This has got to be the dumbest ban in this city's history.

Mike403

I saw this article go by on social media. They are restricting innocent people from making a living thinking it is going to cut down on crime.

https://www.9news.com/article/life/food/denver-bans-food-trucks-on-lodos-streets/73-06440708-4f7c-44d8-bf29-8394f7fd8949

I can't read the article because I don't have permission, but banning food trucks seems like a knee-jerk reaction and one that doesn't even make sense?

Mike403

I bet it doesn't even have anything to do with crime. They're trying to take competition away from other restaurants in the area.

stormydaycuddle

I can see it both ways. Not because food trucks are bad but because of the current situation in Denver and that they might be easy targets. However, it might be better not moving them from Lodo entirely. Like give them a place where they can ban together and like one of those food truck areas in Portland and Seattle.

Mike403

@stormydaycuddle - I'm pretty sure it's the amount of bars in the area. You get a lot of drunks together in one place, there is bound to be problems.

sunnysideup

If there has been a significant increase in violence, the city is under big pressure to make it better. So they have to try something different, I agree with that part atleast. If they have a big violence problem, preventing people from gathering in a city, which kind of seems like a big point of being in a city, seems pretty awful would only make it seem like it would encourage people to move out of the city. Actions should be taken to try to get closer to the root of the problem, as people are able to gather in other cities just fine.

Mike403

@sunnysideup - That area in the city has the highest concentration of bars and night clubs. There is literally a bar next to another bar...and they think food trucks are the problem.

sunnysideup

Bars generally have their own food as well, so seems like food trucks would not be serving people who just left a bar primarily, but that's just a guess.

Many cities have a high concentration of bars, but they may not have the issue Denver is facing, so there must be some other root cause. But if the only cause is a high concentration of bars then maybe they might need to working on zoning laws.

But in the ways we've sliced it, it seems like an overall pretty silly decision to temporarily ban food trucks. If they tried to ban bars there would be a lot more uproar.

Mike403

@sunnysideup - Not every bar has food. I've been to a few night clubs in the city that doesn't serve food.

stormydaycuddle

Denver has sooooo many bars lol. All in Lodo.

Mike403

@stormydaycuddle - Yep. When they get kicked out of one bar, just walk next door to the next bar.

DomLarkin

Restricting food trucks from 3 one block long areas hardly seems like a huge deal to me.

OhioMike

Wait ! You Denver folks have food trucks open after bars close? Holy cow!

In central Ohio we are still “rolling up the sidewalks “ @ 9pm. We are still in recovery mode from pandemic and anything in food and beverage industry open late is super rare! 🙁

jaswbrown

"The move comes about two weeks after Denver police officers shot a man who allegedly pulled a gun on them on Larimer Street. Six innocent bystanders were also shot." 😲😲😲

Reading between the lines, when someone 'allegedly pulls a gun' on someone, they have yet to prove that an actual gun was pointed directly at a person. This leads me to believe that officers shot him and six others, in a perceived act of self-defense. In another article (below), it did state that he had a gun, but that he did not fire any shots. 😲

Additionally, the act of restricting the food vendors from the mentioned streets will like have no effect on violence in the area. The city appears to be throwing darts at ideas... "The city said they plan on taking it week by week and see what effect, if any, it has on crime in LoDo." 🤦‍♂️

I think I'd start by addressing additional training for the the police force. If you're going to have SO many bars concentrated in one area and still try to maintain its 'appeal' to locals and tourists, you need to have an adequately staffed and trained police force.

https://9news.com/article/news/crime/police-shoot-suspect-in-lodo/73-6e16aafc-2988-41e5-9033-b03fbf738cec

BUT, I'm pretty sure it's about the restaurants that often have to compete with food trucks offering a cheaper, more convenient alternative to a sit-down dining experience... 🤷‍♂️

Mike403

@OhioMike - All bars that have their primary focus on alcohol has to be closed by 2am. All other restaurants can be open 24 hours if they choose tom

OhioMike

We have same laws here , we just haven’t recovered from pandemic to “normal “ business hours in this area .

Mike403

@OhioMike - Are concerts and other mass gatherings allowed there.

UCpaaHVg6u0

I feel like I'm not getting enough information to make an intelligent decision. The bans are not widespread, but are only a couple blocks where pedestrian traffic has been problematic due to violence and crime. They said the ban is temporary pending the immediate effect. I don't think it's entirely unreasonable although it wasn't clear what role the food trucks play in the violence and crime. That's where we could use more information. I didn't vote.

OhioMike

Oh yes that’s allowed! It’s just our service industry/ economy hasn’t fully returned yet .

TheFunCartel

I agree with @UCpaaHVg6u0. Not enough information.

ohnonotagain

Wasn't there just a shooting (by cops, injuring 5 pedestrians because a cop thought a person in the crowd had a gun) on larimer and 20th?

littleBlackbird

Sorry I don't agree at all.

IsMeArrggh

If this happened in LA there’d be riots in the streets! People love their food trucks here, lol.

cuddler5617

I don’t know. I feel like there maybe more to it. It maybe the government trying to help their buddies remove competition. It may be a way to clear the streets of the drunks leaving the bars. When there are a lot of drunks in an area fights break out. They may be dealing drugs from the food trucks or something I don’t know. All I know is that when ever the media reports anything. There is always a back story that is not being heard. I’m curious what that story is.

NQIGCyan

I don’t know about the other blocks, but 19th-20th Blake and Market make total sense to me. I don’t know about the effect it may have on violence, but I’ve been driving Uber/lyft for a few years now and those blocks are the absolute worst in the city to try and pick up from during bar rush. If they force the people who want to linger and get food to less crowded areas it will be a huge boon for us drivers.

RubenAlvarez05

The only spam allowed here is by way of Spamalot. Now go away before I taunt you a second time. [-Sid]

CuddlesInTempe

Restaurants pay property taxes and have more overhead than a good truck. I can see the perspective of the restaurant owners. Also, the food trucks may contribute to a lot of noise for people who live near where they park.

stormydaycuddle

Here’s my take now that I know the story. They want someone else to be responsible and taking away food trucks that stop people from getting in their cars directly after the bars close is a bad idea. People linger and eat and sober up a bit.
For everyone who doesn’t know it’s a result of the Denver police firing shots into a crowd waiting at food trucks because one guy may have had a gun. The police injured a bunch of people even though it was six or seven shots. No one died but outside of stupidity that’s horrible skills.

Mike403

@stormydaycuddle - I don't understand drinking and driving with Uber and Lyft so easily accessible with a couple taps on their phone. A ride will literally show up in a few minutes. It's $30. If they can't afford that, they can't afford to go out drinking.

stormydaycuddle

@Mike403 just because idiots can’t be understood doesn’t mean they aren’t real. And it’s a 50$ trip to Broomfield sometimes I’ve had 100$ and I can’t imagine the Boulder bill. Still Uber and Lyft are the way to go. You underestimate the allure of booze to social alcoholics. Not saying everyone who drinks socially is an alcoholic but those willing to drive after getting plastered have some other issues too.

Mike403

@stormydaycuddle - I only drink like that when I go to all inclusive drinking events. I'm going to the Great American Beer Festival in October.