The "Good Humor" Man

[Steve]

In this day and age of skyrocketing gasoline prices, I find it refreshing that I still have an "ice cream man" driving through my midtown Tulsa neighborhood.  When I hear that music tune driving down the street, I always run out and at least buy a popsicle or fudgcicle, just to do my part to keep this long time tradition in business.  I find it rather remarkable that these trucks are still in business today.

[mr.jaynes]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

In this day and age of skyrocketing gasoline prices, I find it refreshing that I still have an "ice cream man" driving through my midtown Tulsa neighborhood.  When I hear that music tune driving down the street, I always run out and at least buy a popsicle or fudgcicle, just to do my part to keep this long time tradition in business.  I find it rather remarkable that these trucks are still in business today.

Amazing! Me too!

[cannon_fodder]

My neighborhood we have competing trucks.  One plays "pop goes the  weasel" and the other a circus song.  We get something maybe 25% of the time.  

My brother in law was in town with his kids over the weekend from a small town (400) in Iowa - I don't think they had ever actually seen an ice cream truck before.  So that was fun.

[sgrizzle]

He came through my neighborhood but just the main street through the neighborhood and none of the side streets. You would have to have a running start to catch him.

[safetyguy]

Maybe it's just me, but the ice cream truck drivers/employees that come around my neighborhood are a little scary.

I saw on the news a few weeks back a city in California (don't remember specifically where) passed an ordinance that all ice cream truck employees have to have a background check including checking to make sure they aren't on the registered sex offender list.

[custosnox]

Everytime they come through, it just makes me want to sneak into their truck at night and rig their sound system to play some heavy metal.  

On the negative side of this discussion though, these trucks can also be a bad thing.  I used to know the owners of one of the bigger ice cream truck companies here in tulsa through association (they were a good friends neighbor), and knew several people that drove for them.  Apparently, at least at this point in time, the trucks doubled as a mobile drug sales unit.  It was a common practice to keep a supply in the truck, and sale them on their route.  I don't know if this is still practice, but it makes for a scary thought.  "yes, one fudgecicle, and a dime bag please"

[sgrizzle]

I call that "mixed use" and since you don't have to drive to your dealer it is "green" as well...

[RecycleMichael]

quote:Originally posted by custosnox
Apparently, at least at this point in time, the trucks doubled as a mobile drug sales unit.  It was a common practice to keep a supply in the truck, and sale them on their route.  I don't know if this is still practice, but it makes for a scary thought.  "yes, one fudgecicle, and a dime bag please"

This was the plot of a television show in the sixties. On Dragnet, Joe Friday arrested a popcycle guy after some kid asked for a "dime back".

[sauerkraut]

yeah, but his prices changed a bit since I was a kid. I remember the 15 cent treats. I'm showing my age I guess. I wonder if the G.H. man adds on a fuel surcharge to his ice cream?[B)]

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by custosnox

Everytime they come through, it just makes me want to sneak into their truck at night and rig their sound system to play some heavy metal.  

On the negative side of this discussion though, these trucks can also be a bad thing.  I used to know the owners of one of the bigger ice cream truck companies here in tulsa through association (they were a good friends neighbor), and knew several people that drove for them.  Apparently, at least at this point in time, the trucks doubled as a mobile drug sales unit.  It was a common practice to keep a supply in the truck, and sale them on their route.  I don't know if this is still practice, but it makes for a scary thought.  "yes, one fudgecicle, and a dime bag please"

I'm not going to deny the possibility of some druggies driving the trucks, but this is more anecdotal Cheech & Chong myth than fact.  I can assure you this would not have been a "company" policy to have had fleet of "dual purpose" trucks.  

I worked a summer at the largest local company back in the early '80's, my brother worked there about five summers then bought the business when he graduated from TU in the late '80's and got out of it a few years later.  It was an ill-advised investment.  

I don't know what happened after my family was out of the business, but I can tell you for certain suspected drug activity of any sort was grounds for swift dismissal with the two owners before my brother and during my brother's ownership.

