Collision on Entrance Ramp Lands One in Hospital and Another in Back of Cop Car

It seems the driver of the Equinox stopped on an on-ramp. This is not one bit smart.

Admittedly the driver of the F-150 had his/her head anally inserted by not watching what was happening in his/her vehicle's path, but someone who stops on an on-ramp should have a bumper sticker that says, "My car is a target! Hit it!"

Intelligence and all driving directives from professionals indicate that when merging onto a freeway or other road carrying high speed traffic one must match speed with incumbent traffic and smoothly merge with that traffic.

It's stuff like this that makes me nervous when I drive in San Angelo. When I categorize drivers in the places in which I have accumulated many miles, which include New York, California, Houston, the DFW Metroplex, and Austin, the word I use to describe San Angelo drivers is stupid.

"It seems the driver of the Equinox stopped on an on-ramp. This is not one bit smart."

Actually she was in the right because this was the on ramp from Bryant and with the road construction on the loop it makes it only one lane so often times you have to stop before you merge due to traffic on the loop. I'm truly shocked this doesn't happen more often.

Generalizations based on how you remember San Angelo can be misguided. Under normal circumstances you are quite correct that you should merge with traffic using a merge lane and avoid stopping on the entrance ramp. In California some of the ramps have lights controlling the entrance which require you to stop on the ramp. The Equinox stopping on the ramp was both wise and most likely required.

Loop 306 is under construction and that portion of the road is down to one lane. Because the lane is adjacent to the median there is not a proper merge lane. There is an advisory speed of 45 mph with a posted speed of 65 mph (the signs are not covered up). At times the traffic is bumper to bumper which does not allow safe merging of traffic. When that happens the cars coming from the ramp are forced to stop and wait for a break in traffic.

Like you, I have driven many miles in almost every state. There are good drivers and bad drivers everywhere I have driven. This particular accident could have been avoided as can most accidents. Controlling the speed at which you drive while following another vehicle is a requirement.

For 5 months the contractor can't get the asphalt mix right. Delay after delay.

In San Angelo, drivers need to "Yield" to drivers coming off the loop. That means drivers who are coming off the side road will need to STOP. If NO drivers are coming off the ramp, one yields and drives on. No need to stop,. Drivers in the back (side road) should slow down and only go on if the driver ahead has driven on when all clear. In bigger towns like San Antonio, Lubbock, Abilene, ..... they do not have Yield signs but use painted stripes on the road where cars coming off the ramp stay on their side by the full White strip until allowed to move to the right, just as the drivers coming into the road will stay on their side until the White stripe allows them to move to the left to get on the loop. This is "common" sense. In San Angelo, those who do not "Yield" to the sign will get a "ticket" for failure to yield. Now where are the police to give the tickets is a different conversation for the new Police Chief. Many time when getting off the loop and turning right, the drivers in the side road does not want to stop nor yield. That is an accident ready to happen if not for my fast reaction of staying on the left lane and waiting for the car to pass me so one can turn right.

I live out in Paul Ann and this construction is a nightmare. I use the loop twice a day going to and from work and the construction has caused me anxiety daily. You have to stay VERY aware because it's unsafe whether you're merging on, or already on the loop. If you're already on, drivers don't yield to merge and literally will fly out in front of you. I've had to brake suddenly more than once when this happened. When I'm taking the on-ramp, I always yield because with one lane there's always traffic and you have to wait. I ALWAYS get anxious when I see cars coming up behind me when I'm stopped because I don't know if they're just going to keep flying and rear end my car from behind. I have started taking alternate, albeit MUCH longer routes home when I can. I've wondered who I could formally put in a complaint with. I remember reading that this was scheduled to be done by mid-December?? Seriously, how many more accidents do we need to have? Who can we put pressure on to get this stupid project moving???

It was good to see construction crews pouring asphalt this afternoon on a portion of Loop 306. Wonder if they only work in good weather. If so, it might be a few months before they finish.

I believe the ambient temperature must be 60 degrees and rising for pouring the mixture.