“I’m sorry to say the evidence would suggest otherwise. Seceral fixie riders hit the deck in comedy fashion after grabbing a handfull of front. You seriously think you have more control in the ice with a fixie than I do with 2 rim brakes? “
yes because my front brake is the same as yours, it’s no different and works the same way.
rear brakes are less effective than fronts and certainly aren’t going to be used to stop you only for slowing down.
if you touch the rear brake with the freewheel over a slippery surface it’s highly likely that once it starts to slip it will lock and keep slipping, with fixed the wheel cannot lock up (if your legs are still moving) so even if it slips it will regain grip quicker.
much prefer town riding in the winter as it feels a lot safer over manhole covers and in the wet on the fixed.
i wasn’t there so can’t really comment on your anecdote except if you “grab a handfull of front” on ice you are going down whatever you ride.