music was a little on the loud side, but once in a while is tolerable and not worth complaining about.

sharon rance

18/01/2013

whats so ofencive its a good tune what would u rather a booming voice stop trying to change things

Ed

18/01/2013

Always enjoy listening to the ice cream van music it reminds me of when I was a kid!

Russell

17/01/2013

I can't believe with all the things in the world we have to worry about, we are complaining about the in offensive tune of the ice cream van!! Lets face it people, most children and adults in fact take great pleasure from getting am ice cream from the van in their street, next thing these people will be trying to stop Christmas, bah humbug!

Stanley

17/01/2013

Obviously this is another publicity stunt by someone in the industry. 4 licenced traders and only the greensleeves tune is heard, continuiosly, non stop. Whenever I have been to get an icecream the music has, "Always Been Turned Off", while customers are being served.

Careless

17/01/2013

I loathe this "music" with a passion. My children may eat as much ice cream as they please, unless it is this bacteria infested rot.

miro

17/01/2013

What's wrong with people Today ? Ice Cream Vans can drive up my street all day if they want. Back in the days ~ Waiting for the ice cream van to drive up my street when i was a kid, was great ! It's all part of it (or sometimes you miss it haha So you'd have to wake until next week. It's a part of Growing up. People sitting inside complaining about Greensleeves music GET A LIFE !!!!! Go on TV show your faces ! Next would be BAN THE TOOTH FAIRY she leaves the window open or tooth prices are going up. For those people put some earplugs in (just in case the wind is too loud) Greensleeves is my ring Tone !!!! I hope more people download it !!! Long Live The Ice Creams ~ Keep it alive in WA

Andrew (Waikiki)

17/01/2013

Well to all you whingers stop and think when you were a kid and how good it felt when you were bought an Ice cream from a van. Don't be so selfish and let the rest of us enjoy a summer tradition. What a sad sorry life you all have if that bothers you.

Iain

17/01/2013

I believe the real issue is not the noise its the fact that the music tells the kids the ice cream man is in the area and the parents are unwilling to fork out dollars. Think about it.

Baldivis resident

17/01/2013

Yes, if you had to put up with hearing Greensleeves revolving around the suburb for several hours of a weekend - (it started at 10:30 on Sunday morning) you would be tired of it believe me. It would be fine if they did just the one circuit and then left the area, but for some reason it has to keep circling around and around.....
And, why not stop at a designated spot for half an hour - the word would soon spread for those wanting an icecream, them move on to another spot. Seriously the amount of fuel that van uses cannot possibly be covered by the icecreams that are sold!!!

margaret

17/01/2013

I wish the ice cream music was what i heard the most of. Between noisy parties, hoons up and down the street, tenants in the house next door making a racket at one and two in the morning, domestics and throwing stuff into my yard, the ice cream music would be heaven.

Claire

17/01/2013

Sounds like these people have a lot of time on their hands so this is why they complain as they have nothing better to do. Don't like the noise, move house then you don't have to deal with it.

gawd

17/01/2013

I would much rather listen to the ice cream man's music than the thumping sound that comes from cars with their stereos up too loud. I can hear the neighbours kid coming home a minute or more before he gets to his driveway.

whinging Pom of Mindarie

17/01/2013

i agree, there is one that goes around Mindarie and you can hear that dam music for hours at a time none stop and from miles away....no issue if they turn it down a bit but get real. i could always go to their house and park outside with my car stereo on full blast for hours at a time..

@ Tim the tool man

17/01/2013

Tim White - Oh yes Tim, we should just be quiet about a ~100% increase in plane traffic over the past 10 years, the greens & independents 'bending over' to defeat a bill that merely lets us engage in a consultation process about flights, an 'unconsulted' flight path change concentrating flights over us, a very busy airport that has flights until 2am then restarting before 5am, (unlike 4 other major airports). We bought well before all those forced changes so don't start with the "you knew where you were buying" line either. Now, as for the ice cream vans, unless parents don`t have the ability to say NO to kids or they come around on the odd occasion when you are trying to sleep for a shift, I can't see what has changed from the old days. No doubt, because big business, (ie mining), is not involved, these operators will probably be hounded out of business or have to reduce decibels to the point no one can hear them.

Dave

17/01/2013

What sooky-lalas!!! My only gripe is that I can hear the traditional Greensleeves but I never see the van...all i want is my icecream!! Precious much? Are these the same people that whinge about the aerobatic planes on the weekends?? Turn your TV on or your Stereo up and get a life.

Soft Serve lover

17/01/2013

The Ice Cream Van is a Summer Aussie Icon.....Seriously leave them alone, they are doing a great community service!! Maybe some people need to get a life........

Anon too!

17/01/2013

Wow!! Really?? You're complaining about THAT!!!

Tim White

17/01/2013

Really? Are these the same people that complain about the the planes flying overhead or the birds singing in the morning? Get a life!

jacqueline

17/01/2013

Really? People complain about the most trivial things.

David

17/01/2013

These sorts of complaints goes to show the loss of community in these streets/suburbs. It won't be long before ice cream vans are gone because of this rubbish.. No wonder you can't let your kids play in the front yard anymore.. people might complain about the noise!

Anon

17/01/2013

Haha Are people honestly serious about this? Wow, people will complain about anything these days. The greensleeves music has and always will be the call to run out and get a soft serve which then melts in your hand before you can finish it on a nice hot day! That is the Aussie way during summer..

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