T: Student wearing earphones hit by Green Line trolley

definitely should've looked both ways, but i wonder at what point the t driver attempted to stop, the typically blast the horn but never touch the breaks. i'm willing to say both are at fault here.

Why does Boston.com invite people to comment on stories like this one? More often than not it simply provides a forum for miserable people like the person who just responded to (quite literally) add insult to someone else's injury. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to the student who was hurt.

I was hit by a green line trolley once when it flew through an intersection at full speed approximately six to eight seconds after it had a red light. It was a long way off when I started crossing two lanes of motor traffic. Did witnesses happen to see if the trolley actually had a green light? Granted the person who was hit should have been more careful but I'm usually alone in glancing up and down the tracks repeatedly when cross with a light.

Please pray for him. There will be plenty of time for blame later. What he and his family need right now are prayers for healing, and for the strength to get through these next days. Let's ask for a miracle.

Cha-ching is what so many people are hearing right now.

I hope everyone is okay. Sometimes, we can be too cynical!

I seriously doubt he couldn't hear the horn, I walk across the tracks near Longwood on Huntington Ave almost every day and have done so with headphones. I've heard the T honk at cars with headphones on and there is no way you can't hear it. The T horns are obnoxiously loud and apparently for a reason.

I have a son at BC and always warn him about earphones...this has nothing to do with what college a student attends. the problem with earphones is universal just as cell phones are while walking and driving...the use of cell phones while driving needs to be banned. I send this young man my best wishes for a full recovery and hopefully he and others learned a lesson about how a life in a single second can be lost due to these gadgets.

Brakesanyone?,
Because of their weight trains can't stop quickly enough to prevent something like this. It's entirely possible that the conductor did use the brakes, in which case he probably saved this kid from more serious injury.

The conductor may not have tried to stop but I am ABSOLUTELY sure he or she tried to steer around the pedestrian.

just say a prayer for all involved

Wow, some BC hatred in here? You don’t rip on someone who almost died like that because of the college he went to.
Obviously the kid’s at fault, and should have looked where he was going. He was careless but he paid a hefty price for it.

what is a maroon? your comment makes no sense. try editing next time.

I thought that public transportation was supposed to save the planet, not kill us. :-)

You should all lay off the kid. Anyone can have a momentary brain fart. "Who among you are without sin may cast the first stone."

Shame on you all. You weren't there. You didn't see what happened. I see a lot of envy against people who might be better off. Instead of pissing and moaning all day long, get up and do something constructive.

I wish him a speedy recovery. Everyone crosses the tracks there and he made a mistake. I am sorry to see so many mean spirited posts here and only wish him the best -- no one is perfect!!!! Maroon is a color, MarcoPolo.

and gold, actually...

Saturday night, I was headed west on Chestnut Hill Ave, crossing Comm. I was the second car in line at the red light. About 5 seconds after our light turned green, an inbound B train came flying through the light, causing myself and the car in front to need to stop quickly.

Most likely, the kid is at fault for not paying attention, however the T drivers frequently violate traffic lights, speed limits, and common sense.

I agree with the poster who wondered why the Globe opened this story to comment. Why not just let the guy get better instead of letting people mock him here? yes, it sounds like a dumb thing to do but we don't know the whole story. And why/how bring Obama into this? geesh let it go.

I agree with the poster who wondered why the Globe opened this story to comment. Why not just let the guy get better instead of letting people mock him here? yes, it sounds like a dumb thing to do but we don't know the whole story. And why/how bring Obama into this? geesh let it go.

So many angry, resentful people.

I can't believe some of the comments I'm seeing here. Yes this kid should have been paying attention but thank god he's okay and I'm sure he's learned his lesson. Making petty comments about BC and the fact that he's a college student is pretty juvenile, especially if those of you commenting are adults. Grow up please.

I don't understand why Boston.com even allows comments for these types of articles. Some of you say the stupidest things...

maybe the kid wanted to get hit so he can try and sue the T.

Too bad the MBTA doesnt have any money

Did anyone else notice the advertisement next to this article? "It's hard to stop a Trane"

I was on that train this morning on my way to work. It was very chaotic and while MBTA got it's act together to bus passengers later, an official told the original passengers of that train to "Get off" and that was it.

We were near Lake Street, what did they expect us to do? There was no professional explaination that there was a medical emergency, just "Get off."
I had to take a cab to get to work after that.

Wow- these comments remind me that it's true what they say about New England: "When the weather's not cold, the people will make up for it."
No wonder young people are leaving Mass in droves.
Pray for this young man's recovery, someone up there.

it is almost alway found that the train is not to fault. rail tracks are private property, you cross them or walk on them at your own risk, unless the train driver is way out of line as in speeding, impaired, or not paying attention

Wow. Most of you people posting comments are insane. I guess there are a lot of BC-haters out there, huh? People make mistakes, and hopefully this one doesn't cost this kid his life.

Unbelieveable what a bunch of jerks you people are, hiding behind your computers, taking joy from someone else's pain. Make all the stereotypical remarks you want about BC kids, but know this: any student there that lives their life by the BC credo of Men and Women for Others is twice the man or woman you are. I just hope that kid's friends and/or family didn't bother reading the comments on this story and be exposed to your callous, malevolent remarks. For those that made comments about how the kid was raised, you should be especially ashamed considering you obviously were never taught or have since forgotten basic principles of kindness and politeness.

BTbella, I agree that this has nothing to do with what college a student attends, but how can you blame this on headphones? How many people take the T everyday wearing headphones and do not get hit by a train? I wish the kid the best but it's easy to see that this is his own fault and no action is necessary except that he and other people need to pay attention whie crossing train tracks.

Same goes for driving with a cell phone. Cell phones are not at fault... it's bad drivers who are at fault. I drive while talking on my cell phone all the time and I have never been in a car accident. I don't see how its any different than having a conversation with a passenger while driving. You want to ban that too? Texting while driving is another story. That is just dumb.

MarcoPolo - unless you were attempting to be ironic by citing one of BC's school colors, the word is 'moron', not 'maroon'.

You can't fix stupid

I attend BC and all I here about our school is how we are just a bunch of snobs and only Daddy got us in here through connections. Oh how false this is. We are not all rich from the suburbs with our father working for Goldman-Sachs and our mothers shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue. I'm from the city (Southie), I went to a Boston Public School, my father is a firefighter and my mother works for N-Star as a secretary. Enough with this crap that we are all stuck up and do not have a clue what is going on in the world.

Everyone who has posted here should be ashamed of themselves. Someone is injured in the hospital at this moment and you are demeaning him with your assumptions about the situation?

I have been through the intersection where the accident occurred many times. It is an extremely dangerous section for pedestrians because there is no way to cross Comm. Ave. in its entirely with the walk signal. People are forced to wait on the T tracks in the middle section until traffic stops on either side to be able to cross the road. What makes it even more awkward is that the T has its own signal to go that never seems to coincide with the rest of the traffic lights or even the walk signals on the crosswalk. I’ve seen T cars fly through lights at the intersection on a regular basis even when cars have the right of way.

So don't assume you know the full situation. It occurred at a very dangerous intersection where there are frequently close calls. Yes, the student should have been more cautious while crossing the intersection, however he doesn't deserve the ridicule people have been posting with this story. He's in the hospital, that's punishment enough.

Wow, these comments are vicious and completely heartless. I am a Boston College junior and walk across those tracks every morning as I travel to class from my off campus apartment. Clearly this kid made a mistake and should have looked both ways, shouldn't have had those earphones in, etc., but show some SYMPATHY. I went by the scene of the accident ten minutes after it happened this morning and saw the student being placed on a stretcher.... he was bloody and it was a terribly disturbing sight to take in. The comments above are unbelievable, what's wrong with you people?

