I was driving through northern Ireland alone.  I felt a tire go flat just as I was driving through some city (Londonderry?) and had to stop just short of an angry mob, and it made me very nervous.  I wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible, but I didn't have a jack.  I inquired at a small filling station nearby.  The guy working there was pretty busy, and was quite curt in his manner.  At first I was put off by it, but as I got used to it he seemed pretty friendly after all.  He got me a strange jack-it opened up rather like a straw umbrella.  I thought I could take it and change the tire myself, but he didn't have a lug wrench.  I don't remember how it all turned out, but the angry mob dissipated.  I don't know what they were angry about.