I've considered a folder for long days on public transportation since our trains and buses don't run very late hours. A few times I've needed Uber or Lyft to make the final leg home after a long day. The final ride home would be 10-12 miles, mostly on the MUP and some lightly traveled suburban roads, pretty easy for almost any bike.
But a folding bike would need to weigh less than 20 lbs to make it worth lugging around as backup transportation. Basically I'd be carrying a dinghy on the off chance I might actually need it to get home.
For the cost of a lightweight carbon fiber folding bike/dinghy -- figure $500 minimum, probably closer to $1,000 -- I could buy a lot of Uber rides home. Not really cost effective.
There are plenty of cheap folders weighing close to 30 lbs and costing less than $200 new, less than $100 used. I'd be tempted to abandon one of those after a 12 hour day. Heck, I'm tempted to abandon my sling bag with 5-10 lbs of stuff after a 12 hour day.
I considered a lightly used Strida selling for around $200 locally, but user reviews made it sound like some critical components weren't sturdy enough for regular use or longer rides. Too bad, seemed like a fun little bike for occasional use.