I have definitely seen Green line trains ignore red lights (when I commuted thru Packard's corner daily, I saw this happen at least every other day), but also, who doesn't know that you always look before crossing an intersection in this town, even if you have a green light in your favor? It's Boston! Everyone ignores the traffic rules. As soon as you approach the edge of a sidewalk, there's a chance you'll be flattened, even if you have a green light or walk signal.

Walking around with headphones is also pretty dangerous in general - you don't hear vehicles or other people around you, you don't hear potential muggers coming up behind you. I'm actually surprised that there's not more of a public health issue raised around it.

Wow what a bunch of perfect Monday morning quarterbacks here today! I am over-twice his age and still make stupid mistakes now and then, and remember many near-misses throughout my lifetime when walking, driving, etc. and there but for the grace of God go I... etc. Give someone a little slack; life nor the people in it are not perfect. Hope he is okay. NO HEADPHONES on tracks; this is the second case (kid in Wareham hit few weeks back), just recently. Has nothing to do with intelligence; many very bright people make mistakes.

The anti-college student thread in here is really odd. Did all of you skip that stage of your education? At least you always look both ways. Good job!!

I don't think it's fair to pick on BC students over this; Harvard and BU students are just as bad . . . amazing to me that someone "bright enough" to be admitted to Harvard doesn't realize that if you step in front of a moving vehicle it's going to hit you; pedestrian "right of way" in Boston doesn't mean much if you're laid up in a hospital bed like this poor kid.

A lawyer out there is already trying to figure out how he/she can twist the law and blame the "T".

MarcoPolo...

Did you mean to call the person a moron, meaning a feeble-minded person, or did you want to call the person the color maroon?

Everyone here blaming this kid and his mother are wrong. I believe it is in the Student Handbook of most major schools in Boston that it is unnecessary to look both ways when crossing major thoroughfares, provided one is a full-time student.

It's not his fault, and I hope he's all right.

Yeah we could all sit here and say woulda, shoulda, coulda but there is a boy in the hospital who "suffered head injuries and facial lacerations" his life and his family's life has changed forever. I hope that he makes a speedy recovery and doesnt have brain damage or anything like that! God Bless to him and his family and I hope that he is ok! My prayers are with him!

When it comes to the chain of college idiots, BC is dumb, BU is dumber, and northeastern is dumbest.

"Nash" is a worse version of Hitler.

I second the sentiment of poster no. 6. Why does Boston.com think posting these comments is a good idea?

More space on this page is devoted to cruel, mocking, and tasteless comments than to the actual story itself.

There will apparently always be masses of people willing to write inappropriate things, but there's no need for Boston.com to encourage them by condoning it.

I am surprised this genius isn't on the football team

Just like other people are crossing the street without looking both sides. They think they are the only people exist on the street.

Keep walking without looking....

Too bad the hit didn't eliminate this guy from the gene pool.

this could happen to anyone, there's no reason to be calling him a moron. . hope the kids okay. it may be that it's his fault but seriously c'mon show some sympathy he just got run over by a train.

No Sympathy. Anyone who is standing in the street and gets hit by a car, whether it runs a red light or not, deserves the consequences. Its your responsibility to protect yourself. it takes a real idiot to get hit by a giant green train.

I hope the young man is okay. The location described is the end/beginning of the B line and actually incredibly busy. It's entirely possible that the T driver did not have enough time to respond, as #2 above suggested. There is a lot of traffic here coming from several directions and multiple train tracks. It's VERY dangerous for pedestrians, especially those not 100% alert for whatever reason.

I take it, considering his age and all, he wasn't listening to Jimi Hendrix's "Hear My Train A Comin"

I too am left wondering how Boston.com decides which articles are fair game for public commentary. Who gets to decide? It seems that it is most often that readers are allowed to comment on articles dealing with higher education in the city. Higher education is in many ways the industry of metropolitan Boston. It is key to the economic vitality of this area. Sadly, it seems that many people seem to forget the benefit of the student population. So it is quite disturbing to read the callous commentary about this accident. Such crude remarks reflect much more about the City of Boston and some of its citizenry than they do about a probably absent-minded student going to class who is currently hospitalized.

If you have never dosed out of consciousness from life's worries and troubles... then throw the first stone.

Lighten up guys. Hope he is okay…

Wow. Granted, T's are easy to see, and the pedestrian here was clearly at fault. Fine. But why the personal attacks? We've all done dumb things, while driving or walking, whatever. It happens. I'm glad it sounds like he'll be okay, and I hope more people look twice and turn down their music while walking/biking in traffic. To all of you who think you're better and smarter than everyone else, I hope you never get hit by the train you clearly deserve to be hit by.

Yes, it's the gadgets!

Although, on the other hand, I could offer an interesting "social equation"..... I wear earphones and walk around all the time. However, I'm not a complete moron, so I don't happen to be struck by T trains.

Now, am I (and the other thousands of headphone-wearing commuters) just amazingly lucky every day, or does it take a fascinating amount of idiocy to get hit by a T train?!?!

I wear headphones all the time, but I still manage to look before crossing train tracks - he must have been listening to really good music...

He was walking on the tracks. Darwin award.

Maroon is a color and is also referred to the people of the Carribean Island.

Since when has it become okay to assume that all college kids are spoiled and self-centered and not just young adults trying to work hard for a better life for themselves, their future children, and society? Out of all the people to be demeaning, college kids should not be so high up on your list. Grow up.

Wow. You people really have a hard on for Boston College (and are simply miserable, petty, jealous and have a lot of time on your hands). Speedy recovery to this young man.

Regardless of the circumstances of the student's accident, the poor kid is in the operating room headed to the ICU. He has severe trauma to the head, kidney, and other internal damages. He may or may not live. As he is fighting for his life, cynical people on this message board are making comments about how "stupid the kid is". People make mistakes and this may cost him his life. He is facing these consequences right now. There is no need to critique the situation and belittle the poor kid. I hope to God that the poor mother doesn't look at these disrespectul messages. He has a family and friends who are praying for his dear life. I am praying for him, his family, and all the insensitive jerks on this message board who will probably burn in hell for the comments they've made.

Only someone like Nash could take a kid getting hit by a T train and turn it into a criticism of the next president. Agenda, anyone?

Why the hate? I bet everyone here has never made a mistake. Not.

Sorry, we can't blame the gadgets here. And probably shouldn't blame the T conductor, either. At some point, all people that are new to the city need to realize they are in an environment that requires they pay attention to their surroundings. You need to look both ways at all tracks, and at all streets. Even on one way streets, we have all seen cars travelling the wrong way. I've even seen cars travelling the on train tracks.

The point being, you are in control of your own safety. Keep your eyes up and your ears open.

I live right by that stop. There's no way the trolley was going very fast at that point. Additionally, the Green Line drivers have serious problems -- they're constantly running red lights, i see and hear them talking on their cell phones, and they're generally rude and operate with a sense of entitlement. I'll concede the kid should have looked both ways and/or had the volume of his music player at a reasonable level, but I think the onus should be on the T-Driver to take extreme caution. They're carrying passengers and operating a huge machine. Based on my experience in that area, I'm willing to bet the T driver was not paying attention or thought the kid would get out of the way.

I am a current BC graduate student. I find the nasty comments about my school AND the awful remarks about the injured victim absolutely deplorable. Good luck to the injured young man and good riddance to the haters.

Have a heart. It was an accident. Pray for the boy. It may have had nothing to do with the headphones. Trains are loud and thundering objects.

Why let people cross the tracks when you can build a bridge or a tunnel? Blame the government.

