I move to Bethlehem from Scotland in 2008. Scotland is mostly known for the 3 H's. Heroin, Heart Disease and Haggis. Unfortunately we seem to like our hard drugs and fatty foods too much. That combined with being pretty far north means that we are pretty inactive during the winter months. No exercise and too much fish and chips and it's no wonder we are a pretty unhealthy nation. However, it wasn't until I made the move across the pond that I realized how good I had it (in terms of being a cyclist).
America (or at least the east coast of it) is the first country I know of where people will slow down for a dog but speed up for a cyclist. Very worrisome!
At the start of this Spring I made the decision that I had figured out your driving nuances enough as start commuting to and from work by bike. I took my time working out a route that would include the least risk of death. I live on 2nd avenue which, admittedly, is close to the downtown cycle-friendly area of Bethlehem and work near the airport on city line road.. From my travels I can conclude that as soon as you get onto 8th avenue and beyond to the north Bethlehem turns into a very unfriendly place for us bi-pedalists. Cars have no patience, the gutters are nasty places to be and road rage comes thick and fast. This sentiment seems to build the closer you get to rt22. Perhaps the biggest example of this came around a month ago when cycling home one day. I was negotiating the junction at Jacksonville and Shoenersville in reasonably busy evening rush hour traffic. Whilst turning from Jacksonville onto Shoenersville (I take Jacksonville to get under 22 instead of going over) some lady took serious offense at the thought of sharing the lane with a humble road user other than cars. At the red light at the junction to catasaqua road proceeded to make her feelings quite clear to me via her rolled down window. Now, had this been on the way to work, pre-coffee, I would have probably allowed this "lady" ruin my day. However, post work this was exactly the kind of conflict I needed to wind down after a stressful day. [insert expletive filled dust-up here].
Light turns green and dust is sprayed in my face as I start to gather speed. But, this being shoenersville road at 5:30pm it wasnt long before again we were sitting at a red light shouting at each other again.
Light turns green and the whole thing repeats. Onto 8th avenue and 5 lights later it wasn't until the light at Lowes before my nemisis finally escaped which, it so happens, seems to be the point where you cross back over into a more civilized society and the feeling of safety that goes with it.
Im still looking for more bike friendly routes but it seems that while I am risking life and limb I will be waiting a long time for Bethlehem city council to make the rest of the city as commuter friendly as the city center.