NYC Carriage Drivers Behaving Badly

They whitewash their license plates; do not pay attention to the road, make illegal U-turns; leave their horses unattended and pull them by the bit - and still this tiny (but protected) industry manages to survive. WHY do these violations matter? Because failure to adhere to these basic laws--and basic rules of horsemanship--endangers the public safety.

White washed license plate

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Why make it easy to report a violation?

Parked over a steaming manhole cover

Mickey Z

no concern for the possibility that it could EXPLODE! as many have done in Manhattan. Not to mention that it must be uncomfortable for the horse.

Wrong way on a one-way street

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Seems that the driver forgot his street map, because he is traveling north-east--illegally--on a street that goes south-west. Cops? nowhere to be found.

"Unattended and Untethered"

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

perfect recipe for a "spook and bolt." If something happened and this horse spooked and bolted into traffic, his driver would not be able to stop him. This is very unprofessional and irresponsible behavior.

This can happen when horses spook!

Smoothie's driver left her unattended and untethered at the hack line and was not paying attention. A loud noise spooked Smoothie and her driver was not close enough to calm her. She bolted and ran into a tree where she hit her head and died. She was only 12 years old.

Poor Smoothie - she did not have to die!

Her driver was not paying attention when she spooked

Illegal U-turn

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

"Woo hoo! I'm King of the Road." yeah - unfortunately they do it all the time ... no cops around to stop them.

They think they own the road

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

another illegal U-turn

Using the horse as a battering ram

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

"I own the road!"

Lunching with pigeons

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

yes they need to eat too, but their droppings are getting mixed in with the oats.

Another horse standing over a steaming manhole cover

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

There are other places to "park" the horse. Irresponsible and unprofessional.

King of the road

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

this is very bad form - he could go flying and cause a serious accident if the carriage was hit.

Yum!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

pigeon feces and oats. The smartest thing is for the driver NOT to feed the horse on the street. This kind of mismanagement results in horses ingesting pigeon feces and pigeons getting run over and killed by the carriages.

They couldn't put his food in a bucket?

Rosanna Delgado

look at the filthy ground.

The King of Central Park waving to his fans

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

too bad he is not paying attention to the road

Huh! Is it me or is that blanket on wrong?

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Note to driver: equipment goes on first -- blanket should be able to be easily removed when it gets too warm.

There is a law about using a cell phone while driving and it includes carriage drivers.

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

But alas. No officials pay attention. But just you try it and see how fast you get a ticket.

Pulled by the bit? Are these "horse lovers" insane?

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Poor horse. The driver let it happen while taking a picture for these tourists. I took this picture and told him that his horse was being hurt. He told me to get lost.

Hey: Pay Attention to the Road!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Maybe the seat is uncomfortable...

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Standing in the box while driving is very bad form. The center of gravity is too high and control is lost. But I guess they think it is very cool.

Hey: You too. Pay Attention!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Carriage horse parade

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Romantic? um. I don't think so.

This Kid is no carriage driver! Dangerous and illegal!

Where are the cops when you need them!

Cell phones while driving are illegal

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

But who's watching?

Poor drenched horse

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

By law, drivers are not supposed to work their horse during a heavy downpour. But that does not stop them. Anything for a buck!

Standing up and turning around.

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

putting everyone at risk: horse, driver, passengers, adjacent cars and passengers and pedestrians

Oops! close call

Donny Moss

illegal u-turn.

Blood Money

R. Jensen for the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

not much to say here. It is what it is.

Pay Attention to your Horse!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

His horse is screaming to us "Get me out of here. Please!"

Standing while making a turn

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

foolish, foolish behavior

Passengers should NEVER be left alone in a carriage

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

If something happens to spook the horse and he takes off, the passengers could be seriously injured. The driver should never get out of the carriage leaving passengers behind. Bad form!

Another white washed license plate

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Seems to be the fad. Can you imagine what would happen if you whited out the numbers on your car license plate?

And another white washed plate

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Is this the norm? Why bother getting a license plate at all if they are going to obliterate the numbers?

Yup! They own the road.

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Taxi: better get out of the way. The carriage drivers are "working."

This is what they consider a stall ...

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

tiny, filthy, not enough bedding - but mostly -- look at the rubs on the horse's hide!

Horses access the upper stable floors by this steep ramp

Donny Moss

Stables/stalls should always be on the first floor. In the case of a fire, it is easier to evacuate the horses.

Horses are not Cars!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

not taxis either!

Times Square is no place for carriage horses

Rosanna Delgado

The horse knows it but try telling the driver.

Horse trying to escape into a taxi

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

He wants to get away from his driver!

Gridlock for Horses

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

So Romantic!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

not. What possesses them to spend $50 + tip on this? Get out and walk!

This stall is up to code relative to size

But it is NOT big enough! This is like a 15 pound cat squeezing himself into a small shoe box.

Reading while driving - keeping up with the racing forms?

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

no one in authority seems to care. Just as automobile drivers should not read, take pictures or use their cell phones while driving -- neither should a carriage driver!

Turnout NYC style

no pasture; no place for this horse to roll on the ground to express his horse joy and no grass to munch. This is inhumane!

