As I have always said "if you don't skid your tidy-whiteys why would you skid your bike?"

Brakes are important in areas where everyone is doing something different. On the velodrome everyone is going in the same direction doing the same thing so a brake in that case could actually be dangerous but on the street they are extremely useful. Skidding your bike might look really really cute and you can show all your friends all the sick skid marks on your tires and how you had to spend more money on another pair of tires in under a month but it isn't effective stopping.

Don't worry about what those lame-o's think worry about what you think and what makes most sense. Bikes are neat to look at but if they don't function well for what you are doing, those looks don't matter.

Plus keep in mind when they are slightly older they will have some ankle and knee problems and you will be just fine because you didn't lock up them thangs all the time in an effort to attempt stopping. It is almost like these folks are trying to make orange juice and instead of using a reamer or citrus juicer which will get more juice they want to try and squeeze them with their hand leaving the orange with plenty of juice left.