30th April 2007
Survey debunks ice-cream van myths
Ice-cream being sold despite music being played |
In fact, the Mintchocchiptel survey found that in 98 per cent of cases, this meant that they had indeed a supply of frozen dairy produce they were willing to sell.
This is in stark contrast to the popular believed tale installed in generations by parents who informed their offspring that such music box tunes such as Greensleeves, Pop Goes the Weasel and Fuck the Police, were indicators that stock was diminished.
"By contrast to all this, only at one van that we engaged did we in fact find that ice-cream was no longer available and in fact, the vendor seemed almost prepared for us to 'stop him and buy one'," the report, Ice-cream vans and music, a 99 fake, states.
"If anything, most appeared to expect some kind of custom not long after activating their music."
Flakey
Despite not being asked, psychologist Dr Raj Persaud commented out of habit: "No one quite knows what makes parents lie to their children about this. Perhaps they are passing on a tradition ingrained from them as a child, or maybe they feel insecure about their inability to provide ice-cream at home and dislike the idea of a stranger being able to do so.
"Or it could be that parents are simply in denial about the availability for ice-cream. No one is certain, but I'll bring a book out on it soon."
An investigation is now ongoing to see how many children, both current and since grown up, have been affected by the myth and a government public awareness campaign is planned for November.
This is in stark contrast to the popular believed tale installed in generations by parents who informed their offspring that such music box tunes such as Greensleeves, Pop Goes the Weasel and Fuck the Police, were indicators that stock was diminished.
"By contrast to all this, only at one van that we engaged did we in fact find that ice-cream was no longer available and in fact, the vendor seemed almost prepared for us to 'stop him and buy one'," the report, Ice-cream vans and music, a 99 fake, states.
"If anything, most appeared to expect some kind of custom not long after activating their music."
Flakey
Despite not being asked, psychologist Dr Raj Persaud commented out of habit: "No one quite knows what makes parents lie to their children about this. Perhaps they are passing on a tradition ingrained from them as a child, or maybe they feel insecure about their inability to provide ice-cream at home and dislike the idea of a stranger being able to do so.
"Or it could be that parents are simply in denial about the availability for ice-cream. No one is certain, but I'll bring a book out on it soon."
An investigation is now ongoing to see how many children, both current and since grown up, have been affected by the myth and a government public awareness campaign is planned for November.
