It’s Just Like Riding A Bicycle…
I have to admit, when City Council Transportation Committee Chair Bill Rosendahl's office first approached us about the Councilman taking a bike safety class, my first thought was "this will be hilarious." Despite being a strong supporter of cyclists rights at the City Council, Rosendahl would often declare that he hadn't ridden a bike in over 30 years. I pictured wobbling, and a lot of it.
Well guess what? His muscle memory is pretty strong. The sixty-six year old Councilman hopped on my spare bike (yes, that's my beach cruiser with the squeaky frog) and after about 30 seconds completely found his balance. After an hour and a half of safe cycling instruction from Don Ward and Meghan Kavanagh, we took a ride from a Westside Church to the Councilman's house on a mix of local roads, Barrington Avenue and Venice Boulevard.
As you can see, the Councilman even got to experience getting buzzed and shouted at by an irate van driver. Welcome to the streets! However, Rosendahl had a great time, shouting out to constituents as he pedaled through the Westside that "I'm learning to ride a bike!" As we rounded the last corner on our route, I even heard two of my neighbors talking on the porch and one of them saying, "I didn't know he could ride a bike..."
The good vibes from the Councilman's ride must be spreading. One week later, fellow Transportation Committee member Councilman Paul Koretz went on a ride for the first time in fifteen years during Carmageddon.
For the record, the cameo by Los Angeles' Mayor Villaraigosa, who was injured in a bike crash nearly one year ago, wasn't planned by either his office or us. The Mayor was visiting a mutual friend who's staying with the Councilman.
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<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Damien Newton:</i>
[00:04] Back in December when we were handing out our annual streetsie
awards online we announced that Councilman Bill Rosendahl was our Politician
of the Year for his work to create a safer Los Angeles for cyclists
especially and we wanted to award him for that. But one thing
he always says, he always caveats when he’s talking about bicycling
he scared himself to get out on the streets. He hasn’t ridden
a bicycle in three decades he always says. So we said before we
actually give you the award, we want you to take a bike class.
Here we are today, Don Ward with the League of American Cyclists, Meghan
Kavanagh, also a League certified instructor, they’re both here to
help Bill Rosendahl, Chair of the Los Angeles City Council, learn to
ride a bike. </font></p>
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<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Bill Rosendahl:</i>
[00:45] Yeah, I’m Bill Rosendahl, I’m a City Council Member.
I represent the West Side, the Eleventh District of the City of Los
Angeles. I’m also the Chair of the Transportation Committee
of the LA City Council. It’s been one of my passions to put
together a bike plan that we could move forward on. I also feel
that I should get on a bicycle too, but I’m nervous. I’m a
66 year old guy, I haven’t ridden a bike in a long time, so I’m
here today to take a class on riding a bicycle and get myself confident
in myself and learn some tips on how to be on the road and how to deal
with a car when it comes by, and how I keep myself safe and keep myself
happy and enjoy riding a bike, which is what I want to do today. </font></p>
<p> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Bill Rosendahl:</i>
[01:38] I’m a little worried about obviously getting on that. </font></p>
<p> <br></p>
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<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Bill Rosendahl:</i>
[02:02] Having fun. </font></p>
<p> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Bill Rosendahl:</i>
[02:14] It was great. It was exhilarating, exciting. I even
got muscles working in my legs that haven’t worked in years.
I got to see some beautiful plants and trees. My [unintelligible]
constituents I could wave to. A lot of fun. A lot of fun. </font></p>
<p> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">[music]</font> <br></p>
<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Bill Rosendahl:</i>
[02:36] I have not been on a bicycle for 30 years. I’m very
nervous [unintelligible] car right, and when I get my balance, I’m
a baby ewey, I’m kind of big and awkward so I sat and took a class,
learned the dos and the don’ts of the road, you know, and then after
that, got on the bike and rode here. Well thank you very much.
Streetblogs elected official. </font></p>
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<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Damien Newton:</i>
[02:58] Of the year 2010. Thank you. </font></p>
<p> <br></p>
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<p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><i>Bill Rosendahl:</i>
[03:04] Oh, happy moment. </font></p>
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