Well, so much for being a big league city.
Over the past couple of months, Steve “The Bricklayer” Lackmeyer has been working overtime to document the nanny-state efforts of the Oklahoma City Police Department to impose an 11 p.m. curfew on wild, reckless, and totally dangerous Bricktown food trucks.
Bizarrely enough, the OCPD’s actions have nothing to do with protecting your health, but rather with keeping you and your friends away from those pesky, drunk, and probably-not-white crowds out congregatin’ and causin’ trouble while waiting for a chicken-fried jalapeño sausage.
Oklahoma City Council will consider Bricktown food truck ban past 11 p.m.
If the ordinance passes, food trucks in Bricktown would not be allowed to sell food and beverages after 11 p.m. and could face a fine up to $500, but not jail time, and vehicle impoundment if the potential ordinance is violated...
[Police Chief Ron Bacy] told the council the ordinance is similar to the curfew enacted for juveniles in Bricktown. He said police officers are seeing crowds congregating around food trucks after a certain period of time and that leads to an increased possibility of violent acts occurring.
“Whenever we have areas like this, especially at event closing time or establishment closing time, it creates an additional place for people to congregate, and so the whole purpose behind it is safety and it’s not meant to be punitive by any means,” he said.
Yep, that’s right.
The OKCPD’s push for a food truck curfew had nothing to do with protecting your colon from a greasy blend of fats and sugars layered on top of a splishing and splashing pool of unsettled alcohol right before bedtime—but to, uhm, block free assembly?
I hate to be the voice of reason here, but unless the sausage carts start unionizing and demanding riot shields, doesn’t this seem a bit unfair? Why are they being singled out and punished for the unruly behavior of others? Hell, let’s just close all bars and restaurants in Bricktown at 11 p.m. That’ll really clean things up!
To make the whole story weirder, the only councilmember to question the proposal, and look out for the capitalistic needs of small businesses in their battle against the overreaching arms of oppressive government was renowned local socialist JoBeth Hamon.
Hamon later told The Oklahoman she thought there were other solutions besides shutting down small business’ opportunities to operate within Bricktown.
“The continued solutions of creating new ordinances like the curfew just seem like short-sighted attempts at a solution when I think there are creative ways to address the state issues and still allow these small businesses to operate,” she said.
What the hell? The police are imposing draconian regulations that cause financial hardship for small businesses, and the one person opposing them is the mop-topped socialist lady who rides a bicycle and still wears a facemask?
I mean, I guess that’s not a total surprise—she is aligned with the left-wing, tear-gas-dodging anarchy crowd that hates the police—but where are all the free-market conservatives at? Are they okay with this governmental attack on small business?
Apparently so.
The City Council voted on the measure during yesterday’s meeting, and not one food truck owner wearing an offensive t-shirt appeared to oppose it.
After Mayor Holt introduced the ordinance, it then passed by a 5–0 vote, with JoBeth and James Cooper ducking the vote – just like they did for the Red Ridge Nature Preserve.
I’m not naive to the reasons why cities impose curfews on food trucks. They’re noisy, take up a lot of space, and can complicate and congest traffic for both cars and humans. But come on—11 p.m.?
That’s way too early!
It’s like the 4 p.m. Luby’s dinner service for people going out in their 20s! If the Austin PD can keep their food trucks open on 6th Street until midnight and make waiting for a burrito not feel like a scene from Vice City, then surely our police can, too.
“Patrick. They’re Bricktown food trucks. Why do you even care?”
Fair point. I think I’ve written more about Bricktown food trucks over the years than I’ve eaten at them, but this just feels too strict and overbearing.
Well, at least it does right now.
In 25 years, when we’re observing citywide 11 p.m. curfews for our own protection, I'll be we’ll look back at them as pretty lax.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
