Actually Dave, I don't lie awake at night, worrying about the integrity of my dust shields, nor do I look to the kitchen drawer for potential headgear.

My post wasn't about common sense, about comparative risk, or about the brake configuration on dissimilar equipment with a different number of wheels and significantly less mass.

The O.P. asked about running without dust shields on his car. My post was an observation that he could make his decision siding with those who engineered the vehicles in the first place, or siding with those with anecdotes and personal opinion.

You don't think they're important. I get it.

The membership here represents a wide variety of life experiences and personal knowledge (or lack thereof). I've never met you, but from reading your posts, I would consider you among those with knowledge. I have no beef with you. I do not seek to have an argument. Carry on.