Originally Posted by
Pscyclepath
Carry a Schraeder valve stem tool in your tool kit. You'll be surprised how handy it can be sometimes.
Tough to get back on the road with two or three flat tires, too.
I just want to make sure no one actually does this. First, it's vandalism, and committing a crime is rarely good for advocacy. Second, and more importantly, it's a safety hazard. Probably wouldn't be a problem with removing the valve core, but if the tire only partially deflates and isn't noticed, it has a real possibility of causing a collision.
You handled it the way I would have OP. I really like the clever idea to hand him a book about safety, also. Maybe I should carry a few copies of a pamphlet just for that purpose.