ChiWhoBike #77

Published June 2, 2025
A man standing looking stoically with his faded pink bike with stickers all over it. He's wearing black lace up shoes and black leggings under black shorts and a black hoodie and green beanie, and has light skin, short curly black hair and a black mustache. His bike is light pink with stickers all over it, green handlebars, and blue drop handlebars and a black rack in the back.

I got this ‘cause my other bike was stolen ‘cause I left it outside at 7-11, unlocked for two whole seconds at three in the morning. Some dudes ripped it, and I was super bummed, so I got this one off some dude on Craigslist, and then I had to sand it all down and I repainted it, added a bunch of contrasting colors. But then the paint started to fade and chip, and so I just started putting stickers on it, random Chicago bands or just bands. But it’s a pretty dope ride and I hope people can’t tell what a nice bike it actually is.

So if you are biking in Chicago and you get hit by a car, and you’re not dead, (god willing, right?) they will blame you and they’ll say, you look fine, you’re okay. They’ll keep saying things to make you think you’re okay, and you’ll feel okay. That’s the adrenaline taking care of your body, but you are probably not okay. Do not talk to them, call the cops. They’ll say, we don’t gotta call the cops. Do not talk to them, do not even acknowledge them, dude. Call the cops, get that report, get everything written down. Maintain your composure. Do not get mad at them, because then they’ll start feeling like the victim too. And I’ve been hit by cars before, and, I don’t mean to sound like a cynic, but nine times outta ten, even when they don’t look, and they’re negligent, and it’s absolutely their fault, they will blame the cyclist.

In Ghostbusters Two there’s that pink slime, that’s in the sewers. And when they get the pink slime on them, they all turn angry and are pushing each other, like the worst sides of themselves are showing ‘cause of the pink slime. Do not let the pink slime get on you, after an accident. Do not let the worst sides of yourself show because you feel victimized, because you feel attacked. A close call is a close call - if they’re fine and you’re fine, keep biking. There’s no reason to make everyone’s day worse because you want to feel vindicated. They’re a stranger, I’m sure they’re having their own issues, their own problems. Don’t let the pink slime get on you.

A different shot of the same man holding his pink vike vertical with more stickers visible giving a big grin and a thumbs up while squinting due to the sun.
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