Frankly I'm surprised more of them aren't hit. I drive by BU on a regular basis and see these zombies cross streets without looking while on their cell phones. I've come close to hitting a few myself.
Maybe all the colleges in Boston should have a course Common Sense 101 and make it mandatory for all students

as a BU student, I must say that, based on my own observations, this likely was just a boneheaded move on the student's part. I regularly cross the tracks with headphones and I see multitudes more running across last minute, not looking, or not caring. It's just as prevalent at the University Road intersection with Commonwealth avenue, where I am pained to see people crossing as cars come in their direction.
I don't see a particular problem with earphones; would it be illegal to be deaf and walk about? Cellular devices are a different issue as they require much more attention.
Nor do I see any fault on the governor or president-elect.
I do wish the student best health, but let it be a lesson to everyone else that crosses Commonwealth avenue. I'm not calling the guy a moron, nor am I using this as an opportunity to deride the MBTA, BC, or anyone else, just...be careful next time.

Choosing an article of a student getting hit by a train to comment on the character flaws of some Boston College students... Come on guys, take your self assuring comments elsewhere

Hey, before you get all 'that kid is an idiot', spend just thirty seconds with a young person with a traumatic brain injury. I work with someone, 21, who, 6 years ago was crossing the street (had the light), and was hit by someone who didn't change course. Kid has been totally paralyzed, blinks for yes and no, and can't speak ever since. TOTALLY there, mentally. I hope none of you ever have to deal with anything like this, for you, anyone in your life, ever. No matter how much you spaz about people 'deserving it'. Grow up already.

With ipods, cellphones, texting etc ... Everyone is constantly distracted and it's amazing we don't have more accidents ...

Everyone criticizing this young college student for being distracted should take a vow to STOP using all of these devices when walking , driving, etc ... that is the SMART thing to do !

Seems like a lot of people that got a rejection letter from BC commented on this article.

I hope the guy is alright. He seems to have performed a very valuable public service allowing so many people to get on their high horse...

this is nothing new..sorry...I knew a teenager tht was run over by a dump truck with a WALKMAN on, back in 1983 and was killed. Remember the cassette tape walkman? Well, people unfortunately make mistakes and it's been going on for centuries. let's forgive and hopefully this one is not fatal...and remind your kids to NOT WEAR HEADPHONES when commuting ..period.. it's dumb and can lead to death...has been for decades..

It isn't about BC. I work in Cambridge and I can tell you that ALL college kids in this little incubator town for future yuppies waltz out in front of traffic utterly oblivious to what is going on around them. There is an air of entitlement that makes them assume it is everyone else's responsibility to watch out for them.

I would never wish such an event on the kid but I am not overly sympathetic either.

I love how they emphasize the headphones, like that had anything to do with this. It's called looking both ways, unless I missed the part of the article that said he was blind. Too many people do this with all modes of transportation, always in the hurry to get to the next meaningless part of the day, it's pathetic.

Another MBTA pay out to someone who will surely not take responsibility for their own actions.....

He's a BC student? I thought that all BC students had God watching over them? Apparently that is not the case. If I were him, I'd ask for a partial refund.

settle down Nash.

Quick get me his name. We can sue the T and get a big payday.

Some of these comments make me sick. I didnt know you guys so perfect that you can make fun of someone else's accident. This kid screwed up and unfortunately is paying the price.

I'm surprised that state law makers aren't drafting something that will prohibit the use of headphones after this incident. It seems that this is the trend in this state.

wow nash, very eloquent. clearly duval was driving that train himself when the student was struck.

some of you are so ignorant...my god someone gets hurt and all u can say is negative hateful things..you must live a miserable exsistance to think its ok to promote these kind of insenitive comments.

notice all the msgs w/ vicious attacks on the poor kid have misspellings and grammatical errors. you're not that much smarter !

OK, what's with so many people slamming the MBTA for this?
1. The train is on tracks. On those tracks, it has the right-of-way. The train had no way of swerving out of the way to avoid him-- that would have been a worse disaster.
2. The train has inertia-- and a lot of it. You cannot stop a moving train quickly. No matter how hard you hit the breaks, it's many times the weight of an SUV and will stop many times more slowly. The driver couldn't possibly have stopped in time; the only hope was for the kid to get out of the way. Hence the horn.
3. So what, exactly, was the MBTA supposed to have done differently?

My best wishes both for the crash victim, and for the motor-man!

Wow, I really can't believe how mean spirited most of these comments are. Maybe I am nieve, but I don't think anyone who has responded here was actually present when this accident occurred. None of us can say who is at fault. It is even more disgusting that people are calling this student names when he has been injured, possibly seriously.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all involved.

seriously? this student is seriously injured! i'm appaled that people are so rude and inconsiderate in their comments. though wearing earphones may not have been the brightest idea but come on...

Nash,

When you're looking for someone stupid, look in the morror first.

He was probably looking for an excuse to get out of taking an exam.

Somebody got hurt in Mass? Now we have to outlaw headphones and prohibit public transit on top of banning guns. It’s just all too dangerous. I moved to Massachusetts to have personal responsibility legislated away and they let this happen?

MAROON????

hahahhahahahhahahahha!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that if this idiot or his familty attempt to sue the MBTA, the MBTA is able to muster a LARGER suit against HIM. I'd also like to know who's footing his medical bills. Here's a case where some fool dances along his oblivious, selfish way and could potentially cost taxpayers hundreds of thousand of dollars.
If this ever leads to a court case, I PRAY for jury duty!

Wow...these boston.com boards are so hateful. What is wrong with you people? Never look the wrong way, misjudge in parallel parking your car, get a speeding ticket etc. etc.??? There is so much bitterness and resentment at this kid...why? Because he actually worked hard in high school and went to college? Yes, he made a mistake, but it was silly human one that could have happened to any one of your morons. And what are you all so proud of? That your Mom taught you to be a cynical loser or that you didn't go to college. Either way...grow up.

You people who are saying these things are ridiculous. I know for a fact that you all wouldn't be saying such mean/harsh things if you were the one who got hit. C'mon...have a heart.

"This kid is an idiot like so many other college "kids". It's only a matter of time before the T kills somebody else. The MBTA is a joke and Gov Duval does nothing just like his hero Obama is going to do. They both will just drive bigs cars and act stupid."

Nice nash - you just pulled off the Triple Lindy of bitterness; insult everyone while simultaneously blaming the governor and president for the acts of both a foolish college student AND the stupid MBTA driver (who were also to blame). Why not blame it on the Chinese while you're at it - they make headphones, and the Italians too...they made the T cars.

Grumpy sonofob*tch. Get back to the herald....Howie Carr needs some more insightful comments from people like you.

Wow, now all you "hardworking" joe-sixpacks (who apparently sit home all day surfing the net) can beat up on your two favorite targets: the T, and successful young people.

This is tragic and y'all are making fun? How callous!

What this clown needs is a dose of common sense!
idiot, His Mommy wasn't there to hold his hand crossing the street.
Gimme a break.....

At least this student had the human decency to walk and wasn't driving. For all those people that think he is just an idiot I wonder how often you have sped or looked down to switch radio stations and could have killed somenone in your moment of attention lapse. I'm just glad no one else was injured because of one momentary mistake.

...and gold

Yes, this person should have looked both ways. And yes, this is a person who got injured. Who says his educational background, much less his "mommy," caused this foolish mistake? What kind of bitter Bostonian takes this unfortunate event as an opportunity to hate on Boston College? A university which, by the way, does more philanthropic work for your city than any other academic institution. Have some mercy and grow up.

maroon? seriously?

People, please be careful out there with headphones, earphones, and your iPods. Hearing is more important to situational awareness, even more than your sight. Soldiers on patrol in the jungles of Vietnam sometimes refused to wear their helmets even though it didn't cover their ears, because they felt it affected their hearing just a bit, which they felt was more dangerous during ambushes than not wearing their helmets. A few bicyclists still feel the same way, though I do wear my helmet, I think out of habit now.

