Patch readers have identified the intersection of Route 412 (Leithsville Road) and Apples Church Road in Lower Saucon Township as one of the scariest in the Saucon Valley.
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Angela Drake of Hellertown says walkers and joggers on the Saucon Rail Trail should remember that bicyclists are supposed to pass them on the left.
To the editor: I am writing about safety on the rail trail. I ride there several times a week and notice that there are a lot of people who do not follow basic safety rules. I have had people who walk on the left or in the dead center of the trail. I try to always pass on the left, but walkers are erratic and sometimes it is very hard to avoid a collision when they walk into my path unexpectedly. Ladies walk four or five abreast, blocking the entire trail, and I have to slow way down and ask them to let me pass. Others dart to the left towards the edge as I try to pass on the left. One lady suddenly stopped right near a crosswalk, blocking it while she fiddled with her electronic device! People use retractable leaches for dogs and do not …
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9:03 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Charles, I continue to encounter many people who have no clue they should be on the right. I have never seen anyone reading the posted list rules... If each of the three municipalities involved put up one sign on their section that says "Stay to the right except to pass" then people more than likely can't help but read it and perhaps heed the rule. I sure don't want to hit a pedestrian who darts … more ›
Ice cream trucks are popular with most kids, but parents' views tend to vary.
There seem to be two schools of thought when it comes to ice cream trucks. Some love them for their convenience, as well as the nostalgia associated with purchasing a frozen treat from a big painted truck that comes rolling into the neighborhood to the tune of "The Entertainer" (or a similar ditty). Others, however, do not appreciate temptation being delivered to their doorstep by vendors whose motivation is profit. Obesity rates are already high among adults and children, and the easy availability of high calorie treats may be a concern to some parents. Finally, there are safety concerns associated with purchasing something from a moving vehicle. Although most ice cream trucks are operated at very slow speeds, and bear "CAUTION: CHILDREN…
Lower Saucon Township resident Stephanie Brown says the township's recently revised police ride-along program puts both the privacy of residents and the safety of participants at risk.
The recent decision by Lower Saucon Township Council to make changes to the public police ride-along program instead of discontinuing it is troubling. The recent death of a police officer in Freemansburg Borough who was responding to what was considered a routine call should have been a huge red flag that a police ride-along program is not the best way to introduce untrained civilians to the world of law enforcement. Not only is it dangerous, but it is a potential violation of civil rights. The changes made by Lower Saucon Township officials to the program do not go far enough to safeguard the privacy of anyone who calls on the services of the police department. Who is going to enforce the new guidelines for participants who are expected …
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2:55 pm on Thursday, October 20, 2011
Ms Brown makes some very good points that should be publicly addressed before this ride-along program is allowed to continue. more ›
Here are some more tips to help you maintain control of your vehicle when the weather turns wet.
Last week I discussed some tips for driving in the rain. Here is the follow-up to that column, in which I offer some more advice to help you stay safe whenever the roads become wet. It's not a good idea to be on the phone while driving (and in some places it is illegal). This is true for driving when it is dry, and especially true for driving through any precipitation. A good driver is always aware of his/her surroundings. Not only should you use your straight line of sight (what you are looking at directly), but you should also use your peripheral vision. Hills should be maneuvered differently when roads are wet. It is a lot harder to stop suddenly on a downward slope than it is when the road is flat. If there is a car stopped in front of…
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9:14 pm on Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Richard, thanks for the kind remarks. I do see a lot of scary things on the road, and driving isn't really that hard. I plan to give driving advice during the winter months as well, that's when it gets a bit tricky. more ›
The parents of several Saucon Valley School District students want a bus stop moved to a different location.
