glad you and your bike are allright.
Is this tape you put on yourself, or was it already on when you first got the bike? If it's really old you may have to slowly gently sort of scrape it off, not fun. If it's relatively new, find the end near the stem and unwrap...
__________________
1989 Schwinn Paramount OS
1980 Mclean/Silk Hope Sport Touring
1983 Bianchi pista
1976 Fuji Feather track
1979 raleigh track
"I've consulted my sources and I'm pretty sure your derailleur does not exist"