Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to fill what he believed was a pothole, only to find out it was not a pothole at all.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, known for his action-packed roles on screen and his occasional ventures into real-life heroics, recently stole the spotlight again.
The former governor of California, now 77 years old, took it upon himself to address what he thought was a pesky pothole in the streets of Los Angeles.
However, he didn’t know it turned out to be something entirely different.
Arnold Schwarzenegger decided to fill the pothole
Schwarzenegger noticed what appeared to be a sizable pothole during his daily commute.
“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,” Arnold explained in a post on X (formerly Twitter) last year. “I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it.”
Known for his proactive approach to problem-solving, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Armed with tools and a determination to make a difference, he set about filling the perceived pothole with gravel and asphalt.
Passersby and onlookers were amused and impressed by his hands-on approach, capturing the moment on their phones and sharing it across social media.
However, the local authorities then arrived on the scene to stop his actions.
It turned out to be a ‘service trench’
It was then that Schwarzenegger learned the truth about his impromptu repair job, the “pothole” he had diligently filled was not a pothole at all.
Instead, it was part of a construction site earmarked for repair work scheduled for later that week.
Despite Arnold Schwarzenegger’s belief that he was acting in the best interest of his community, the “pothole” he filled was actually a service trench designated for ongoing work by SoCal Gas.
Los Angeles officials expressed dissatisfaction with Schwarzenegger’s actions.
They clarified that the trench was necessary for permitted construction activities expected to conclude by the end of May.
According to a spokesperson from the LA Department of Public Works, it is standard procedure for SoCal Gas to restore such areas once their work is finished, ensuring compliance with city regulations for street maintenance.
“As is the case with similar projects impacting City streets, SoCal Gas will be required to repair the area once their work is completed.”
While it initially appeared that Arnold’s community efforts were in vain, SoCal Gas issued a statement praising his attention to the service trench after his social media post.
“We did leave the patch that Governor Schwarzenegger applied, however, yesterday our crews went back to the site and we used special equipment to go over the patch to make it all stronger,” the SoCal Gas spokesperson said.
Social media reaction
On social media, numerous users expressed amusement over Arnold Schwarzenegger’s actions.
His mistaken attempt to fill what he thought was a pothole, only to discover it was a service trench, sparked a wave of humor and memes online.
People on social media joked and made light-hearted comments about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s well-meaning but mistaken actions.
You think those potholes are bad, you should see the UK now. Without exaggerating, I can’t drive round the large majority of corners without having to avoid holes 4-8” deep, and sometimes several feet wide.
But when people here started filling them themselves, the local authorities track them down and prosecute them, one user shared.
It was a speed hump, the second user joked.
Anyone can see that it is not a pothole, too symmetrical, the third user said.
If it’s a hole and it’s in my line of driving then it’s a damn pothole, another wrote.
Wow… is that all you need to do to be defined as a hero in California? Someone joked.