So what disturbs me these days: the cyclists I see on the street, ear buds on, deep into their music, not knowing when there is a car behind them or next to them trying to make a turn, or far worse, ignoring a light and not hearing the cues to the side which make it obvious when a car is coming; joggers obsessed with their playlists, running in the street and into the same problems as the iPod'd cyclists; worst of all, drivers in their cars with headphones on! Your car radio is one thing, but how are you ever going to be able to hear an ambulance, fire truck, or any other emergency vehicle! Now, I will have to be afraid for pedestrians with headphones, too.

So please folks, be sensible out there, even when walking, think about listening in only one ear, and when in the street, in whatever vehicle, or workout clothes, please keep your ears uncovered, period. Sometimes the "symphony of the city" will have to be enough.

Just out of curiosity "BCisawful", where did you go to college?

You all should be ashamed of yourselves. What if that was one of your loved ones? You wouldn't be talking all this crap then would you? This could happen to anyone and it has nothing to do with what college he goes to.

Oh and Marco Polo you should have checked your spelling before sending your comment cause now it makes you look like the real moron.

Anyone who could make a snide remark about BC in response to this kid's misfortune seriously needs to take a hard look in the mirror. I dislike BC as much as the next guy, but I don't wish death on the kids who go there. If a kid from Massasoit got hit by a train, I don't think any BC grads (or any other people with a conscience) would be on here saying, "All the better for humanity, that kid must've been a moron!" Don't be a jerk just because you and yours didn't have the chance to attend the college of your choice...

Wow, you guys are ragging on a kid that just got hit by a friggin train. Losers!!

Its true, It HAS to be the students fault. I went to college on Huntington Ave and saw people get clipped and plenty of close calls by the E branch. In each instance it was either drunk kids or headphones, and in all cases, the T blew horns and tried to dodge the accident (not like the T has alot of places it can go to avoid these things) The MBTA has been getting terrible reports in the last year about accidents. i do think something needs to be looked at regarding their safety record...but most times its not the T's fault. Look both ways boys and girls!

People really need to stop and look both ways, especially if wearing headphones and hearing is obviously impaired. I moved to CA from the East coast and because pedestrians have the "right of way" here, they just walk into traffic and behind cars, without looking and expect everyone in a vehicle to stop on a dime. It's ridiculous. What's worse is they often times have a baby carriage or their kids ahead of them! Crazy!

What is wrong with people and their callous comments? I mean was the guy a idiot for not looking.... sure. Who hasn't done something without thinking or something completely stupid before? Have some sympathy. This guy is someone's son, brother, friend.

Wonder how long it took for the lawyers to reach him, to file a lawsuit against the T since it was obviously their fault (sarcasm)

It's not just the trains that get 'em - try driving down Comm. Ave past Warren Towers. Often, the students step right off the curb into the road. Just because pedestrians have the right of way, doesn't mean what's coming can stop on a dime. Darwinism indeed

"Please pray for him. There will be plenty of time for blame later. What he and his family need right now are prayers for healing, and for the strength to get through these next days. Let's ask for a miracle."

1) There is also plenty of time for blame right now. That's what skeptical people do, and each of us is a sceptic. Your heart can bleed while my mind is spoken.
2) Why is a "miracle" needed? The article said he was conscious and talking, and nothing said his injuries were life threatening. Every indication was that the injuries that would heal, with or without a "miracle". And since "miracles" are special, why is one justified here? I would like to win the lottery...can I selfishly ask God for that miracle too?
3) If any prayer should be answered, it should be that this student takes time in his college class to look both ways before crossing a busy street...or AN ACTIVE TROLLEY TRACK.

The story says the young man was speaking as he was taken to the hospital, which is a good sign.

~prayers~ both to him, and to the trolley conductor (imagine having to live with that)

Wow. How easy we can all comment since it has not happened to any of us. Thank god we're perfect.

For all the people that are blaming bc education for this accident:
Students at MIT and Harvard have also been hit by the T...

Check your facts before you let your dislike for a school cause you to say stupid things.

The fact that anyone would use this forum to take a swipe at BC is incomprehensible and repulsive. A young man is fighting for his life and you want to make a joke related to BC? Truly pathetic. You need to do some serious soul-searching. Better to channel your bitterness and hatred into prayer and hope for this young man's recovery.

hey he's a good kid. he looked one direction and there was no train and then when he started walking he didn't see the other train. i take that back...he's a fantastic kid and all you jerks who only think of him as an "idiot BC student" could learn a few lessons from a Jesuit. like...oh i don't know, respect and caring? he made a mistake, and the T driver made a mistake, but let's just get over it and pray for him and his family and stop judging a kid whose life is now changed permanently.

I am here at Brigham and Women's and there is a room full of friends and family who are very upset and worried about this person. Who here can claim that they've never made a mistake? That you can't point to a single moment in your life when you've absorbed in your thoughts--with or without headphones on-- and not heard when someone calls your name, or that a pot is over boiling, or the car behind you honking its horn. What happened was a very serious accident and now many peoples' lives are being impacted in serious ways. Maybe he wasn't paying complete attention. Maybe the driver didn't see him soon enough. In either case, it seems that we could all use a little compassion, what's the point of writing such negative comments?

BU kids get hit all the time

I love how Nash brings Obama into the equation. LOL

BCisawful what school did u go to?

Message to all you blue collar losers raggin' on privileged BC students: I came from the same underprivileged economic circumstances as you before I put myself through college (and later earned a graduate degree from BC). Life isn't fair, but you can do something about it if you try.

A lot of people here must have been rejected from BC. Sorry to all of you, you definitely missed out.

you people are sick the kid is in the hospital... do you never make an honest mistake?

you guys are terrible and should be ashamed of yourselves. lets say a prayer for the man who got hurt. he doesnt deserve to read terrible comments like this. do something meaningful with your lives boston.com readers.

Bob are you serious? People do some stupid things and yes he was careless to not look before he crossed but walking in front of a train just so he can sue is absurd! He's lucky to be alive.

Boston.com should not have allowed for comments to be posted on this. You all are getting too much satisfaction out of someone else's mistake. Are you all perfect and have never once made a mistake? All you ill spirited people better hope that nothing like this ever happens to you.

I wonder what he was listening to. Bet he'll never be able to listen to that song again.

Once I was walking about to cross the T tracks amd I was looking in one direction at a Train coming from inbound side, but I didn't see the one coming from the outbound. The outbound train blasted its horn about 10 feet from where I was. That horn is loud!!!! IT literally makes you jump about 2 feet back when it blasts.

This BC student must have been listening to his music at a ridiculously loud volume to not notice the train horn, or the train did was speeding and blasted the horn late.

I live in the area. These college kids from out of town walk right into traffic as well. they think if they are busy talking on their cellphones or have headphones on that they can walk anywhere they want and people are supposed to stop automatically for them. That might work in the small sheltered towns they come from but not here in Boston. They even expect people to move out of their way on the sidewalk.. I feel for him if he's badly hurt but let that be a lesson for the student community.

Okay, for all the young kids out there- "What a maroon" is a classic Bugs Bunny line. It means what an idoit. I think, it was a painful mistake that he and his family will remember/live with for the rest of their lives.

because clearly this is the issue here... "maroon" refers to a stupid person. Bugs Bunny says it (possibly a corruption of "moron").
It does, however, accurately describe someone who can manage to get hit by the green line.

dantheman
i don't mean to blame this kid for wearing headphones. as i said in my earlier post, i have a son at BC and another who attended tufts. both wear headphones and i've often cautioned them about how dangerous they can be, especially if they blare them, as kids typically do. i used to run wearing a headset and was nearly killed because i did not hear an approaching car. they are plain dangerous. i, too, have driven while talking on my cell and sometimes, after reaching my destination, i can't even remember the drive. let's not ignore the fact that while talking on a cell, listening to music on headphones, most of us are distracted...very distracted and leave ourselves vulnerable to this types of accidents. i continue to wish this young man well.

