No right on red at Geneva intersection - but why?

Geneva resident Marty Schmidt is not unlike any other number of drivers who approach a particular intersection and wonder aloud why drivers can't turn right on red when there isn't another car in sight.

He sent me a note asking why the county set up a "no right turn on red" at the intersection of Peck and Keslinger roads.

Schmidt admits it's a much better situation than dealing with the railroad crossing there years ago before the bridge was built, but notes that drivers can wait for some time without another car around before being able to turn right when traveling east or west along Keslinger.

"I'd even take that mysterious flashing yellow light for the right turn option," he wrote. "I would really like to know how this could be changed."

Typically, those traffic safety decisions are made because of "sight distance related to horizontal or vertical curvature," said Lydia Benda, traffic and permit engineer for the Kane County Division of Transportation.

In other words, if the intersection isn't exactly a straight shot with clear views of crossing traffic, lights and signage may be adjusted accordingly.

"There is some skewing to that intersection, and we also consider obstructed view," Benda said. This is an intersection in which drivers are moving up a small hill, and concrete embankments can partially block some views.

So what can drivers do about voicing concerns about certain intersections or areas? Benda said the transportation division is seeking that kind of feedback on a survey link that can be found at the bottom of the Kane County Division of Transportation site (not the overall Kane County government website).

Kane residents can provide feedback on that survey through Dec. 5.

In a recent column, my readers shared thoughts on what they considered some of the scarier traffic spots in the area. This survey would be a place to voice those concerns.

Eats and arts:

Geneva Cultural Arts Commission members feel that their planning efforts for the third annual Eat Your Art Out event from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 5 at the Herrington Inn should stand out.

"From the details reported at our meeting, this third year should top it all with awesome art to auction, a vast array of silent auction items and a sumptuous dinner with wine pairings by the new chef at the Herrington," member Carolyn Hill said.

A week ago, tickets were still available for this fundraiser for cultural arts. But those interested may want to move quickly and check out the genevarts.org website for details.

Not enough courage:

Some day, I may muster up the courage to try one of these creations because they do sound so good.

But the thought of dropping this sort of bomb on my stomach doesn't quite add up. That part of my body might stage a rebellion of biblical proportions if I tried to abuse it like that at this age.

The creations? Deep fried Oreos or Twinkies. Yes, I have seen them in various places, most recently lurking at the Scarecrow Festival in St. Charles earlier this month.

I thought my mind was playing tricks on me when it also spotted a sign for a deep fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I may write about all sorts of different foods, some of them not so good for your ticker, in this column. But we may need another guinea pig to step forward to tell us what those deep-fried delicacies are like.

dheun@sbcglobal.net