Ice Cream Competition Gone Too Far

We all love ice cream. Some people take ice cream very seriously. When we say “seriously” we mean folks who work to make the best quality ice cream and provide great customer service.

However, in one area of upstate New York, some people seem to be taking ice cream a little too seriously for the wrong reasons. The competition for ice cream customers has turned sour.

Last month, the mayor of Glens Falls, New York suspended the operating permit of an ice cream truck driver. Panay Olsen operates a Mr. Ding-A-Ling ice cream truck. The city said it received complaints of Olsen driving too close to pedestrians and children playing. According to one local newspaper, Olsen is accused of driving the ice cream truck on a grass area where several children were playing soccer, allegedly coming within a few feet of three children.

The suspension prohibited Olsen from operating the ice cream truck on city streets or playgrounds for 30 days. Olsen reportedly attended a council meeting last month and apologized after her suspension was handed down.

This area’s ice cream weirdness does not stop with the suspension of one ice cream truck driver. Olsen’s punishment came just a few months after the town of Gloversville, New York (about 50 miles outside Glens Falls) denied a permit to the owner of an ice cream truck called Sno Kone Joe over allegations that its drivers harassed a Mr. Ding-A-Ling driver. Police say Sno Kone Joe was looking to drive Mr. Ding-A-Ling out of the area.

Ice cream should be about sweet treats and fun times, not harassment charges and court dates. There should be enough ice cream business to go around. Let the customer decide who’s got the best ice cream in town. Disagreements about ice cream should be about things like, “What’s a better seasonal flavor, Apple Caramel Crumb or Egg Nog Chip?” But please, let’s keep it civil. There’s really no wrong answer.