"Summertime and the living is easy," as the song goes. Not for our farmers and ranchers, but maybe for the children of the community. It could be that I'm getting older, but more children are riding bikes this summer.
Don't get me wrong; I love that the children and their parents can feel safe in this small town. I love watching them laugh and enjoy each other. There are so many places where children can't play outside without adults present. There are so many places children have to stay in their houses for the entire summer while their parents work.
I'm so happy we have a pool with excellent lifeguards they can bike to.
We have a great library with activities for the kids to do every day, with a bike rack for the kids who ride their bikes there.
We have four parks where they bike to and play together.
However, I do have one issue. I almost ran over a child who had ridden his bike between two cars parked at the Grocery store heading to the park/playground area. He never saw me and was enjoying his snack with his mind on the park.
There needs to be some serious talking to the children of our community. We need to give them clear rules for riding a bicycle and where. I think they have to wear helmets no matter how uncool. My friend lost her mother in a simple bike accident where she hit her head on a rock.
But let's talk real. Adults, we need to drive defensively. This summer, we should go at 15 miles an hour. Honestly, how much longer does it take to drive across town at 10 miles an hour slower.
