Originally Posted by
Herzlos
I cycle all over the place, miles from home, the car or civilisation, often where there's no phone signal. If I hit something irrepairable, then I'm looking at a walk of $x miles back to the car or $y miles until I encounter a phone, where $y is likely to be less than $x. Whether it's because I get reception, or pass somewhere with a landline, or flag down a passing car or whatever.
In that case, my 5g credit card and 1g $20 bill will get me whatever I need at the time (taxi, food, spare parts if I'm incredibly lucky).
I don’t go without riding without a credit card or phone but I’m realistic about the need for other tools for those not infrequent times when there is no “taxi, food, [and] spare parts” even remotely available.
I limped about 12 miles back to the car after an my knees gave up on me during a ride in the summer, and had I had the chance to phone for help I'd have taken it but phone signal is terrible once you leave towns here.
I find it a little hard to believe that you would walk 12 miles with bad knees when riding a bike is far easier on knees than walking, in my experience. At the very least, you can coast down a hill without pedaling which is way easier on the knees than walking down that same hill is.