I was driving to work recently, with my bicycle on the back of my car, which rarely happens. At the intersection of U.S. 278 and Folly Field Road, I stopped, exchanged glances with a bicyclist in the crosswalk, then yielded, and he made his way across.

As he crossed, I noticed a puff under his back tire, like a splash from a small puddle, and we both realized he'd had a blowout.

Ordinarily I would have shrugged and continued on, but it happened I'd just invested in a tire repair kit and was prepared to help.

I gave the cyclist a "wait a minute" sign, parked and between the two of us we completed a successful repair.

What are the chances? I had my bicycle that day because I'm a member of the new Hilton Head Island "Bicycle Ambassadors" team, developed by our Bicycle Advisory Committee, designed to do exactly what I was doing at that intersection -- provide assistance to our bicycle riding visitors.

The bicyclist that day was from Pittsburgh, and it was his first time on Hilton Head. It was simple chance that our paths met, but it was rewarding for both of us. He expressed enthusiastic thanks and said he was impressed by the friendliness and the preparedness. And he promised that as long as he was a bicycle rider, Hilton Head would have a visitor for life. Which is about all a bicycle ambassador can ask.

David Zunker

Bicycle Advisory Committee

Hilton Head Island