San Francisco does not have an exclusive license on hipsters and messenger wannabes, oddly called fakengers in other parts of the country
Bike Messenger envy, Philadelphia
Labeled “fakengers” or “FAMs” (for “fake-ass messengers”) by their detractors, the burgeoning ranks of courier-emulators make up a peculiar breed. Though often employed in another field — or, as the oft-true stereotype goes, enrolled in art school — members of this band of twentysomethings have taken to messengers’ garb, gear and wheels in tremendous numbers.
which has resulted in the inevitable bike accessory for real bike messengers
This is a real bike messenger, in New York, and because looking cool is a matter of life and death in todays society, a simple leg amputation seems like a small price to pay for social acceptance, no?