Menino cycles through mishap
It's bad enough to hit a bicyclist on your way to work, but what if it's the mayor?
That scenario unfolded for an unidentified commuter late last month: A woman driving to work realized she had struck Mayor Thomas M. Menino while on his morning bike ride, the mayor's office confirmed yesterday.
Although the mayor did not publicize it, the incident does seem to support one of his pet causes, that the city needs to be more bike-friendly.
The woman was driving on River Street May 26 when she crested a hill and struck Menino, said Dorothy Joyce, the mayor's spokeswoman. He fell off his bike and suffered a small cut to his ankle, but told the flustered motorist to "just get going, and don't be late for work," Joyce said.
Menino brushed himself off and got back on his bike to return home, she said. Joyce said she did not know the driver's name, which direction the car or Menino was traveling, or whether he was attempting to cross the street or make a turn. The mayor didn't file a police report or go to the hospital, she said.
By law, bicycle riders are only required to report an accident if personal injury or property damage exceeds $100.
"I really don't know much about it," Joyce said. "He keeps his rides private. That's his private time."
The cause of the bike accident is unknown, Joyce said, but the sun may have been a factor.
When asked why the incident wasn't made public, Joyce said, "He was on a private ride, and the mayor's fine. . . . There's no reason to alarm anyone. Accidents happen."
CHRISTOPHER BAXTER 