Correction: The AP got the original story wrong, and the city would allow the trademark jingles if this ban is lifted.

The city of Scottsdale, Arizona is considering lifting its ban on ice cream trucks. The ban has been in place since the 1970s.

Residents also were concerned for children’s safety, said Sonnie Kirtley, a longtime resident who chairs the Coalition of Greater Scottsdale. The advocacy group focuses on land-use policies and quality of life in Scottsdale.

“It wasn’t just the drugs being sold in high schools from the vendors, but it was because of the safety,” Kirtley said at Tuesday’s meeting. “We were talking about the safety of the children running across the street to go to the ice-cream trucks.”

First of all, not many children are running with free abandon across streets these days. They’re in strollers, holding their parents’ hands, or inside playing video games.

Secondly, are we really concerned about ice cream trucks being a haven for drug deals? According to this proposal, each vendor would need to get a permit, fingerprints, and a background check. I suppose we can’t be sure that they’re not selling drugs, but

Thirdly, many citizens’ objection to possibly lifting this ban would be because it would open the gates for all kinds of street vendors. The horror!  You, see, there are implications:

“The guy driving an ice-cream truck is probably not the best-quality person,” Lorenzen said. “I think that’s one of my concerns, this guy driving slowly down the street, maybe not the first day or second day, but the third day, when they (residents) are on vacation.”

The person that made that comment has already installed  a security system in his house after a recent rash of crimes in his neighborhood, and that is without the dreaded street vendors. How could bringing residents outside for a little old-fashioned food and fellowship make things worse? Only in today’s paranoid would this be seen as a factor. What about the garbage collector? Is he or she scoping out the houses as well?

Of course, I think they should lift the ban. But, unfortunately, even if they do, the trucks will not be allowed to play their “trademark jingles.” How will the kids be roused from their electronic stupor?