Excellent point, the comparison to danger of others on the track if one bike had a hand brake. Merging with traffic and consistency with expectations of others is the issue and requirement.
Some supporting evidence for driver and /or passenger restraint mechanisms in autos --seat belts and later air-bags -- was that passengers were hardly in a position to limit their freedom of movement by not riding in cars without them; and that on-road usage surveys showed a large fraction of vehicles driven by people who hadn't purchased the vehicle. So, the right to not equip for ones own safety put unwitting drivers of the vehicle at risk.
All that's required to change many opinions is a large tort settlement against an owner who incorrectly assumed that the bike he /she lent could be safely ridden, without injury to a third party, perhaps a pedestrian injured in a collision, or worse, a vehicle occupant or other pedestrian injured while trying to avoid the bike which was not safely ridden but would have been had the rarer skill of stopping without an accessory brake not been necessary.
Harry Travis New Jersey USA.
On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 9:39 AM, Charles Andrews <chasds@mindspring.com>wrote:
> Kevin McCaul wrote:
>
> "As for brakes, well all I can say is if you feel the need for them, then
> you
> probably shouldn't be riding fixed. I've seen firsthand and heard numerous
> stories of guys flying over the handlebars using them.
>
> Then again I'm sure there is a place for brakes in certain circumstances,
> but I can't think of one that applies to me. Let me know! You ride on the
> sidewalk only maybe?"
>
> ************
>
> I'd be interested to know just how many drivers and pedestrians you've
> terrified in all those years because of what you had to do because you had
> no brakes. I've seen it many times: fixed riders without brakes doing stuff
> that should have got them killed, solely because they have no brakes. And
> scaring the bejesus out of everyone around them in the process.
>
> The real tough-guy riders from 50 years ago always had brakes.
> Purpose-made path-racer bikes from the time nearly always had front brakes.
> They knew riding without brakes in traffic was simply an irresponsible
> affectation. Had I not seen the results with my own eyes many times in
> downtown LA, and elsewhere, I would not post about this, but people riding
> without brakes give a bad name to all cyclists, regardless of the sort of
> bike you might ride.
>
> I've ridden fixed with brakes many times; I've never even come close to
> going over the bars. I wouldn't do it any other way, out in traffic.
>
> Just as being the only rider with brakes in a group on the track is
> irresponsible and dangerous--and would never be allowed--so is riding fixed
> without brakes out in traffic. Same concept. If you're not using brakes
> out in traffic, you shouldn't be riding fixed.
>
> Charles Andrews
> Los Angeles
>
>
>
>
> "everyone has elites; the important thing is
> to change them from time to time."
>
> --Joseph Schumpeter, via Simon Johnson