Bikes, not cars, owned Broad Street in Williston Park on Monday, Aug. 5
Led by a couple of cop cars and an officer on a bike, roughly 20 kids biked down Williston Park’s Broad Street from Amherst to Syracuse, where they turned right to Kelleher Field in the village’s annual National Night Out bike parade.
“It’s a nice community event for the kids, to get out with other children and the police department for a fun night,” said Amanda Craig, a Williston Park mother who brought her young children to the event.
As her kids and others reveled in owning the street, biking around each other and attempting to do tricks, they were followed by a roughly equal-sized group of parents on foot, talking, laughing and enjoying the evening just as much as their kids. Both groups grew as the parade moved down the street, picking up neighbors who had come out of their houses to watch.
National Night Out is a countrywide community-building event run jointly by local municipalities and police precincts. Its goal is to strengthen and improve the relationship between officers and residents.
“It’s great to build the relationship between the young kids and the police officers, to realize they’re their friends,” Williston Park Mayor Paul Ehrbar said. “It’s good for the community and the police department.”
“The kids were great on their bikes,” he added.
Ehrbar was joined by a slew of other local officials, including North Hempstead Council Member Dennis Walsh, State Assembly Member Ed Ra and North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, who attended every National Night Out event across the town.
While other villages hold small fairs, have live music or barbeques for National Night Out, Williston Park opts for this bike parade to help instill bike safety lessons in its youth.
“I think it’s great that they do this bike parade, because it’s all about bike safety in the summer with kids,” Nassau County Police Officer Mark Maguire said. “It’s super important that they’re wearing helmets and following the rules of the road, making sure they’re seeing and being seen. It’s nice having all the kids come out on their bikes and ride in a safe way.”
Once they reached Kelleher Field, Nassau County Police Officer Jesse Coopers gave a comprehensive bike safety lesson to the kids and their parents, and scoops of cherry and lemon Italian ice were handed out.
He gave the kids a list of safety rules: always wear a well-fitting helmet and bright clothing so you can be seen, always tell someone before you go out on your bike, always ride on the sidewalk or side of the street, walk, don’t ride, your bike across a busy street, always have a bell on your bike, stay alert, don’t wear headphones and use the proper hand signals when turning or stopping to communicate with cars.
He then demonstrated those signals to the crowd: Left arm outstretched for a left turn, left arm bent at the elbow with your hand pointing up for a right turn and left arm bent at the elbow with your hand pointing down to stop.
“Building a safer community is a team effort. It’s about us being present, engaged and looking out for one another,” Coopers concluded. “Get to know your neighbors and feel free to ask us any questions you may have.”
National Night Out is always held on the first Tuesday of August.
