Originally Posted by PaulRivers

You'd be far better off trying to live with a maybe-broken frame than a broken fork (though a maybe-broken frame isn't really a good idea either).

If lose control over the front wheel, you go down faster than you can even react to put a foot down. For winter biking this has become common knowledge - lose traction on the front wheel and you don't even have time to react. I've also personally had it happen once while raining - I was just down. Someone I know had a steel fork break on them, broke their collarbone. It's serious ****.

But I've actually had a bike frame break while riding it (steel frame that either rusted through or the weld rusted, at the bottom bracket). If I had been cornering hard or something it might have been a problem, but I didn't have any issues. Bike started making scary sound. Got off, couldn't see the problem. Got back on - bike started making scary sound again. Got off, realized the frame had separated at the bottom bracket. Walked it partway home. Got tired of that, coasted partway (not very fast) the rest of the way.

Just sayin' - I would definitely risk riding a compromised frame before I rode a compromised front fork. Not that either one is a terribly good idea.