never crashed due to brakeless...Never ridden BMX, just road

rode with a brake for first few months.. got new frame (one more my size) and didn't have a brake to fit it (27in to 700c conversion) or want to spend the one so went like 4 months brakeless... I eventually got a brake when I had 30 bucks in my pocket and a dude at the LBS offered to hook me up with a lever, brake, cable, and install for exactly that price.