# Villaraigosa injured in bike accident



## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

He riding in the Venice Blvd bike lane broke his elbow when a taxi cab cut him off. Hopefully this will bring some more attention to what we have to put up with. 


From the LA Times



> Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa broke his elbow in a bicycle accident Saturday evening, a spokesman said.
> 
> The mayor was riding in the bicycle lane on Venice Boulevard in Mid-City at about 6:50 p.m. when a taxi abruptly pulled in front of him. The mayor hit his brakes and fell off the bike.


Bicycle activist Stephen Box's quote:


> "Venice Boulevard is notorious for having all of the trash cans block the bike lanes. Venice Boulevard is notorious for having motor homes block the bike lanes. And Venice Boulevard is notorious for having fast traffic that uses the bike lane to squeeze through even when bicyclists are in the bike lane," he said.


----------



## Hollywood (Jan 16, 2003)

Indeed. Hopefully a little more compassion now.

"Ohhh...so this is why all you bike activist-types keep getting cranky with the lack of safe streets in L.A. Now I get it."  


That, or no one will ever see that cab driver again.


----------



## BentChainring (Jun 23, 2005)

Meeh...


----------



## SM-Rider (May 2, 2007)

Villaraigosa is minimizing the whole issue. It seems to me that he doesn't want to do anything to make the street safer for cyclists. Sure he was injured. But, I don't think he puts in any heavy mileage. Anyone know any better?


----------



## Opus51569 (Jul 21, 2009)

You can expect a city ordinance soon mandating elbow pads for cyclists... *sigh*


----------



## il sogno (Jul 15, 2002)

SM-Rider said:


> Villaraigosa is minimizing the whole issue. It seems to me that he doesn't want to do anything to make the street safer for cyclists. Sure he was injured. But, I don't think he puts in any heavy mileage. Anyone know any better?


Maybe he doesn't want to antagonize the 8 million aggressive drivers in this city.


----------



## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

SM-Rider said:


> Villaraigosa is minimizing the whole issue. It seems to me that he doesn't want to do anything to make the street safer for cyclists. Sure he was injured. But, I don't think he puts in any heavy mileage. Anyone know any better?



Well that's a "guy thing" anyway....what's he going to do, cry on public TV that he fell off a bicycle? Most guys would downplay the incident publicly....well, unless they had a lawsuit to sell. Arnold wouldn't have even put the sling on his arm, heh.

The mayor has no money or public credits to go funding for something as a result of his own misfortune. The city is broke.

**


----------



## blankdrift (Jul 17, 2010)

Erion929 said:


> Well that's a "guy thing" anyway....what's he going to do, cry on public TV that he fell off a bicycle? Most guys would downplay the incident publicly....well, unless they had a lawsuit to sell. Arnold wouldn't have even put the sling on his arm, heh.
> 
> The mayor has no money or public credits to go funding for something as a result of his own misfortune. The city is broke.
> 
> **


_
Technically he does have a lawsuit to sell._

I personally think it would take more guts to stand up and speak out about the incident, appeal to the legislative branch for some reform, but he is probably in too precarious a political position to attack the issue. 

Either that, or he is on too much pain medication. I love the LA Times: he's "resting comfortably". I've never broken something and been able to rest comfortably.


----------



## Erion929 (Jun 10, 2010)

blankdrift said:


> _
> Technically he does have a lawsuit to sell._
> 
> I personally think it would take more guts to stand up and speak out about the incident, appeal to the legislative branch for some reform, but he is probably in too precarious a political position to attack the issue.
> .



In a perfect world, yeah. But like I said, the city is broke. Taxes are high. People have lost houses. People have lost jobs. Now is hardly the time that a mayor is going to jump up and introduce legislation for pro-bicycle reform. Bicycles? Gawd, he'd be hung at sunset.

**


----------

