Two Wednesdays ago, intrepid New York Times reporter Christine Haughney graciously spent the afternoon with one of our commuter outreach teams at the intersection of Prince and Lafayette. Her article, "Spreading Diplomacy on Two Wheels While Weathering Traffic and Shouts," conveys some of the challenges that we face every day as we try to provide a positive face for safe cycling in the city. We would like to thank Christine for putting herself in our shoes and for bringing attention to our efforts this summer.

We have surprised even ourselves with the number of petition signatures we have gathered. However, the number here does not tell the whole story. Behind each signature, we would like to think that we have the making of a new bike ambassador, someone who supports responsible biking behavior in our community and understands the benefits of more bike lanes for all street users. For those who do not agree with us, the shouts and the traffic in Christine's article, we are here for you as well. As advocates, our first responsibility is to listen. Hopefully, in the course of our conversation, we can address your concerns. That, I am sure all stripes of diplomats will agree, is the essence of our work.

Additionally, Christine did not mention the second half of her hour with the bike ambassadors. Our somewhat less heralded but equally important complement to our commuters outreach is the Bike Friendly Business program. For the uninitiated, a local business can become a bike friendly business by either providing our Biking Rules! Street Code at their locale, offering a small discount to customers who arrive by bike, or hosting commercial cyclist safety review for their delivery crew. In return, we will publicize local businesses' participation on our blog, other media outlets and with our subscribership. You can also identify participating businesses by the two decals you'll find in their window!

Our highlight for Christine is Café Habana on Prince and Elizabeth in Soho. Serena, one of their restaurant managers, wanted a commercial cyclist safety review for their newest addition, Juan Carlos Gomez. That's right. In addition to delicious Cuban food, Café Habana is also making a conscious effort to make sure their delivery crew is safe and responsible. There is nothing more heartwarming for us than the convergence at Café Habana that afternoon. While one of our ambassadors discussed with Juan Carlos about his rights and responsibility on the streets, Christine posted her own questions and concerns. As ambassadors, it was gratifying because we were participating in an evolving dialogue in the city about the possibility and the future of cycling in our lives.