Still with the white washed license plate

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

The authorities do not care! It is a lawless free for all. This goes for the Mayor's office and the Department of Consumer Affairs. Outrageous!

Another Illegal U-turn

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

on Central Park South ... it's not like there is no traffic - you can see the bus.

Another driver using his cell phone and being distracted

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

he thinks the law does not apply to him because he belongs to a "special protected class." Teamsters - who hoo

"Well made" carriage

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Notice the right front tire falling off. Carriages are flimsy and get crunched like a pile of sticks in an accident.

Hey - Pay Attention to the Road!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

One of the worst offenders.

Oh My! Is there no end to his vanity - as driver takes selfie!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

We know that he is not paying attention. The passengers are oblivious. He is actually trying to intimidate the person taking a picture of him by taking his own picture

Urine and feces stains on left front leg - driver busy on iPad.

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Filthy stall? These stains do not come off easily if more than one day old. This horse was pawing and pawing on the hot sidewalk - bored out of his mind.

Leading the taxi parade

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Who still thinks this is "romantic" and "iconic?"

Harness Rubs

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

caused by incorrectly and illegally attached manure catcher. By law, the manure-catcher must be attached to the carriage--not to the horse.

Is that a black garbage bag?

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

so ingenious if not cheap. I hope the driver is bringing the horse back to the stable. It is snowing and slippery -- and against the law to work the horse in these conditions.

Must the driver "park" his horse in the slush!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

while he is eating off the ground. Uncomfortable, inhumane and ignorant.

Yum! eating grains off the snow.

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Wrong, wrong, wrong -- the driver is just lazy.

Illegal! - working horse in adverse weather conditions

Donny Moss

But that does not stop this driver from hawking more customers

When carriage drivers make an illegal u-turn

This was the driver of Oreo who spooked on Central Park South when he saw a big frightening truck. The driver dismounted - first mistake - lost control of Oreo who bolted into traffic. Although he was hospitalized, his injuries were fortunately not life threatening.

Oreo spooked and bolted

he was "retired" after that

Oreo's carriage - a pile of sticks

They are flimsy and dangerous

Eating filthy snow

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Horses need just as much clean, fresh water in the winter.

Driver and tourists ignore horse

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Most people who take these rides do not realize that there is a real, live animal with needs just like they have who is pulling them in the carriage. The horse might as well be an automaton.

Here is one horse who wishes he was in a field grazing.

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Congestion!

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

Why would anyone want to get involved in this mess at $50 for 20 minutes + tip?

Filthy water trough

Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages

This occasionally still happens in the winter when the 5th Avenue trough shuts down.

Another illegal u-turn

This happens when horses are overworked and exhausted.

Mary Xanthos

They collapse, as Flash did in December 2011.

Flash was dragging passengers in the carriage

Mary Xanthos

They tried to get him up only to go back to his exhausting job.

It is prohibited to work a horse during adverse weather conditions!

But that does not stop the greedy drivers!

Horses are not cars!

Donny Moss

They know it but do the drivers?

Charlie dropped dead in October 2011

Young horses do not just drop dead on the street.

Carriage and station wagon meet - horse dies

Catherine Nance

January 2, 2006 - Spotty spooked, bolted and crashed into this station wagon - all while pulling the carriage. Spotty was killed and he was only 5 years old.

Happened in Poland - but similar accident

It shows clearly a carriage making a u-turn and getting clipped by a car.

Yoo hoo - can you see me in there?

Carriage horse in traffic.

It is against the law to work horses in pouring rain.

But no one is stopping the driver who is probably cozy in the carriage.

Craig's List ad for drivers - looking for a summer gig?

No experience with horses required.

Unattended for 15 minutes. Illegal and dangerous

Eddie Sullivan

This carriage was unattended in midtown while the driver went off somewhere, leaving the horse vulnerable to being hurt by some random passerby - or spooked by any number of things. It is wrong, irresponsible and illegal.

u-turn - right in front of a tour bus - Yikes! close call!

Susan Brandt

Notice the driver is not even paying attention to the road.

Whitey collapsed from the heat some years ago

This awakened people to the dangers and inhumanity of the carriage trade.

Horse put back to work after he stumbled and fell

Theresa Shaver

the family riding in this carriage was awakened to the inhumanity of the trade after the horse spooked and fell. They jumped out and said never again!

Accident on Central Park South with Bud

Pile of sticks

that's one carriage that will not be used again.

Bud was the horse who was involved in the accident

Notice his bloody legs. Bud is no longer in the trade.

Carriage hit in rear by taxi - Central Park South

Driver in coma and almost died; horse injured; people in carriage injured. I wonder if the driver was standing up as many do.

Wedding carriage

Oops - horse spooked - even in Brooklyn

Chris spooked at Columbus Circle

Where is Chris now?

Juliet dropped dead in 2006

Notice how the NY Times called the horse "Rusty." We believe that the driver was using Rusty's tags on Juliet to double shift her. Her real name was revealed when she died several hours later.

Pity the Poor Horses!

Yup! for now, that is about all you can do.

Says it all!

Shut this inhumane trade down and save the horses. It is, after all, 2014!