The Ultimate Brakeless/Front/Rear/How many brakes? thread

OP sorry to hear you got knocked off - was it because you couldn't stop in time or something, were you riding to close to the back of a car? The whole experience would be pretty disorienting for you that's for sure, but as you didn't say what happened we don't know if it was your fault or someone else's ie are you ascribing your lack of a rear brake to the accident when in fact it was because you don't check over your shoulder enough? Or it could also just be bad timing around a shit driving that's got nothing to do with your lack of a rear brake? You see what I'm getting at? Riding fixed means you have rear braking ability and a front handbrake so you have to ride within that context/skillset. If you're doing so then I wouldn't say that adding a rear handbrake to your fixed would prevent you getting knocked off.

I was riding along a very wide path trying to get from one main road to another through a local nature park. It is widely used by cyclists and commuters (it is a legitimate 'Green Wheel' cycle way) - it was a wet day and there was almost nobody else around.
I was riding along when I saw a group of 4 adults up ahead taking up the whole path. I called ahead and they all moved to the left, I started to pass on the right and when I had about half a meter to a meter of stopping time a woman from the group suddenly without looking walked into my path. I collided with her and was knocked to the ground with her on top of me skidding on my handlebars, pedal, hip and wrist. She was absolutely fine but my wheels are buckled, need new bar tape and I'm still sore.

I ride the path several times a week and make sure people are aware of me by shouting ahead and waiting for them to move over. I wasn't going very fast but I was left with very little time to stop.