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Today, the City Council is holding a hearing on the proposed changes to the noise code. From noisy clubs to barking dogs, from construction sites to Mr. Softee, the police would be empowered to give noise code violators summonses. The head of Mr. Softee ice cream will be at the hearing, to fight for the clarion call of ice cream. He says, "We can set up the music boxes so that when the trucks [are put] in park, the music shuts off." We hope the he goes with someone dressed as kind, benevolent Mr. Softee. And Gothamist would like to revisit Mayor Bloomberg's opinion on the Softee-situation:
"I like ice cream. My personal opinion is chocolate-and-vanilla swirl ... and I like to have a truck that can sell me an ice cream cone when I want it. But a lot of people find the constant playing of the jingle to be annoying when the truck sits in one place."The NY Times covered the annoyingness of Mr. Softee's jingle last summer, at the peak of the ice cream rush.
According to stats from 311, noise is the top complaint, with over 20,000 logged. A friend actually complained about an insanely noisy fan from a restaurant (after asking the restaurant directly to fix the fan a number of times), and the Department of Environmental Protection finally showed up, measuring the sound levels, deeming it above the acceptable level, and fining the restaurant, leaving our friend in a frenzy of guilt.
The document about the noise code (from the City Council) is fascinating stuff. And you can find the Mr. Softee Wacky Wobbler at Mr. Softee Stuff.
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Ok, Not really into Wobbly toys, but that Mr. Softee looks really cool. Must get one for work...
A Mr. Softee bobble-head doll? That so totally rocks! Now if I can only get my Norman Mailer bobble head doll my NYC collection will be complete!
The kill-the-jingle-when-parked-or-you'll-get-a-summons solution seems to be fair.
That jingle is my nemesis.
I'm surprised CAR ALARMS weren't specifically mentioned. When I hear one blaring through the night, I like to put condiments (peanut butter, jelly, or honey are my favorites) underneath the door handle.
Are people really that ignorant to think they are effective? Buy a Club!
mh, you seriously do that? That's sorta brilliant. Do you carry packs fo jelly in your bag for that?
I think car alarms are another measure.
Here is the Number *ONE* reason why I have a car alarm:
(drum roll, please)
The Insurance company lowers my bill by 15%
If the City wants to get a clue and get people to stop using car alarms, they'ed address the issue of Money.
Condiments... Well, at least it is original and fairly harmless.
Do you also leave a note explaining why the condiments are there? Otherwise how would the car owner know car alarm = messy door handle?
>>>>The NY Times covered the annoyingness of Mr. Softee's jingle last summer, at the peak of the ice cream rush.
According to stats from 311, noise is the top complaint, with over 20,000 logged.
The Mr. Softee jingle is one of the welcome sounds of soft summer evenings. The noise police should go after worthier targets, like dopey walkie talkie users, with that annoying repetitive signal.
www.forgotten-ny.com
This new culture of tattling, spying and reporting on one another is what makes this city of New York great. Ahh, what a wonderful time we live in.
Yep, going after the Mr. Softee guys is a little extreme. Does 311 show if Mr. Softee gets a lot of complaints?
The solution proposed to the softee music is perfect!!
The monetary value to having a car alarm is fine and all, but the alarms should be more sophisticated. A slight tap, bump, or rumbling by of a heavy truck, shouldn't set the alarm off. Or if it does, it should be a quick warning beep. The alarm should only be triggered full force if the car door is actually opened inappropriately, or if a window is broken. Wouldn't this make SO much more sense?
Now that I live on the busy Smith St in Brooklyn, I have grown to hate the noisy brakes on the MTA buses, the grinding of the garbage trucks at 3 in the morning, and the noisy drunk smokers standing outside the bars. I try to keep in mind that I chose to live there, knowing the noise would be there, but I still curse the noise-mongers when I'm woken up at 3 am.
I stated in a gothamist interview last spring that the thing I'd most like to change about NY is the Mr. Softee song - it does drive me really, really crazy (and, let's be honest, the ice cream is not even good - it's all corn syrup and fillers and not even very cold most times).
That being said, I can appreciate a compromise, and the idea of turning the music off when truck is in 'park' seems fair. Everyone has to make a living, and if they can do that without annoying the living shit out of everyone around them, well I guess that's progress.
I'm sorry, but when Mister Softee parks his truck right outside my window on a 100% residential street at 10 PM and blasts his jingle for a half-hour and no kids are coming out at that hour to buy ice cream, it's ridiculous and unneccesary. It't not helping his business; it's just annoying people.
people, people, you should all be happy that there is no mr. softee car alarm. then you would all be really upset.
"mr. softee car alarm"...
That'd be great! Pure Evil Genius!
;)
Mr. Softee IS an Evil Genius. The real words to that jingle are, "Come on all of you boys and girls, it's time to worship Saaaa-tan."