With the weather as beautiful as it has been this summer, I've tried to take advantage by walking or biking around town as much as possible. It seems a lot of people share this view as we greet each other along sidewalks and curbsides.

One thing I have noticed this summer is the number of young bicycle riders not following bicycle rules. I'm not talking about helmets and light colored clothing. Instead, I'm worried about the young bike riders who completely disregard car traffic as they zip and zoom across the street.

Just the other day walking back from lunch on Ramsey Avenue, I saw a couple of riders refuse to stop while crossing Fifth Street, forcing a driver to put on his/her brakes while the three bicyclists casually crossed the road. My brief moment of panic was soon replaced with a dose of indignation.

Litchfield Community Education is also noticing an upward trend of youth bicyclists driving down the middle of roads and not yielding for traffic, according to Litchfield School Board member Stacey Helstrom. At Monday night's board meeting, Helstrom mentioned that members of the community education advisory committee were remarking about the need for additional bike safety education. Supposedly, committee members have noticed dangerous bicycle behavior, too.

Now expecting a 13-year-old to follow bike rules to a tee might be a lot to expect. But reinforcing the message that bicyclists need to be aware of vehicles is critical. Being invincible is a hallmark assumption of a pre-teen, but that doesn't mean that half-ton pickup truck can't seriously injure you. By stopping at stop signs, looking both ways at every crossing and staying on the right side of the road, bicyclists can go a long way to keeping themselves safe.

Drivers, too, need to be aware of bicyclists, especially as our beautiful summer continues. When a driver sees a youth bicyclist, he or she needs to be a little more alert to ensure a mistake by the bicyclist doesn't turn into something more dangerous.

Whether a driver, bicyclist or walker, being aware of other traffic is essential to keeping everyone safe. Remember we all must share the road.