The last time I did the LA River Ride, a young man with no spare tube had flatted, and I just happened to still be carrying a spare tube for my "Orion" even though I was riding the Black Pearl.

One morning I was out for a ride before work and came across a young man pushing his flatted bike (he was supposed to meet a friend, and didn't have a phone, either). I gave him all my emergency bus money.

I was more than paid back for those kindnesses today when I flatted. One gent stopped and did most of the work; another slowed to ask if everything was okay; two more stopped when we couldn't figure out how to get my emergency pump to work; and another stopped to help after the first guy rode off without doing up the brake cable again.

And yes, I always ask, even when things seem to be well in hand.