I must say, I am pretty appalled after seeing so many insensitive comments about this occurrence. How can people be so heartless? I don't care how stupid the kid may or may not have been, it was a TRAGIC ACCIDENT and you should be more mindful of that. Put yourself in his shoes, or in one of his loved one shoes, would you then as quick to calling him stupid? Have a little compassion, and say a prayer for him.

I love how it says that the blogger might want to review content before publishing anything and then comments like "LOL" repeated over and over from someone with a fourth grade education and someone saying they wish it had killed him get published. All the people talking about Boston College are ridiculous. Since when does the college someone attends absolutely define them? Because he attends BC it's ok he got hit by a T? I understand we're an extremely selective university, and many of you didn't get in, but that doesn't mean it's ok to take pleasure in someone else's pain.
No one deserves this, And anyone with half a brain knows that. It's no wonder all you people didn't get into BC.

Sympathy and best wishes to the kid - wouldn't wish that on anyone.
"maroon" - A term of derision often uttered by Bugs Bunny when referring to an interaction with a dopey adversary. It is a mispronunciation of the word "Moron"

Since you asked --

maroon is an idiom.

I myself use it sometimes...

It's a less aggressive way of calling someone a moron...
(it is from a movie I believe)

Wow. These are some of the more ignorant comments I've heard in response to a tragic accident in awhile. Do these commenters realize the boy struck by the T has substantial head wounds that might be life threatening? This boy could die, but yet these people are sitting around at their desks making gross assumptions and rather contrived generalizations about his character. So this poor boy wore headphones to class, early on a Monday morning...that does not mean he's an entitled Mama's boy. Have some integrity. Ive never commented on an online article before in my life, but now I feel compelled to. It's also a ridiculous assumption to say that the T is run perfectly safe. It's a terrifying, out dated train.

To help out the poster with the maroon comment, from the Urban Dictionary:

maroon: A term of derision often uttered by Bugs Bunny when referring to an interaction with a dopey adversary. It is a mispronunciation of the word "Moron"

It seems to me that someone who is walking the streets of Boston, totally unaware of their surroundings, would be a potential victim of robbery or assault. I guess you don't have problems with crime in the Hub anymore.

So today I woke up to my brother calling me to see if I was still alive. It turns out he had read that a 21-year-old was hit by a T, right where I cross Comm. Ave every day to go to class. He feared for the worst and called me. Moments later a friend of mine called me, holding back tears, to see if I had spoken with ___'s family. By the time I figured out the connection my heart was racing and I felt like throwing up. A friend of mine is in the hospital with his family praying for his well-being; I cannot imagine someone so disconnected that they feel like laughing out loud picturing their pain. ___ is one of the sweetest people I have ever met and he does not deserve this. No one does. Please respect this.

Maroon is an idiom - it means "Moron"

It comes from Bugs Bunny.

Who's the maroon now ?? :)

I see this all the time. It's not even the head phones or cell phones. It's that college kids just DON'T PAY ANY ATTENTION to what's around them.

I have lost count of how many times college kids don't bother look when crossing most busy intersections or don't care to look thinking someone will stop.

One would hope that this comments section would be able to be positive or constructive. Sometimes it's neither.

I must confess that I have often come close to hitting some kid with headphones on, oblivious to his/her surroundings. Even walking, I often find them walking into others as they chat on their phones or listen to their music. I also must confess that I am pretty disdainful of such folks and feel that I act more responsibly with their lives than they do. It's hard to be sympathetic to someone who treats his own safety so cavalierly. That said, risky behavior is what yong people do- how many articles in the Globe/Herald do we read every year about some teenager who drives drunk/speeds/overpacks his car and kills his best friend. What gets my goat is how their parents often encourage and support such oblivious and careless behavior only to discover how that behavior has cost their child (or someone else's child) their life.

Well i hear all this negativity about stupid college kids and i can't help but post the fact that most WORKING ADULTS are the same everywhere in boston. I've driven in boston from fenway (when i was a college student) to the financial district and the waterfront area. I've almost hit more pedestrians running across the street from south station when there is a greenlight and i'm the fourth or so car back that is going through the light than i have in the fenway area when competing with WIT, MassArt, and Simmons students in the roads. I do not think the ignorance that becomes Boston pedestrians has anything to do with being a college student and everything to do with the fact that those of us on the road never stop for the person in the crosswalk waiting to cross even when that is the law. This doesn't even cover the fact that most of the time the greenline drivers ignore the rules of the road as well when driving aboveground.
However, no matter whose fault it is it's disgusting that the majority of comments here have no concern for the young man who is fighting for his life in the hospital. It is disgraceful that the majority "cares" so little for your fellowman, especailly when noone knows the truth to the situation and that it is complete conjecture that he may or maynot be at fault.

Hasn't anyone out there ever seen Bugs Bunny? You're all a a bunch of MAROONS !!

I believe that the Darwin Awards only go to those who die due to an act of stupidity. Let's hope this person is not a nominee. As for who had the 'right of way', any person who steps in front of a moving train disregarding common sense needs to revisit Newton's Three Laws of Motion to derive who will win in this situation.

Obviously the people who jumped on MarcoPolo for his spelling of "moron" never watched Bugs Bunny.

let's all please stop with our theories and pray for this young man. let's do that together instead of posting hateful comments. i for one have had him in my prayers all day.

i would love to know where all the posters calling bc students "stupid" went to college. i assume you all went to harvard and yale, right?

i hope this kid was listening to something good on that ipod of his. the story would really stink if he was listening to the Jonas Bros when he got hit

Along with the BC students, I would consider Elmer Fudd a maroon too. Especially when he was hunting that wascally wabbit.

Boston.com, I think you should do your part and close this thread. It is unproductive and disrespectful. Please just close it.

To everyone commenting here, take a step back. Would you make these nasty comments if all of us were able to put a face to your ignorant words? I hope your kids or loved ones see what you've written and are as horrified as I am.

Anyone who is complaining about how the comments are ignorant and mean dont read them. Its the internet. We are Anonymous. You cant stop it and no one can control it. So just get over it and embrace the ability that you can say the truth without anyone knowing it was you.

This kid is an idiot. Its his fault, and if he had looked both ways he would be fine. Its not hard. And BC students are the brighest.

For those who have decided to use a poison pen and post derogatory comments towards this young man, may a horrible curse befall you and your family. You're all sick-minded individuals. Let me guess. In your lives, or that of your family, there has never, ever been a tragic accident. Idiots, that's why they call it an accident. Could it be that the MBTA has some fault in this? Were you all sitting there, in some temporary viewing grandstand, witnessing the incident. Have we forgotten so soon the cellphone incident on the Green line that cost a T worker her life. Guess so...

This is a general traffic complaint: someone posted here about how "pedestrians have the right-of-way in Boston" , implying that they ALWAYS do. That's one of the problems right there - there was so much emphasis on the crosswalk rule - where peds. have the right of way in crosswalks WHERE THERE IS NO TRAFFIC LIGHT, that people somehow think it extends to every possible traffic situation one could find themselves in. If you have a red light, you have to stop, regardless of what mode of transport you're using, including your feet or a trolley car.

I'm a BC student living off-campus, and I saw the aftermath of this as I walked from my apartment to classes this morning. I walk over those tracks at least twice a day, most of the time four times a day. I have yet to be hit, and I don't plan on it anytime soon.