At the Sept. 13 Saucon Valley School Board meeting, board members listened to the concerns of parents who believe their children are being forced to wait for the school bus at a dangerous bus stop. Board members Charles Bartolet, Lanita Lum, Susan Baxter and Michael Karabin all agreed to ride on a bus to the stop, and put the item up for official discussion at the Sept. 27 school board meeting. The bus stop, which was originally located on Route 378, was moved to South Benner Avenue and Moravia Street, then to Clewell and Sioux streets, and lastly to Finady Avenue, near the Bethlehem-Lower Saucon Township border. The parents who spoke said they believe the safest and best option is to relocate the bus stop back to Benner Avenue and Moravia…
10:42 am on Thursday, September 22, 2011
I do drive my 3 children in to school everyday. I am not alone in this fight-you see my neighbors and I between us have 14 children. I am also fighting for those kids. Sv is wrong. Please SUE, GEORGE, and SV PARENT justify yourselves and why you are writing in ways that give the impression our children SHOULD be standing near a sexual predator. Let me see if I can understand your side. Please. more ›
Is putting children on "leashes" any worse than restricting their freedom in strollers?
Last Saturday, as I was in the Lehigh Valley Mall pushing the stroller I put my 22-month-old son in so he doesn’t run amok, I saw a tethered child pulling a parent along. After chuckling a bit at the scenario of a parent being led around by their child, I thought it might be bordering on some sort of legal form of abuse, and that the child might need excessive amounts of therapy in the future. Was this just a rash judgment born out of my social conditioning and hypersensitivity to abusive situations, or is the "leashing" of little ones really OK? One can buy a leash, euphemistically referred to as a child safety harness, for as little as $5.99, and more expensive models come with plush animal backpacks within which your child can carry …
2:23 pm on Thursday, September 1, 2011
I used a harness on my daughter...traveling through airports, going to the grocery store, other trips in public where I didn't want her to get away from me. (Have you tried chasing a toddler through an airport?) She loved it so much more than being strapped into a stroller. She pretended she was a puppy. When she got older and too big for the harness, she listened to my instructions a little … more ›
Members of the Saucon Valley Partnership say they see many cars not slowing down and stopping at rail trail intersections on local roads.
Members of the Saucon Valley Partnership discussed their concerns about traffic safety near the Saucon Rail Trail at the group's Aug. 10 meeting. The Saucon Valley Partnership is a council of governments comprised of representatives from the Borough of Hellertown, Lower Saucon Township and the Saucon Valley School District. Although there was not a quorum and the partnership could not vote on any matters, the members in attendance--Hellertown Borough Manager Cathy Kichline, Lower Saucon Township council member Priscilla deLeon, Saucon Valley School Board member Edward Inghrim and Northampton County Deputy Director of Administration Tom Harp--chose to discuss and update each other on the rail trail. DeLeon said that although she sees some …
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The state secretary of transportation and commission chairman, Barry Schoch, says the cameras would only be for increasing safety.
Trying to beat that yellow light through the intersection? Don't forget to smile for the camera. Red light cameras, which have been used in Philadelphia since 2005, could be legal throughout Pennsylvania if the General Assembly acts upon a recommendation made by Gov. Tom Corbett’s Transportation Funding Advisory Commission. The 30-member commission submitted a complete report to Corbett Aug. 1, including recommendations for generating more than $2.7 billion in new, recurring revenue during the next five years. The potential revenue from red light cameras is not included in the $2.7 billion forecast by the report's recommendations. Barry Schoch, state Secretary of Transportation and commission chairman, said the cameras are a "safety …
11:54 am on Thursday, August 11, 2011
I agree 100%! Sounds like another way to make money. Shame on you people for this! GOD is watching! more ›
Know how to properly care for your pooch during the dog days of summer.
For humans, it’s fairly easy to escape the heat. We go from the air-conditioned house to the air-conditioned car to the air-conditioned store or restaurant. We can help ourselves to water or ice cream, or open the freezer door and stick our head inside. But what about Fido? Dogs are just as susceptible to dehydration, heat exhaustion and sunburn as people, and sometimes even more so. Don’t take any chances. Follow these simple guidelines so your dog(s) can enjoy their summer just as much as you are. 1. Have lots of fresh water handy. This doesn’t just mean indoors, but outside as well. Keep a bowl of water in a shaded area, such as underneath a porch or awning. Remember, water will evaporate quickly in the heat, so check the level in the …
Nina Giannetto Cabrera
8:56 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Another bad one is Polk Valley road and 412. Traffic light is long overdue . more ›