1. I never said that hand brakes and no hand brakes are completely equal as far as stopping distance. It may take a longer time to stop, but I by no means think it creates a deadly situation. My argument is not that of equal stopping distance. I am saying that any normal rider will adapt and perform accordingly, well enough for street use.

2. Again, it's all perspectives, but to me brakes are not just hand brakes. A fixed gear allows you to stop successfully by most previous set laws. Why go back and change it just to single out fixed gear riders. It is basically just targeting people who share the interest of riding track bikes, or fixed gears with no brakes.

3. The people whom you point out are as specific examples seem to be more moronic, or just plain stupid. Tagging hipster to it is just plain redundant.

4. Blah blah blah, they have street legal slicks. I've seen plenty of crappy race cars 3mm off the ground. Though, I don't really see the relevance between a 3000lb projectile going 60+mph vs. a 30lb object averaging 10-20mph. I understand using lights and equiptment like that, but it just seems so excessive to go out of your way to completely redo a law for a minority of people. I honestly think portland has more problems than bikes. Last time I went there, it smelled like piss, and every crevace of the town had a homeless dude covered with newspapers. Why not do something constructive with that problem instead of people that just are out doing what they like to do.

I have never first hand experienced or heard of an experienced something that makes me think that not running a hand brake on a fixed gear is so dangerous that it needs to be outlawed. Then again, maybe the people in portland are as ******** as you say they are.