There has been such a collective outcry from angry Massapequans regarding the Massapequa Bike Club's 'Tour of the Hamptons' that we feel compelled to defend the sound actions of the Southampton Town Board.

Several weeks ago the Town granted a special events permit to a bike club from Massapequa that holds a large-scale charity bike ride through the Hamptons in August. The Town granted the permit for this year but told the Club that in future years they would not be able to hold the event in August. The Club was told that the ride could be held in September, when the roads were less chaotic. Well members of this group insist that September is unacceptable, that they must hold the event in August. They have been complaining and writing letters to the Southampton Press.

The Town Board's job is to protect the public, not to issue special events permits to every group that wants one, no matter how well-intentioned. The Town Board has become more judicious in granting permits. They have even stated that they would not issue permits for two antique shows in Bridgehampton on the same weekend—that it posed a pedestrian hazard.  For whatever reason, this group feels entitled to hold an August event for 1000+ cyclists, despite the crowded roads. Our emergency services personnel are stretched to the max in August. The streets are congested with bikers, pedestrians, strollers, joggers, cars and sometimes tractors.  We avoid taking Munchkin on walks and bike rides because the neighborhood is so hazardous.

But the organizers of this event don't seem to care about our community or about public safety. They aren't concerned with the reality that we don't have sufficient police coverage. In the area of Water Mill, Bridgehampton, Sagaponack and unincorporated Sag Harbor—an area of at least 35 sq. miles, we have no more than two police officers at any given time, even in the summer.  In fact, this bike tour no longer routes through Sag Harbor Village for safety reasons.  We like bike tours—the Hamptons are filled with bike tours—all of the local bike shops operate them. But they are smaller scale events. Every year this event is a nightmare. It's such a massive event that the riders feel entitled to dominate the road—they ride three abreast and do not yield for pedestrians.

If at this point you assume that we sound like SUV-driving, bicycle-haters, we must offer some small defense.  While we offer no legitimate cyclist credentials, we are bicycle enthusiasts. We enjoy riding, sometimes even in those stretchy biker shorts, we lobby the Town for bike lanes and we did buy Munchkin this cool new bike seat.  We suggest that the Town Board refrain from issuing this group a permit for any date until the organizers commit to prepping participants on traffic safety laws.