These lovely old visions of childhood had all but been erased from my area.
Last summer and this one, however, a van always parks right outside my child's school, at school-closing time. Obviously if they're legally parked (which they often aren't, choosing the bus-stop if the legal places are occupied)then I guess there's no real cause for complaint.
I understand that they are going to the places where their business is going to be best, and for this good luck to them.
But, remember how they all used to have that 'Mind that Child' sign in the back? In that respect then surely the very unsafest places they could possibly position themselves is right outside a school? We've all seen the nightmare ads and programmes of children running across a road because of an ice-cream van. And yes, of course it is the parents' responsibility to ensure that their child does not do this.
I just feel that this is tempting fate, and that it is only a matter of time, particularly if this is commonplace, for something bad to happen.
I do not wish to bring any harm to the ice-cream guys' profits, but I also wonder if there is any way a school could ask for him/her to stop somewhere else. I am talking about a main road, and seeing both primary and even younger school kids rush to this van every day really worries me.
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If an approach to Giovanni about the problem reaps no help then:
You will need the Headmaster to liaise with the Highways Authority to consider making a Control Order under Section 7 Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 prohibiting a person selling/exposing for sale on the Highway or within 15 metres of any Highway which is likely to cause danger/or obstruct the flow of traffic.
Site Meeting at the appropriate time with PTA, Headmaster, Highways and Police should highlight whether Section 7 worth pursuing.
DVD
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Sorry HF forgot to add - if done from a proper Lay by then ignore the above. Its an exemption.
DVD
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When I were a lad the ice cream van driver used to park outside the school and give a free ice cream to the first kid in the queue - He did good business but the roads were a lot less busy then.
They do seem to be fairly responsible about road safety in my neck of the woods.Its the noise I object to.
My problem is that we have the local Ice ceam concessionaires depot about 1/4 mile away and the first stop for every van is outside our office. It gets very difficult talking to an Arab or American on the phone with the strains of 'Teddy Bears Picnic' chiming out at full belt in the background...
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Ice cream vendors almost always work in conjunction with school heads, and get their permission to trade where and when they do. I would approach the head and ask them what they think. I've worked in schools where the head allowed the vendor to trade from the playground because it was safer. Not sure how this fits in with government targets on obesity...
On reflection, it's depressing I actually thought about that.
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When I was a boy, the ice cream van was given permission to park in the school grounds to prevent the local Burnage Yoof from beating us up if we were to wander outside the school grounds at lunchtime.
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Perhaps parents should tell their offspring (like some of my generation I've heard of) that when the chimes play it means he's run out of ice cream!
--
Terry
"You'll have to speak up I'm wearing a towel"
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Um, I can go one better than that, although I may regret telling this story. Inspired by a cartoon sketch I had seen, I once told my niece (she of the very precocious six year old, non-stop yammering, highly-irritating-when-you're-hung-over variety) that I was surprised she didn't recognise that the chimes outside were in fact from the jag man - the doctor doing the rounds to give local kids their vaccinations. I was truly surprised when she swallowed this, and quickly took advantage of her gullibility to suggest that she go and get it over with so at least it wouldn't have to be done again.
That shut her up.
(thank god this site doesn't have popularity ratings ...)
--
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmmm, doughnuts
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thread has got me all sentimental, tonibell must be in there somewhere.. www.classicicecreamvans.co.uk
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Thanks DVD - I don't think I have the courage to go remonstrating with Giovanni or even Mr Cornetti, and it may well be that there's an agreement with the head teacher (we're not allowed to say headmaster or headmistress nowadays!) Maybe I should write to the school and see what their policy is.
Andy (mc) thanks for your story - as always it raises a smile on the HF face! ;)
Cannot say I don't miss the sentiment though, Imagos - just seems the most dangerous place for these people to park, that's all. Maybe it's the safest - I am open to criticism and argument.
HF
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according to our local paper, an ice-cream lorry overturned at jct 40 on the M6 near Penrith on wednesday morning.
police had the area "coned-off" for hours!.
billy.
p.s
brings a new meaning to "arctic roll"
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