The main reason I don't ride my fixed gear bike without a brake on the road is that you have to "get ready" to stop if you have a brake lever you will find you are using it before you have to really think about it. Granted, I have been known to crash by standing the bike on the front wheel but I did not run into the truck that would have killed me.

A problem that many people have is that do not take the time to get used to riding their fixed. At some point you are not consciously thinking, you are riding. That's when your lower brain takes over and leaned "muscle" memory starts to function . Even if you are prepared for it "skid" stopping does not seem to be as effective as a front brake.

What seems to happen to the novice or the newly reacquainted fixed rider is they forget that they can't coast. Usually it feels like someone has hit you in the rear with a two by four and you can look kind of silly. Like I said before its muscle memory, not thought.

Mike the Bike guy