Photo: Instagram/Arnold Schwarzenegger (Composite)
A good leader is one who leads by example, not words. Arnold Schwarzenegger might not be into politics anymore, but that's not to say he doesn't care about what happens in his native Los Angeles or, for that matter, the entire state of California.
The other day, Schwarzenegger went out with his team to fix one large pothole that had been troubling the entire neighborhood for weeks, he says. Because he wants people to know he leads by example, he had his people film the whole thing and then posted the video to his social media, with a very clear and quite admirable message: stop complaining and just do something to right a wrong when you see it.
It's a most noble sentiment, as is the desire to want to do something for the community. It's also public shaming of local authorities, which is something celebrities are not shy of doing. In his post about how he'd been trying to get authorities to fix the pothole for three full weeks, Schwarzenegger pointed out the real problem. Since he couldn't get it solved the usual way, he had no other choice but to do something about it himself.
The real problem is that the pothole didn't need fixing. It wasn't even a pothole, a spokesperson for L.A.'s Bureau of Street Services says in a statement for the media. This was a "service trench that relates to active, permitted work being performed at the location by SoCal Gas," which would explain the lousy patch job on it.
The work is scheduled for completion by the end of May, and SoCal Gas will handle repairs to the road after that point. In other words, whatever fixin' Arnold did will have to be unfixed so SoCal Gas can continue the works. The road to hell is paved with good intentions... and civilian repair jobs on potholes.
The rather strange turn of events brings to mind a similar occurrence in 2022 when singer Sir Rod Stewart went out with an entire team to fill potholes on a section of a private road that led to his mansion in Harlow, Essex, UK, and a posted video of his deed online. Reports at the time said that he did it because the road was so bad that it prevented him from driving out in his Ferrari F8 Tributo, but Stewart said that the main motivator was poor access for neighbors and emergency services. You can only see so many ambulances bursting tires on that road before you're spurred into action.
Like Schwarzenegger, Stewart was threatened with a fine and "scolded” by local authorities for not closing down the road or taking the proper precautions before the repair job. In the end, though, they fixed the road, without fining him. Public shaming works.
It's a most noble sentiment, as is the desire to want to do something for the community. It's also public shaming of local authorities, which is something celebrities are not shy of doing. In his post about how he'd been trying to get authorities to fix the pothole for three full weeks, Schwarzenegger pointed out the real problem. Since he couldn't get it solved the usual way, he had no other choice but to do something about it himself.
The real problem is that the pothole didn't need fixing. It wasn't even a pothole, a spokesperson for L.A.'s Bureau of Street Services says in a statement for the media. This was a "service trench that relates to active, permitted work being performed at the location by SoCal Gas," which would explain the lousy patch job on it.
The work is scheduled for completion by the end of May, and SoCal Gas will handle repairs to the road after that point. In other words, whatever fixin' Arnold did will have to be unfixed so SoCal Gas can continue the works. The road to hell is paved with good intentions... and civilian repair jobs on potholes.
The rather strange turn of events brings to mind a similar occurrence in 2022 when singer Sir Rod Stewart went out with an entire team to fill potholes on a section of a private road that led to his mansion in Harlow, Essex, UK, and a posted video of his deed online. Reports at the time said that he did it because the road was so bad that it prevented him from driving out in his Ferrari F8 Tributo, but Stewart said that the main motivator was poor access for neighbors and emergency services. You can only see so many ambulances bursting tires on that road before you're spurred into action.
Like Schwarzenegger, Stewart was threatened with a fine and "scolded” by local authorities for not closing down the road or taking the proper precautions before the repair job. In the end, though, they fixed the road, without fining him. Public shaming works.
Today, after the whole neighborhood has been upset about this giant pothole that’s been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it. I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go. pic.twitter.com/aslhkUShvT
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) April 11, 2023
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