Model T's Proposed To Replace NYC's Hansom Cab Trade

Animal rights activists, PETA, and a NYC city councilman are proposing to replace the city's horse and buggy trade with electric replicas of vintage Model T cars from the the early 20th century.

The proposal - which has been pitched by animal-rights activists for months - has been taken up by Councilman Daniel Garodnick (D-Manhattan), who is hoping to put it before the City Council this spring. "We have been exploring the idea that would essentially create a substitute for the horses," said a source close to Garodnick.

Michael McGraw, a representative of the animal-rights group PETA who has spoken to Garodnick about the proposed bill, said the plan is to develop electric or hybrid cars, which would tour the same park course that horse-drawn buggies use now - and could even be driven by current carriage operators. "It would be the cutting edge of eco-tourism," he said. Emotions are running high about horse-drawn carriages after a public hearing last month into a bill to ban them, introduced by Councilman Tony Avella. The Queens Democrat claims the buggies amount to animal abuse.

Horse and buggy operators are opposed to the change. As I've noted here before, this is one issue with which I agree with PETA.