Tickets For Fixies? Shiiiiiiiit.

So while I was looking for something new to write about, I came across the topic of people in different areas receiving tickets for riding brake-less. I thought this was pretty crazy when I first read some of these stories, but I can somewhat understand why people who ride bikes without brakes would get a ticket due to the safety issue. Here is the letter of the law:

21201. (a) No person shall operate a bicycle on a roadway unless it is equipped with a brake which will enable the operator to make one braked wheel skid on dry, level, clean pavement.

To disect this law to its core is somewhat pointless when you already have a ticket from a stupid cop in your hand, but it makes me wonder about the bikes that would have a coaster brake built within the bike without the presence of hand brakes. Remember those bike that rode when we were kids and all we had to do was simply back pedal to come to a skidding stop? Isn't that pretty much the same thing as riding a brakeless fixie?

One could possibly argue that they had a coaster brake and didn't have hand brakes when you're in front of a judge trying to argue the ticket. Haha, he probably wouldn't even understand but it might work. You never know... So be careful! I mean, I know I'm preachin' to the choir since I ride brakeless, but it's something worrth looking into and all the other bike laws so that you know what are and what aren't the rights you have while sharing the road with cars and whatnot...

How to skid on a fixie.
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