Sure, flats are annoying, but there's always a bigger fish. Your tire got you home and then when flat? That's absurdly good luck.
After long, hard experience, I've always carried two tubes on every ride. But a few years ago, I got three flats on one 60-mile road ride. (And yes, I've also learned from long, hard experience to carefully check the inside of the tire casing to ensure the piercing contaminant had been removed.)
Used up both my tubes and was walking 8-miles home in my thin cycling socks when a kindly fire-chief (shout out to the Elfin Forest FD in CA) and his wife picked me up and drove me home. Wouldn't let me pay for their gas or trouble.
Flats are part of the game. Thankfully cellphones and Uber are now also part of the game.
Edit: Absurdly bad luck is when you flat on a shoulderless, high-speed road on a hot day; standing sweatily in the dirt and rocks in your ridiculous plastic shoes with cars whizzing by while spooning the tire off the rim with sweat constantly getting in your eyes. Had that happen a few times. Made me question my choice of sport.
Last edited by calamarichris; 02-04-24 at 06:55 AM.