Gothamist: NYPD Horses Move and Chelsea Cove Is on the Way

Tim N.

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:03:38 -0500

F*** the footsies. If you are walking on a clearly marked bikepath, you deserve what you get. Would you walk through traffic in the middle of West Street? Didn't think so. You've got your own lane... stick to it and I'll stick to mine. People rightly scream about bikes that ride the wrong way on streets or run lights, but they never stop to think about their own misbehavior. OK, rant over. I like the expansion of the park, and personally I've always admired the mounted cops. Most cops who want to bust heads don't need a horse to help. And frankly, if it brings more cops into the park... to enforce the bike lanes!... it's a good thing.

MT

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 08:25:04 -0500

Does anyone know the origins of the Hudson River Park? I think it is such an amazing place and it just keeps getting better. I'm interested to know how it came about. Was it a mandate when the city decided to allow residential development on the far west side? Was it some philanthropic thing? It's really turning into one the best things to happen in Manhattan in a long time. P.S. Great commentary on all counts Bofug.

g

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 03:07:15 -0500

The westside path is almost unrideable on a nice weekend day and with two cyclists killed on that path in the last year (one in front of that very area by a police tow truck) I see more accidents with increased traffic that will blindly cross over it. While there are ample places for 'footsies' to walk next to the water along the westside many like to walk hand in hand across the entire bike lane. When possible for them to use the ped only (and the guys in the go carts are quick to yell at a bicyclist who happens to be a little off the path but not at the peds who are on the bike path) be considerate and use it. I wish they would move the path behind most of the other projects so there wouldn't be a reason to cross over it. I like the mounted units, don't get me wrong. I just worry about additional reasons for cars and other traffic that will create dangerous conditions.

Kevin Bracken

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 02:20:20 -0500

At least horses wear diapers in New York. In some cities they just go on the ground. Ew. But aren't most police forces phasing horses out?

ping

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 00:55:31 -0500

I agree with Bofug, particularly regarding the Mounted Unit. I have gotten to know many of the officers and their mounts in the past few years, frequently visiting the stable at Pier 63 to feed and talk to the horses. The officers (as well as the hostlers)couldn't be more open and nice, allowing me to walk freely around the very clean stables. I have ridden most of my life, and I have never seen mounts so well cared for. They are, indeed, a welcome sight, and a good alternative to a line of police wielding batons or shields for crowd control.

bofug

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 23:59:03 -0500

First: The west margin of the island of Manahattan does not exist as a "bikes only" thoroughfare. How about a little more consideration for "footsies". We observe (even though the speeding arrogant nutjobs don't) the crosswalks on the West Side. It's a multiple-use area. The area around the Heliport & Chelsea Piers is totally bike-predom & pedestrian "watch your asses". I would try to widen & separate the bike & ped flow to allow graeter coexistence. Signals at the crossings must be obeyed by the peds AND the bikers. SECOND: The western margin of NYC is a multiple use area. Vehicles, yea, but the current engineering sucks. No, we don't need another multi-million study. Any idiot could see that the high-ped-traffic areas and vehicle-crossing areas are the most poorly designed you could imagine. Change the design to eliminate the blind crossings (crappy shrubbery with no ped crosswalks), no warning signs to bikers of high-traffic areas (not that they'd pay any attention, as a person on two wheels has ultimate moral predominace over any other existence) and make it work for everybody. THIRD: If the frying pan/fireboat/1000 days and kayaks must go, give it a laid-back homeport cosideration and not a Disney Pier-World. It's always been one of the coolest places in town. Bikers, lighten up. Work with others (No, I don't own a car, and was born in NYC). If you give the Admin a chance, you're gonna get another South Street Seaport or worse. Much more to say, but it's getting late. By the way, we love the mounteds, and wish there were more of them. Great PR, good bunch of folks, helluva lot better than Cushmans and RMPs. And, as a life-long rider, for your poorly informed opinion, the horses are the best cared-for mounts in the world. The modern horse is a domestic animal. They bond with their humans. You will not find a horse in this world with greater care, closeness and companionship than a police mount. (And yes, I know they're all geldings, so why don't we all just grind 'em up for dogfood) Getting late Bofug

b buckner

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 23:26:53 -0500

Mounted police go a long way to intimidating crowds into good behavior. It's not just anout protestors. It could be at a sporting event. Nobody with half a brain goes after a horse. Anyone old enough to remember what the fans at Shea did when the Mets clinched the Eastern Division in 1986? The fans rushed the field and TORE THE SOD FROM THE FIELD. When the won the World Series the NYPD horses ringed the field and few if any fans ran on the field.

Greg

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 19:48:14 -0500

Mounted police are anachronistic - what is this, the Middle Ages? It's also cruel to the horses. Free the horses!

timbnyc

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:21:27 -0500

And horses are great for stomping demonstrators! Whee!

some guy

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:10:21 -0500

the Hudson river park is trying to muscle out the kayak facility near laight street for a double tier restaurant. The restaurant will generate tons of traffic across the bike path. further north at Houston street the redesigns plan both call for increased vehicle parking then is currently at the pier 25. the redesign calls for a permanent cir de sole and other amenities that will also increase vehicle traffic across the bike path. further north at pier 63 in Chelsea, the frying pan people are still fighting to be able to stay in the park

Wallard

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 17:59:17 -0500

Is this the end for the lightship/bar Frying Pan?

g

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 17:52:55 -0500

It sounds like there will be a lot more traffic across the bike path.