Clearly, this is just a simple matter of the kid not paying attention. It has absolutely nothing to do with being a BC student, or a college kid for that matter. You don't think there are adults who have gotten hit? Everyone should just stop criticizing BC when they clearly don't know what they are talking about. Instead, we should focus on hoping the kid gets better, because even if it was his fault, people shouldn't wish harm on him.

"Too bad the hit didn't eliminate this guy from the gene pool.
Posted by Alex T November 17, 08 12:36 PM"

This is one of the most sickening things I have ever read. How can anyone live with themselves after wishing death on someone who they have never even met before? If I were someone like you I would wish something terrible upon you, however, as a rational human being I can only hope that you learn how to care about other people before its too late. Someone must have done something pretty awful to you to make you think that what you said was acceptable.

Regardless of how stupid not looking both ways before crossing the street is, this is a PERSON. He is in critical condition in the HOSPITAL. He is only 21 years old and should have a full, long life in front of him. This is a tragedy. You do not know his family, you do not know anything about him. You dont even know his name. This could actually be someone you know. Even if this isn't someone you know, something tragic could happen to anyone you know at any time. It could be you.

Even if you did know who he was and disliked him, you have no right to condemn him or anyone to death. Before you make another comment this insensitive and cruel, think about the pain he is in. Think about the pain his family and friends are in.

Please stop making these insensitive comments. You are only making this incredibly difficult time even more difficult for this poor boy and his family.

you people are so inconsiderate. if one of your loved ones got hit, you would be pissed after reading all this miserable comments. grow up, seriously. as for BC, that has nothing to do with anything. get well soon

I am amazed and disheartened at the callous comments posted here about someone's child/brother/friend who has died. Who among us has not had a moment where he/she got distracted and forgot to do what he/she should? I send my condolences to his grieving family and friends.

I never knew there were so many horrible people in the world. To write something cruel, about someone so seriously injured you have to be a depraved human being. While Mike really needs all the prayers he can get, I think half of you would be better off praying for yourselves to turn into decent human beings. I hope he and his family never read this. They are certainly in my thoughts and prayers.

wow, I thought Boston was an educated city. How sad some of these comments are.

I have never seen a bigger bunch of "maroons" who didnt get what the "maroon" reference/joke meant (check school colors, duh). Some real sharp cookies here!.

I cannot believe all of the comments on here insulting this man. This man was hit by the T!! I think that he has suffered enough without all of these rude comments. I cannot believe how heartless some of the posters on this site are. Would you still be posting these hateful comments if it was a memeber of your family who was hit by the T?
My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

I was traveling out of state last week. While crossing, in a crosswalk, with a walk signal I got hit by a cab. Was that my fault? I guess I should have been more careful. Of course, the cab came from behind me and I never saw it until it was on top of me (literally). I know, I just shouldn't cross streets anymore!

No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen. Leave the kid alone and hope he recovers.

Can't we all just get along and blame this on George Bush as always.

This incident is sad, but not a surprise. I see jaywalkers every day in Boston. People don't even need to have headphones on or talking on a cell phone to be oblivious. They just "assume" the cars will stop for them. Some times that is a fatal mistake.

I lived on Comm Ave near the B line for years and people get hit all the time. It is a little tough in here today - with everyone putting blame on someone for this terrible accident. But, I just think we have it wrong here in Boston. Does it make sense to have people (and cars) crossing sub-way tracks? It really makes no sense. Maybe instead of putting an elevated highway underground the city/state should have worked harder to get the sub-way underground in these areas - especially the B line. Such a project could have also cut down on the stops on that line - which use to drive me nuts. More than four stops service BU alone and each one is no more than one or two blocks (not NY City size blocks...smaller!).

I hope the student get better soon.

As far as this being a "tragic accident" I agree but it was 100% avoidable by doing what we've all learned before entering the first grade; look both ways before crossing a street; let alone train tracks. Glad he's OK and hopefully lesson learned.

I live a few blocks where the accident took place and commute on the B Line.

I constantly see pedestrians, with and without headphones, and drivers deciding they can "make it" and crossing in front of trains that are clearly moving towards an intersection at full speed. Even if the train operators brake hard, they have so much inertia that they can't stop quickly. I'm amazed more people and cars aren't hit on the B and C lines.

That said, this young man is seriously injured and I'm horrified at some of the postings here.

Yes, you just have to be careful and if I was on a jury I wouldn't award any damages to this kid. But anyone responding with comments about looking both ways or calling this guy an idiot ever actually try to cross commonwealth ave? I can remember a few times crossing the road in that area and almost getting hit by a trolley. Trolley's travel on the median strip which on most streets is where pedestrians find safety after crossing a hectic road. Those electric trolleys can sneak up on you real fast.

The resentment expressed here against this young man really amplifies the resentment felt among the lower classes for those who are enjoying the privilege of education. There are a lot of angry people out there (and for good reason). What students in these opulant colleges need to register is, they are very hated by the class of people serving them, i.e. the people who become cops and firefighters and infrastructure builders, and MBTA drivers, etc. More lives depend on the lower classes than the upper.

The accident happened in the in-bound train, just east of BC. Have you ever walked in that intersection?

I have and I can see how this accident could happen: There was probably an outbound train coming (from downtown to BC). And the inbound train was at the BC station ready to go. The student looks left (sees the outbound coming) and then right (sees the inbound stopped at the station). The student waits for the outbound train to go by and walks. When the inbound train crosses, it creates a blind spot - the inbound train can not be seen by the student, and the T driver can not see the student (the arriving outbound train is between the train and the student). By the time they see each other, it's too late.

So it is possible that the accident didn't happen because of headphones, stupidity or bad driving. The source of the problem? Both directions get the green light at the same time and this causes a blind spot.

MBTA drivers at every stop on the Green Line jump the red light, and start before the light turns green.
When I bring this to their attention, they claim they do not have to obey the street signals. Often they claim they are "late" and have to move regardless--even if they run over a pedestrian.

The MBTA management is to blame for most of these transgressions and their other bad decisions. There is absolutely no consideration for passengers or pedestrians, and no experience of judgment on how to run a transit system.

I am somewhat impressed by the number of people on this board who've watched Bugs Bunny... I tip my hat to you all.

For those who were wondering, the word was indeed taken from Bugs Bunny, to imply that that the kid was a moron, in a light-hearted attack on his actions.

Granted this is not a situation that should be mocked. An accident after all is an accident and I do feel bad for the kid.

But this kind of accident just perpetuates the stereotype that the young generation are a senseless bunch of self-centered nitwits that go through their early years with their heads up their...

Accidents happen. I think the reason behind so many people making insensitive comments is due to the fact that many people DON'T look before crossing the street. It is a sad reality. Some pedestrians just think cars, trains etc. will automatically see them and have enough time to stop. Streets in Boston are espically dangerous, it's not like a town, it is a CITY. Lots of automobiles. I would imagine that common sence would tell people to be on the defensive side when in a street or on train tracks. Hopefully this kid is alright and it would be nice if people could learn from this story and not believe they are invincible in the line of fire.

Yes MS, It is difficult to navigate that station as a pedestrian. I feel bad for the kid. I think the T should redo the BC station, but they have too many other things to do!

Maria, are you seriously saying that anyone who hasn't attended BC or another college is from a lower class? Do you realize how condescending that is? Maybe the resentment you sense is caused by the attitude of entitlement from college kids, but I think you could have stated it in a less offensive way.

The boy who was hit is my neighbor, my mom drove down to the hospital with his mom this morning. Some of the comments made have deeply disturbed me, and i hope his family doesn't read any of them. Its called an accident for a reason, no one intended for it to happen. To pass the blame onto anyone is just irresponsible and uncalled for. I hope people start to think more about what they write before they post it up for anyone to read.

