Since Bill De Blasio took office, becoming Mayor of NYC, he has been set on ending horse-drawn carriage rides in Central Park.

I am up in the air on this issue. I have no interest in taking a ride around the park on one of these carriages but it is still, in my opinion a real part of the city experience. Even just seeing them is very New York (so to speak). I think if the horses were to stop offering rides, something would be missing around Central Park.

When it comes to banning the horses, Mayor De Blasio claims it is due to inhumane treatment, while others claim its (according to Time Out NY) his desire to please wealthy backers who want to develop the West Side properties where the stables currently stand.

In the end, regardless of what decisions is made, it won’t personally affect me too much.

De Blasio would like to replace the horses with electric cars driven by the carriage drivers.

A Time Out NY article writes that Animal rights group NYCLASS proposed using a vintage looking electric car which seats up to 8 people.

The price of these cars are pretty outrageous. It would supposedly cost around $450,000 to design and produce but could cost much less, around $150,000 if they go into production.

What are your thoughts of touristy, horse-drawn carriage rides being offered in cities all over the world? I don’t have much of a problem with it, do you?

FYI- Kim and I once took a ride in one in Luxor, Egypt a few years back. However, we took it as a mode of transportation, not to go sight-seeing.