The English Code of Practice on ‘Noise from Ice-cream vans chimes’ of 1982 states that it is illegal to sound ice-cream van chimes ‘so as to cause annoyance’.
Chimes must not be…
- sounded for any longer than four seconds at a time;
- used more than once every three minutes;
- used near other ice-cream vans which are trading nearby
- sounded when stationary;
- sounded within 50 metres of a school, places of worship or hospital;
- used more than once every two hours in the same street;
So every time you hear an ice cream van near you, just listen to the chime and wonder if it passes the above chime test!