As summer is almost upon us, so again is the annual nuisance of ice cream van chimes. Is it just me, or are they a) too loud, b) played for too long and c) played too frequently? (How many times can you hear Greensleeves without going completely bonkers?!)

In fact the answer to these questions (apart from the last one) is: a) no more than 80 decibels b) no more than 12 seconds c) with a minimum of a 2 minute gap between each peal and not be played more often than once every 2 hours in a particular street. Also not after 7p.m. (I'm writing this at 7.30 p.m listening to two separate vans who have been circling the same streets in the last hour, chiming away, so that's two regulation broken already).

Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publicatio...van-chimes

I for one think they blight summer afternoon and evenings. Harrrrumph!

And apparently this is all deliberate - read this and weep: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/...ish-summer

I'm not a parent, perhaps parents think differently?

Interesting(ish) local ice cream van fact: Francis Rossi out of Status Quo's dad was an ice-cream van man in Catford and Forest Hill. As a nipper I recall seeing the Rossi van in SE23.

This post was last modified: 13-05-2015 07:00 PM by Nick M.

Well, yes it is a bit irritating but you could say that about lots of things. In any event at least the sound is usually associated with good weather so you should be OK tomorrow.

I was doing some gardening last night and I'd just put the kids to bed when I heard the van playing match of the day. For one moment I thought about the rules on timing, volume etc then I just thought I love the sound actually. It was just a happy childhood type of sound that made me think of long summer evenings as a kid without a care in the world.

I'm with you, NickM. If you report the number plate to the council, they will take care of the rest (at least this was the case 10 years ago).

Joyless

I wish they were allowed to play the chimes for a little longer. I hear it from my back garden, but can't quite locate from there where it is. I go back into the house, get my keys and my purse, ask the rest of the family what they want, go out the door... and the chimes have stopped and I have no idea where the ice-cream van is.

Hurrah for rshdunlop

The chimes mean they've run out of ice cream.

This post was last modified: 14-05-2015 08:52 AM by ringingcod.

Everyone is entitled to their own joy, Deano. My joy comes from other things and can be killed by unbidden noise. I'm glad you have pleasant associations, but it's not something that should be forced on everyone, and whether someone likes it or not is not for you to pronounce a judgment on.

Hurrah for Deano

Ah yes! But I just did pronounce my judgement! That's all it was though. My opinion. I agree that joy should be rather deeper and more profound than an ice cream van. I just became all wistful for a moment only for you to bring me back down to earth.

Seriously. Have people nothing better to worry about? There are so many much more unpleasant sounds to complain about.

rshdunlop - I used to have that problem, but now they seem to stop right outside my house with strange regularity. It's a conspiracy to ruin my best diet efforts. :-)

Personally speaking the chimes of the ice-cream van pale when compared to noisy quad bikes, City Airport flights, loud music from cars, people who have lost the ability to talk on a mobile phone and need to shout into it, lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trucks, modified cars......etc etc.

We live in London so I don't let it get to me.

At least the chimes mean you could get an ice cream if you want one.

Bose do very good noise cancelling headphones. That or have children, you can hear nothing above them

I can't believe people are complaining about ice cream vans when we live in a city with far worse noises - planes, sirens, dogs barking, drilling, lorries etc etc! I suggest focussing your energies on something more worthwhile...

Edited to say that I seem to have crossed posts with others who feel the same!!

This post was last modified: 14-05-2015 10:42 AM by hoona.

I love the sound..Its a happy sound and reminds me of my childhood.
Shame they don't play a bit longer.
And no...I've never stopped them and brought one.

I agree with deano and nottinghillbilly - just brings back happy memories for me, ones I hope my children will also have when they grow up.

This post was last modified: 14-05-2015 07:35 PM by OakR.

One of my most favourite sounds in the world, absolutely joyful. And I don't even really like ice cream

Yeah, I heard that as well - so I quickly got on the phone to Dominos then ran to the kitchen and pulled a six pack out of the fridge and threw myself into my deep settee and flicked through the channels only to realise it was Tuesday night!
Can't they change that tune to something that's less confusing to old blokes?

We had three within an hour last year going around Devonshire and Boveney road.

Now I don't mind ice-cream vans, but everyone noticed they were far louder than they used to be, and too many competing in the same area. The odd one on a summer's evening is fine, but three?!!! It's ridiculous, that's when they blight the beauty of summer.

Everything costs £1 or more. You can buy much cheaper in the supermarkets. Anyway, doesn't everyone have freezer's these days?

This post was last modified: 21-05-2015 04:07 PM by Poppet2.

You can't keep a 99 in the freezer or buy them in supermarkets though!!!