As you say essexman, the self sticking patches only stick 75% of the time, so I prefer to do the job properly which is always successful. It's a pity people are so scared of punctures since they are really so easy to deal with.
Many is the the time when I've stopped and quickly repaired one for someone looking helpless at the side of the road, done in minutes.
Of course that is an alternative way of dealing with punctures, assume a helpless look and wait for a mug like me to come along.

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