"Tim Streater" wrote in message
.. .
Nothing wrong with that. How often d'ye need a spare wheel, these days.
Last time I needed one was in Whitstable in 2014. Time before that was
probably in 1984 or so.

I've probably needed my spare on average once every two or three years,
typically due to finding the car with a flat tyre as I'm about to set off,
or being forced off the road into a kerb by an oncoming car or tractor that
should have given way to me when it is overtaking parked cars on its side of
the road. Normally it's nails that I pick up - usually just too far from the
tread towards the sidewall to be repaired.

The last time was last summer with a tyre that had about 3000 miles use on
it. An oncoming tractor pulled out to overtake parked cars and I had to slam
the brakes on and swerve to the left because he still kept coming towards me
and didn't even stop (if I'd got his number I'd have reported him). The
sharp edge of the tarmac was about 2" higher than the earth at the side of
the road, and it gashed the inside tyre wall.

So, yes, a spare tyre is essential. And given that I've discovered several
punctures just as I've been about to start a long journey on a Sunday night
(when tyre repair/replacement places are closed) it really needs to be a
fully-functioning, unrestricted tyre. Space-savers assume that punctures
only ever occur when garages are open to repair the tyre - how very naive!
I've had to postpone several journeys till the following morning because my
present car doesn't have a like-for-like spare tyre (ie same size and speed
rating, just on steel rather than alloy wheel).

Am I very unlucky with the number of punctures I get, or is it just a hazard
of living in a rural area where road surfaces are poorer and there's more
crap (nails, thorny branches) left on the road by other vehicles?