Opinion: Horse-drawn carriage in downtown Asheville is accident waiting to happen

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Copy of a letter resident Stewart David has sent to Asheville City Council (background here on the new horse-and-carriage ride in Asheville):

Mayor Bellamy, Vice-Mayor Manheimer, Coucilmen Bothwell, Davis, Hunt, Pelly and Smith;

In the early 1990’s, an individual sought to open a carriage horse business in downtown Asheville. The issue was thoroughly discussed at a series of staff and Asheville City Council meetings, the culmination of which was the drafting of an ordinance regulating such businesses. Because of the extra danger associated with crowded streets, one provision of the ordinance prohibits carriages from operating in the central business district during the hours of 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The proposed business was never opened, and, as of a couple of weeks ago, we have our first downtown operator. Downtown Asheville is not the sleepy place it was 20 years ago, and I’m sure that evening weekend congestion greatly exceeds the daytime traffic of two decades ago. If the increased automobile, bicycle and foot activity is not enough to cause an accident, add to the mix some of the noises that might spook a horse: drum circles, tour buses and trolleys with megaphones, the general unruliness of the downtown scene, etc. A serious accident took place at the Grove Park Inn many years ago, and numerous injuries and fatalities in other cities are well documented. A horse pulling a carriage in traffic is an accident waiting to happen, and it is simply a matter of time before a human or horse is harmed or killed. As this is foreseeable, I wouldn’t be surprised if the injured party or parties sought costly legal action against the city.

As noted, a previous council thoroughly studied the issue and came to the conclusion that carriage horses and heavy traffic on our steep city streets would endanger public safety. I encourage our current council to follow this logic and wisdom, and ban horse-drawn carriages from the downtown area.

Thank you for your consideration.

Stewart David

7 Comments

Meg May 10, 2013 - 1:43 am

I hate to say anything negative about a new business but this idea is a bad one. NYC residents / animal rights people have fighting for years to ban them. I walked out of Farm Burger and witnessed a screeching child standing near the horse, which raised up a bit. I love the idea of them being rescued but we don’t need these downtown. Can you imagine them during any of our street festivals? O_o
I grew up around horses, don’t mind the smell but do worry about their treatment.

RW May 9, 2013 - 6:58 pm

I am amazed that there so many people that don’t approve the carriage idea. As a huge supporter of this wonderful city, I feel that there needs to be as many things to do for the tourists as possible. The Biltmore Estate, and Blue Ridge Parkway only bring in so many people. If they don’t come here, we don’t have a sustainable economy. It’s that simple. Who cares about chewed up grass (horse poop) in the gutter, when your stepping over a passed out pile of broken dreams, asking me for change. Not to mention, if you close your eyes, horse pee smells a lot like pitchuli and sage, you should be used to that by now.

Big Al May 10, 2013 - 1:10 am

Everybody here wants economic growth, tourism, jobs, the lot.

But this is UNSAFE. Period.

WISEGUY May 14, 2013 - 9:51 pm

Yeah, let’s jeopardize safety and sanitation for economic gain. Great idea. I’m sure this small scale horse-drawn carriage will really boost tourism, too…

You seem to have forgotten about the restaurants, breweries, and entertainment venues that are just as important to tourism as (if not more so) the Biltmore and the BRP, which are only seasonal draws anyway. Adding another seasonal attraction with all of its added liability isn’t going to make this wonderful city any better.

I’m amazed that you’re amazed by the practicality of the rest of us.

JML May 8, 2013 - 12:11 pm

it is cruel to the horse, to have them in traffic all day with the blinders on. bad for their health breathing in all the car pollution. The horses get hit by cars, people get hit by horses, it’s a mess. Coming from NYC where this was a major problem, I do not approve

Ashley May 6, 2013 - 8:31 pm

I gave carriage tours in Charleston years ago. The diapers do not catch all of the poop and as the poster above me said, the horses will still need to pee. Charleston has a whole sanitation department that goes around and cleans up after the horses. If Asheville does not, the streets will be nasty.

Murphy May 6, 2013 - 3:58 pm

I know the horses will be “bagged” so no poop … but who is going to clean up the liquid “by product” of the horse(s) … streets are a mess as it is since the City does not regularly wash the streets, as they used to do – if at all: something about a budget crisis …

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