I drive through this intersection every day and walk it sometimes as well. It is really poorly defined and it is crawling with college kids, not typically the most alert bunch, and I was once the same way.

Anyone could have made this mistake, trust me, the area is poorly marked and the trains and traffic run in totally inconsistent and unpredictable patters, the crosswalks are ill-defined.

Hopefully the silver lining is that something is done to improve the area for everyone's sake. Hope the kid is OK and stop hating unless you've never made a stupid mistake.

Some of the comments here absolutely disgust me. Put aside what college you go/went to or your own prejudices and say a prayer for a kid who is in serious condition.

What's worse is that the globe actually opens this up for discussion...sickening.

This student needs prayers and thoughts right now. He obviously has friends, family, and fellow students praying for him but even the thoughts from a stranger mean a lot. The blame shouldn't even be an issue right now: a man was injured and he deserves all that we can do for him.

To everyone demeaning BC students and college students in general:

You're just bitter and jealous that you don't have the intellectual capabilities in order to be accepted to an elite college.

Have a little compassion. A young man is in the hospital tonight hanging on for dear life. We are all humans here. We are all working towards the common goal of being happy and successful. Let's bond together and pray for this kid because if you were him, you would want this same compassion.

I just wonder what song he was listening too

This article has such an obvious agenda. The kid's earphones had absolutely nothing to do with his getting hit. A train is not a randomly moving object. It travels on tracks. I would argue that not hearing the train was far secondary to the student's complete disregard for the fact that he was crossing train tracks.

How can the Boston Globe miss the main point of this accident. Did you want to write a story about the dangers of earphones? I doubt it. But I do believe you needed a hook for a story that otherwise wasn't one.

DZ- there's a HUGE difference between a negligent T operator and someone who lacks the common sense to look both ways before crossing the train tracks. Two completely incomparable scenarios.

People who walk around with that "I'm a pedestrian and I always have the right of way" sense of entitlement are going to get themselves nowhere but the emergency department.

Ishes, we bow to the superior intellect of a BC student not smart enough to look both ways while zombified by his earphones.

Train Kept A Rollin' by Aerosmith?

Does anyone know Mike's whereabouts? If you do, please provide an update. I know he has serious internal injuries and he is in critical condition but are there any long term projections from the doctor. I pray for Mike's family and I refuse to comment in response to the ignorance that is clouding this message bored.

While I hate to even acknowledge the petty and irrelevant conversations occurring in this thread, the commentary has been nearly as thought-provoking as the story itself. What I must say, however, is that education level has absolutely nothing to do with intelligence or common sense. I can’t tell you how many professionals I’ve seen, eyes glued to their blackberries, attempt to cross four lanes of traffic on Atlantic Avenue. We have all been there. Whether it was the hood on our jacket obstructing our vision as we crossed the street, a cell phone call or text that diverted our attention from driving, GPS systems, radios, iPods- I could go on forever.

We are a generation of multitaskers, we thrive on sensory overloads (how many people sat and typed responses with 2 computer programs running and 3 internet windows open), and I am completely astounded that these accidents don’t occur more often. There’s no reason to attack this student or criticize his mother, because what happened today was an accident and a tragedy. Hindsight is always 20/20, but there were hundreds of variables at play, here.

I wish him a speedy recovery, and I challenge everyone who reads this article (myself included) to “unplug” for a minute, consider yourself lucky it wasn’t you or your child, and be a little more attentive to your own actions and surroundings.

My thoughts and prayers are with this student and his family. I can't imagine what they're going through. God Bless all of them.

Thank you Boston.com for removing some of the disheartening and disturbing comments made by some incredibly shocking people. They could probably use a Jesuit in their lives!

Once again, for the learning impaired and/or "ban everything" crowd...

Stop preaching (like a jackarse) about the gadgets and how "we" need to "be safe"..... Some of us wear headphones, listen to music, and yet somehow maintain the daunting capacity to discern gigantic moving objects.

Unfortunately there are too many young people walking around with the headphones. Almost like there never was a time when these things didn't exist.
I mean some people are so addicted to these things they can't leave the house without them.

We really can can live moment to moment WITHOUT music being pumped into our brains. Yes there was a time....

Mike is a good friend of mine and my prayers are with him and his family tonight. I ask all who consider leaving a disrespectful comment - imagine if this was your child, your brother, or your best friend. I was so scared when I heard the news but so happy to find out that he is alive. Cordo family, please ignore the ignorant posts, and know my prayers are with you.

Southie:
re: "Maria, are you seriously saying that anyone who hasn't attended BC or another college is from a lower class?"

Duh. Kids who don't go to college usually don't because it's unaffordable. They join the military.

I cannot believe the T and all of you are trying to blame the kid for this. If the T driver actually made any effort the kid would have heard the T. I live 17 floors above the B line and I hear the Ts horn when i have music blasting. That horn is ridiculously loud, anyone would have heard it. Also, I saw the T stop this morning, and didnt realize that it had hit a person, but it was literally 30 yards away from lake st. it should not have been going faster than 10 mph. it could have stopped. I am sick and tired of hearing about the T hitting people and hitting other Ts. make these drivers go through a more rigorous training program and make them responsible when they hit a person. If a person runs out into the middle of the road and you hit them, its your fault, crosswalk or no crosswalk. so dont blame the pedestrian....ever

DJMcG
you need to recognize the fact that these electronic distractions are a hazard. there are countless cases of people hit by cars, trains, having car accidents, while on cell phones, texting, or walking with headsets. there are stats to prove it...so, don't be so glib in dismissing the hazard. i have michael in my prayers.

If this tragedy happened involving a legally deaf pedestrian, then what would the MBTA have said? My goodness, can a T driver assume the ability of a person by blowing a horn? I realize that the student could have taken some preventative measures, but so could the T driver. I take that line everyday, and if there is a car or a person in the way in that area, the trains never stop! The drivers just shrug their shoulders, cross their fingers, and maybe if the other person is lucky the T might slow up on rare occasions. When will the MBTA learn?

People keep talking about the kid "being on the tracks". If anyone has ever been to the site of this accident, you would know that the TRACKS ARE ON THE STREET and on the sidewalk/crosswalk. It is unavoidable to cross the street without crossing the T tracks. Also, there is a stop light for the T right where pedestrians are supposed to cross the tracks. So it is understandable then that someone would think that a T would stop at the intersection and wait for the light, but be mistaken if the T had a green light....

the boston globe should be ashamed of themselves for allowing comments to be made on this release...as a friend of mikes i cant put blame on the people mocking him because i understand it is easy to do so if you do not know him personally. the only blame should be put on boston.com for continuing to allow comments on the article....get bettter mike we're pulling for you

As a friend of the student i thank those who are keeping him in their prayers. And for those who find it important to write ignorant comments here are disrespecting his family and my friend. People can make the wrong decision, and to think that people would talk about him on a blog like this is insane. People make poor decisions all the time. Show some respect. maybe next time it will be someone you love.

im praying for you mike. we all are.

A boy has been seriously injured and all you fools do is sit around and joke and place blame. It makes me sick. This boy and his family need support and prayers to help them get through this and hopefully heal. Accidents happen, we all make them, but it would appear that most of the people commenting on this story have never had the experience of making a mistake.
Shame on those of you making all the nasty comments - put yourself in this family's shoes - oh that's right YOU never make mistakes! AND shame on the Globe for making a huge mistake and allowing this story to be open for comment .

People do judge themselves the same way they judge others. Take a look at how you judge this kid, this is how you judge yourself. Says a lot about haters out there. Wish the kid the best, and do him and yourself some good.

