Midtown Lunch

Just because so much has been written about street vendors verbally threatening other street vendors doesn’t mean that people should get the impression that it never gets physical. In fact earlier today two ice cream vendors got into a fist fight over the corner of 6th Ave and 50th Street. The cops were already on scene when I walked up, and an ambulance showed up shortly thereafter (although it looked like only one vendor was hurt, and it was just a black eye.) I’m not sure exactly what happened because both the Police sergeant and the vendors pretty much refused to talk to me- but it looked like the vendors were given the opportunity to press charges and both get arrested, or make up with each other and just receive tickets. It looked to me like they both chose citations (natch), and the ice cream truck left pretty soon thereafter.

As contentious as you normally hear the relationship is between cops and vendors, this interaction looked pretty civil. I guess the cops mind less when the vendors are beating up each other.

One thing everybody involved can agree on is this: Don’t say anything to the short fat guy with a camera asking questions.

Lucky for us Lunch’er Rich was on the scene when the fight broke out and emailed in a first hand report…

“Hey Zach,

Your blog has been a lifesaver for me… at least at lunchtime :)  Anyway, I just wanted to tell you, since I know you write about stuff like this from time to time, that a fight broke out between a mr. softee driver and the vendor who runs the Haagen Dazs cart on 50th and 6th. The softee guy started it, and was physically attacking the cart vendor. No idea what it was actually about.

-Rich”

Related:
Midtown Snapshots: Cop vs. Ice Cream
Tripie Crepe Cart Becomes Latest to Get Moved by the Police
Pret a Manger & Bistro Milano Call Cops on New Street Sweets Truck