Mayor de Blasio Horse Drawn Carriages Pedicabs A lot of Manure?

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The pedicab industry is getting screwed.  The administration/carriage trade/unions have decided that the pedicabs cannot operate below 85th St. in the park.  The carriage trade wants to eliminate competition but it has never been true competition.  The people who choose to ride a pedicab do NOT want to support the carriage trade.

They have organized a rally tomorrow at City Hall - 1pm

this is from their facebook page:

"Mayor DeBlasio plans to exiles pedicab without meeting or consulting with drivers. Pedicabs would be banned from operating in Central Park south of the 85th StreetTransverse — a move that will destroy our business"  

I plan to be there - I hope you will be also.

 

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Elizabeth Forel / President

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
Horses Without Carriages International  

No Walk in the Park - Facebook

BanHDCarriages - Twitter 

you can't defeat an idea whose time has come 

	HORSE SENSE:  SPECIAL ISSUE - CARRIAGE HORSE DEAL IS HORSE MANURE Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages   www.banhdc.org Horses Without Carriages International     www.horseswithoutcarriages.org our campaign is dedicated to banning the inhumane, unsafe, anachronistic and  hack line horse-drawn carriage trade  in NYC HORSES SPOOK IN CENTRAL PARK:  The picture below was taken in Central Park a few years ago.  A family from upstate New York innocently took a carriage ride, not understanding the dangers.  A little while after the horse began to pull the carriage, something spooked him and he began to back up, shaking the carriage.  Rightfully fearful when a 1,500 pound horse starts to act like this, the family jumped out of the carriage.  The horse eventually fell on the ground.

	The Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages statement on the new "compromise"  Yesterday, the Mayor struck a deal with the horse-carriage trade and the Unions (both of whom "own" NYC) to PRESERVE THE CARRIAGE TRADE.  Ban – what ban?  Mayor deBlasio promised to ban horse-drawn carriages and got himself elected on our sweat and toil.  We believed him but he has moved on.    None of us recall voting for the unions. Instead, the idea of shutting down this inhumane business, which had many supporters before deBlasio took office, did a 180 after that.  The Mayor stood by while the opposition became stronger and stronger, mounting an outrageous and dishonest campaign, supported and led by the NY Daily News.  He never took the time to understand the issue and when he did comment often looked foolish.  The truth never got out. But we know NYC is all about money and money talks.   This is the constant thread of this deal. DeBlasio does not give a hoot about the Animal Rights activists who put him in office.  Remember this man never had a good record on animal issues when he was in the Council.  But he does care about donor dollars and the "animal rights"  group that put up a lot of money for his election.  They were at the forefront, and probably had a seat at the negotiating table (that is being kept quiet)  and fooled many a so-called activist. This is what I believe happened – of course it is just conjecture but a good guess: deBlasio has been pressured by real estate developers to clear out the stable area in Hell’s Kitchen to make way for the Hudson Yards redevelopment project, which is moving along at a quick pace.  The stables on W. 37th and W. 38th St. are both within this area.  The ones on 48th and 52nd are close but freeing them up could help developers. The stable owners finally agreed to this deal because the City has agreed to provide them new digs in Central Park, paid for by tax payer dollars – yours and mine.    In the meantime, the drivers will get to pocket the proceeds of sales from their stables, which has been estimated at $10 million to $12 million each.  Not a bad payday! Those digs?  A dungeon at the 85th St. transverse, which is probably illegal since it is the people’s parkland and will most likely be delayed in the courts while the mayor runs for reelection. All 68 medallions/carriages will remain intact – but the horse numbers will be cut to 75 horses living in the park with the possibility of 20 additional trucked in.  The horses will still work 9 hours a day, 7 days a week – between the shafts of their carriage  - a punishing existence.  They will still be exposed to all the traffic in Central Park, which is very congested.  But then – they are “beasts of burden”  “products” as one has-been celebrity termed them.   It is obvious that no one at that “table” cared about their needs.   Appropriate turnout for 75 horses is 75 acres - not about to happen.  The horses will continue to fall off the Department of Health rolls - to the tune of 60-70 a year - most likely laundered through the Amish on the way to the kill auctions.  Why was this not addressed?  There is no protection for horses sold outside New York City as most are.   And what will happen to the horses who will be removed?   Will the trade contact the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries that has said they would manage placement? The mayor approved limiting the fledgling pedicab industry to operating only above 85th St.  Why? Because the carriage trade does not like competition and they rule.  But many people choose to take the pedicab over the carriage horses because this is what they prefer.  This cannot be legal.  Let’s hope they, too, make a legal challenge. Parkland belongs to the people.  Good parks groups have said they will take it to court – let’s hope they do.  The mayor has no right to make the tax payers pay for this white elephant – especially when this money could be spent to house the homeless who are camped out on the streets around  City Hall. Once again, NYC values win.  It is a sad day for the horses.  This is a picture of the existing stable that is proposed for 75 horses.  photo credit:  Geoffrey Croft