I am a graduate of BC. If there is one thing we learn in four years there it is the importance of educating yourself so that you don't jump to ridiculous conclusions that end up being false and unfounded - i.e. - judging someone based upon their affiliation with an institution and extrapolating that they must be a rich, spoiled, jerk. Has anyone else found it funny that the only people coming out to defend the integrity of this young boy and wish him and his family well on his long road to recovery are BC students/alums, and the people seeking to impugn his integrity and demean him in a time of great need are the ones who hate BC with no basis for this hate? I am prouder than ever to be affiliated with Boston College and hope nothing but the best for this boy's speedy recovery.

#164

I believe the kid is still alive. Just thought you should know.

Yeah, let's all pray for him and is family because that will make such a big difference. Expect a Miracle, you sound like a loon. Stay out of the victim's business and save your prayers for your own family.

In Cambridge we call it death by ABBA. It is only a miracle he is still alive. May he have a speedy recovery and when he does he should consider listening to music in a safer environment, like on a treadmill.

I really feel sorry for you. I happen to be a friend of the family so their business IS my business. I am always there to support my friends and family in time of need. This family happens to be among the best that I know. They are always the first ones to donate their time and, yes, prayers to those in need. It is a shame that they need to go through this public thrashing - let them be, and allow them to try to get through this ordeal without all the negativity. If caring about people makes one a loon( in your opinion), then so be it. You sound like a really angry person - why?

This is disgusting. This is my friend you're talking about and he is super nice and smart and you all are ridiculous for saying such hateful things. There could've been any number of situations that could've allowed for this to happen and it's awful that you are calling him an "idiot". Hate on BC all you want but have a heart. He has serious injuries and is in the ICU and you are using this board to disrespect him by making jokes and horrible remarks. If something like this happened to someone close to you maybe you'd have some tact.

Hey Oryx11,
I'm pretty sure he was listening to "Train Kep't-a Rollin'" by Aerosmith

I think boston.com and the boston globe should be absolutely ashamed of themselves. if the headline was boy struck by T, instead of boy listened to headphones struck by T everyone would be really sorry for the student. unfortunately, they think its ok to turn someones life into a debate and argument. it sickens me. the "Globe Staff" needs help.

All of you make me sick!!! To talk bad about a person who is hurting right now is disgusting!! And karma will get you!! I know the family of the boy and they are devastated right now and you people with no lives need to trash people bc obviously your lives are boring!! Get a life and stop talkin bad about ppl!! God Bless him and his family!!!

Wow, reading this thread has been what being at the accident today might have been like, I imagine - like a horrible crash you just cannot avert your eyes from. I truly have not read anything this twisted in a long time. My personal favorite comments are, "When the weather's not cold in Boston, the people make up for it," and the argument precipitated by the "moron/maroon" controversy. I left Boston when I was 18 but 20 years later it is still my home in my heart. I am not sure if this thread makes me homesick or want to throw up in my mouth a little bit. Both, I guess, which is why I love Boston, and also why I left. I have personally, as a nice Italian girl, always despised BC students by birthright, but that has nothing to do with whether we should all be praying for this gentleman, which any moron knows we should, unless you are a card-carrying sociopath, in which case we should be praying for you, as well. One thing is certain: It is only a matter of time before my mother sends me this link, destined to take its place among the Fung Wah Bus and Elevator Surfing articles. I won't brush her off this time. Lord knows I have done similarly spectacularly stupid things, dangerous things - we all have - and gotten away with it more times than anyone deserves. We should just all shut up, hope no one ever finds out how stupid we all are, and count ourselves lucky. Please forgive me, God, but my inner Bostonian just had to join the tussle.

Accidents happen everyday, perhaps many are preventable, but they happen--to all of us. Have some compassion and understanding --the young man is seriously injured and he and his family and friends are suffering. What if all of us were seriously injured everytime we did something we probably should not have done if we thought about it?
I agree that the Globe should not open these stories to comments---it is disheartening and disturbing to witness the venom and ignorance of some of the commentors. This is the real tragedy.....

Hope he recovers soon without complications.

I do not live in this area nor do I know BC. Here is what I do know. I know that I see alot of kids with ear phones in, music blasted, and their chin tucked into their chest. I see people like this all the time and told my wife the other day that I thought one of these days somebody is gonna get hurt because they were way to wrapped up in those head phones. Trish your friend might be nice but he is not smart. Smart people or atleast those with common sense know to look both ways before crossing a street and don't wear headphones, because they know they are gonna reduce their abillity to know what is going on around them.

A NY state sentaor proposed legislation to ban usage of devices like ipods in NYC and buffoli while walking. It sounds sillly but but you can't argue that there is a porblem when these devisces are matched with ignorant people. Don't get me wrong, I feel bad for this kid and I hope he pulls through this, but it is his own fault, don't blame the T driver. This is a city and people need to be aware of their surroundings while walking around and not listening to music or a podcast, people need to focus on the cars, buses, trucks, and Ts. And honestly, with the number of kids who come here every fall and never lived in a citythis is going to happen agian, and afian, and agian.

Mike, you've been nothing but a great friend, hard worker, good athlete, and amazing person and its rough times like these that make me remember all the great times we've shared in our past. I think I can speak for the entire sudbury community when we wish you a speedy recovery and knowing the perciverence you've displaying in obtaining goals throughout your entire life, I know you will.

For the rest of you people, you need to grow up and get back to your own lives. This reminds me of a situation where one of my friends died last year and people commented on the article saying that just because the kid was driving at 3 am, he was drunk and high and that was the fault of the accident... not the fault of the 70 something year old man WHO HIT HIM. You all need to stop being wannabe investigaters and just let the situation go. You've stated comments like didnt you learn to look both ways before you cross the street in first grade? Yeah, well I also learned to mind my own beeswax. GET OVER YOURSELF

OK! This "idot" is my cousin. No one has any right to call him an idiot. Keep your comments to yourself, and grow up. You have no idea what my family is going through right now. If something like this happened to someone close to you or in your family you would not be saying such comments.

Michael im praying for you every second i love you so much. In a week well be eating nana's awesome food. I love you!

You callous, uncaring hypocrits. Haven't you ever made a mistake in your life? Haven't you ever been on your cell or listening to the radio, walking or in your car, and made an error in judgement?

I have the distinct pleasure of knowing and working with this young man. He isn't some entitled kid. Instead he is a kind, caring man with a strong work ethic who is year on every school break and works his behind off. So before you start laying into someone for where they go to school or presuming they are an idiot, check yourself in the mirror and admit the truth...and then maybe say a prayer for the kid and his family I know I will.

I am sickened by all of the negative posts saying that someone 'deserves' this to happen ... it was a mistake, plain and simple. I also have worked with Mike and find him to be very intelligent and kind. He and his family deserve your thoughts and prayers, not being made fun of on a comment board.

I was in that train. I heard some one (most probably the driver) scream, but I didn't hear the horn! however, I can not tell for sure that the driver didn't blow the horn, cuz I was listening to music as well!

I was in that train. I heard some one (most probably the driver) sceam, but I didn't hear the horn. however, I can not tell for sure that the driver didn't blow the horn, cuz I was listening to music as well.

as mikey's cousin, i hope all of you appreciate your family on thanksgiving when all of you are together. take a minute out of your day and think about how my family is going to be feeling. its incredible how some of you people can make such horrible comments. tell me that you were never in the wrong place at the wrong time-or almost f'ed up someone else's life with your own carelessness. i hope you mean brats bit your tounge and make it bleed at your next meal and your fingers fall off for typing such bullcrap.

mike is always smiling... he always made us laugh at all our family gatherings and i always heard stories of how succuessfuk he ishe is amazing and such a blessing. i love him to death and i hope for that phone call telling me he's coming home!