So far, I've only had to call my wife one time, when I broke the small cog on my rear cassette on the way to work. Made it in, but decided not to try riding home on a wobbly cassette. The replacement broke after two weeks, on my ride home, but I made it ok.
My first attempt to commute this year was foiled by a bad light battery. I had left it plugged in and charging for many months without use. Woke up in the morning of my first commute, no light. My second attempt of the first commute this year was abandonded at the one mile mark, because my fingers were on the brink of frostbite and would have fallen off before I got to work. Now I have better gloves and lights.