NYC Mayor failing carriage horses yet again

NEW YORK, NY: A carriage horse trots near Central Park on April 21, 2014 in New York City. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, made a campaign pledge to ban carriages in Central Park. As the horse carriage industry, which mainly takes tourists through the park, has come under criticism from animal welfare agencies, many New Yorkers are voicing their support for the horses and drivers. On Saturday animal welfare activists protested in front of actor Liam Neeson’s home after he wrote a newspaper piece in support of the carriage horses. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

We don’t know about you but we are more than fed up with New York City Mayor deBlasio.

DeBlasio initially ran on a ticket that included helping the City’s miserably treated carriages horses, then sold the horses out the moment he was elected. He has huffed and puffed about it since then, but in actuality hasn’t done a damn thing for them. Until now he thinks. It is not true.

In an email shout out, the “Coalition to Ban Horse Drawn Carriages” have exposed deBlasio’s latest smoke and mirror tactic.

We quote that email:

NEW MAYORAL PROPOSAL IS NO WALK IN THE PARK

The deBlasio administration recently announced a “big win” for the NYC carriage horses with the relocation of the hack line on Central Park South to five locations within Central Park. Some people are unfortunately buying this alternative reality.

Below is a list of the five proposed hack lines.  For a more detailed description of the proposal, please look at last week’s newsletter.  Click Here.

1.  AT W. 72ND STREET OFF CENTRAL PARK WEST

This hack line will be about 130′ long and will offer no shade for the horses.  The carriages will also be required to travel 13 blocks north on Central Park West, mixing with heavy traffic.

The larger lane shown on the street below is for parking; the narrower one is for bikes.  The carriages will travel with the other traffic to reach this destination.

2.  AT W. 67th NEAR TAVERN ON THE GREEN

This is currently being used for carriages.  There is no shade and carriages will need to travel up Central Park West to access it.

3. NEAR 7TH AVENUE OFF CENTRAL PARK SOUTH

This is one of two locations off Central Park South; again there is no shade.  To access this location, carriages will drive from their stables on the far west side of Manhattan reaching Central Park South where they will make an illegal U-turn to the 7th Avenue location.

4.  NEAR 5TH AVENUE OFF CENTRAL PARK SOUTH

This is the other location off Central Park South; also no shade for the horses.  Drivers will also need to make an illegal U-turn to access this location.

The existing water troughs are off 6th Avenue and near Grand Army Plaza (but not the new hack line.) The carriages will need to do some fancy maneuvering to reach them — especially the carriages at the 7th Avenue location.

5.  AT E. 72ND STREET OFF FIFTH AVENUE

The carriages will be making illegal U-turns on Central Park South to access the roads in the park to take them to this location.  This will be the easiest way to get to this new location since Fifth Avenue is one way — downtown.

*   *   *

The Mayor and those who support this proposal say that the horses will be out of traffic and have shade and water in the park. None of this is true. It is not a “big win.” It was done to placate his supporters.

ACCIDENTS: Carriage drivers are not required to report accidents. So unless the public knows about it and gets the NYPD and/or media involved – it never happened. It is to a carriage driver’s benefit not to report an accident that will hurt the reputation of the trade.

ACCIDENT STATISTICS: We have recorded 103 accidents since 1982. 19 of those have been at or near the hack line that is proposed to be relocated. But 14 of them happened in Central Park. The balance of 70 happened around the city in different areas. The accidents were typical — horses spooking, collapsing, crashing into something or being crashed into; dead horses.

This works out to 81.5% of all recorded accidents occurring away from the hack line — inside Central Park and around the city. Only 18.5% occurred at or near the hack line.

CARS: While cars are no longer allowed in Central Park, certain vehicles are, which include NYPD cars and emergency vehicles and Parks Dept. vehicles. In addition, there are hoards of people, cyclists, skateboarders and pedicabs in the park.

Feel free to copy and use this image in your social media messages especially Twitter. Be sure to tag it well!

Interestingly, the Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico signed an executive order banning horse-drawn carriages. He signed the ban four days after a carriage horse collapsed on the street. Just saying.

Help These Horses

Visit the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages website to find out what you can do! (http://banhdc.org). Please like their page at https://www.facebook.com/BanHDC/.

Here are more ideas from the Coalition to Ban-Horse Drawn Carriages email letter:

1. Don’t drink the kool-aid. Please question and think for yourself.

2. Post a comment on the Department of Transportation website at http://rules.cityofnewyork.us.

3. Testify at the Department of Transportation hearing on October 3rd at 1pm. The Bid Room at 55 Water Street, Concourse Level. Call 212-839-6500.

Use Social Media!

Spread the word on social media, especially if you are in the New York City area. But it doesn’t matter if you are not. Tourists from around the world visit NYC!

Here are some tags to use particularly on Twitter.

#banhorsedrawncarriages #carriagehorses  #manhattan #nyc #nycgov #billdeblasio

@deblasio @nycmayor @billdeblasio @newyorkcity

Before We Go

“Mayor deBlasio was on the Brian Lehrer show recently. At one point, a man named Craig called in and said he had looked at all five of the proposed new locations and that they provided no shade for the horses. The Mayor seemed surprised. (Oops). But then he caught himself and dismissively said that the carriages do not stay in any place long enough since they are continuously busy with passengers — so they will not be harmed by the sun.” How glib! But this is not true.

Protesters call for a ban on horse drawn carriages in New York City. BanHDC.org.