Until the mid- 1980's they could at least attract some clean-cut high school and college kids to drive the trucks.  For some reason students just quit applying for the driving jobs.  I guess it was more attractive to work in an air conditioned mall or intern in a computer center somewhere.

[custosnox]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by custosnox

Everytime they come through, it just makes me want to sneak into their truck at night and rig their sound system to play some heavy metal.  

On the negative side of this discussion though, these trucks can also be a bad thing.  I used to know the owners of one of the bigger ice cream truck companies here in tulsa through association (they were a good friends neighbor), and knew several people that drove for them.  Apparently, at least at this point in time, the trucks doubled as a mobile drug sales unit.  It was a common practice to keep a supply in the truck, and sale them on their route.  I don't know if this is still practice, but it makes for a scary thought.  "yes, one fudgecicle, and a dime bag please"

I'm not going to deny the possibility of some druggies driving the trucks, but this is more anecdotal Cheech & Chong myth than fact.  I can assure you this would not have been a "company" policy to have had fleet of "dual purpose" trucks.  

I worked a summer at the largest local company back in the early '80's, my brother worked there about five summers then bought the business when he graduated from TU in the late '80's and got out of it a few years later.  It was an ill-advised investment.  

I don't know what happened after my family was out of the business, but I can tell you for certain suspected drug activity of any sort was grounds for swift dismissal with the two owners before my brother and during my brother's ownership.

Until the mid- 1980's they could at least attract some clean-cut high school and college kids to drive the trucks.  For some reason students just quit applying for the driving jobs.  I guess it was more attractive to work in an air conditioned mall or intern in a computer center somewhere.

Well, that was the problem, the owners themselves.  I'm not saying that they had fleet of "dual purpose" trucks.  I knew some of the drivers personally that did not follow this practice.  However, the owners did have drivers that would run it this way.  I know this comes off as one of those "myths", but I can assure you that this was the practice.  I'm assuming that they didn't actually peddle the drugs from the truck, but rather had the supply there for the "regulars" to come up and ask for.  I no longer see any of their trukcs on the road, but I don't know if this is because they closed shop, or during the divorce one side or the other got the trucks and renamed the company.  This was about 10 years ago that all of this took place.  Still say that I should have taken the time back then when I knew them to sneak into the trucks and hook up some metallica.

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

I guess it was more attractive to work in an air conditioned mall or intern in a computer center somewhere.

Dang technology whirligigs and ballyhoos.

[Steve]

Some of the ice cream /noveltry truck drivers coming down my street may be "scary" but I will give them the benefit of the doubt, as they seem to make and honest legal living.  Appearances count for nothing in this case.  I think it is refreshing in this day and age that I still have a "good humor" truck driving though my neighborhood, and I try to patonize them wenever possible.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

Some of the ice cream /noveltry truck drivers coming down my street may be "scary" but I will give them the benefit of the doubt, as they seem to make and honest legal living.  Appearances count for nothing in this case.  I think it is refreshing in this day and age that I still have a "good humor" truck driving though my neighborhood, and I try to patonize them wenever possible.

Last year 2007 at this time, I had an ice cream truck driving down my street nearly every night.  This year 2008, I only hear them about twice a week.  Sad, but not unexpected.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by Steve

quote:Originally posted by Steve

Some of the ice cream /noveltry truck drivers coming down my street may be "scary" but I will give them the benefit of the doubt, as they seem to make and honest legal living.  Appearances count for nothing in this case.  I think it is refreshing in this day and age that I still have a "good humor" truck driving though my neighborhood, and I try to patonize them wenever possible.

Last year 2007 at this time, I had an ice cream truck driving down my street nearly every night.  This year 2008, I only hear them about twice a week.  Sad, but not unexpected.

I think the fuel prices will kill of most of the ice cream truck herd this year.  People just don't get out of the air conditioning like they used to.  All the attendent costs of operating an ice cream truck results in a treat price that can't compete w/ Reasor's or QT.

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