Student fatality at BU

[My_Sweet_Babboo]

<p>“I’ve heard stories of kids getting hit by the T–and it’s not like the T just comes out of nowhere.”</p>

<p>So true. Last year, two BU students were struck and killed by an MBTA commuter rail train behind campus.</p>

[LakeWashington]

<p>Ryanbis; but doesn’t Massachusetts State Law require motorists to stop for pedestrians at crossings, even when the car has the right-of-way or was there first?</p>

<p>I first visited Boston five years ago and was quite surprised to find people casually entering the road from the curb at uncontrolled intersections and essentially taking their time to cross in front of my car, even though I was moving along (not stopped).</p>

[BLUMINI]

<p>Very, very sad news.</p>

[soozievt]

<p>Ellen, all that you mention is very wise, indeed. One thing in this situation is that the housing isn’t on the campus. That doesn’t mean it isn’t their responsibility but the design of the campus doesn’t come into play. However, when they do house students at off campus sites, they need to examine things as well. Still, as someone else said, no matter how safe it is designed, some people do risky things (not saying THIS girl did!) and run across traveled lanes to beat traffic or when it says not to walk, etc. </p>

<p>LakeWashington, I am not sure the Mass State Law with regard to motorists stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks (I haven’t lived there in a long time). However, in my state of VT, motorists must stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. My chidren grew up with that and knowing cars would stop for them. Now, when my child moved to Manhattan, I kept telling her, it is not like here. Don’t step into the road unless it says to WALK because drivers and cabbies are not gonna stop just cause you are walking like they do here. She seems to manage just fine in the city but at first, I did wonder about adjusting to vastly different safety issues in terms of environment. Also, this is an example of no campus either. My D goes to NYU, and lives right in Union Square on a well traveled road and also walks umpteen blocks each day to all the places she must go, several of which are not on her “campus” in the first place. So, it is about taking personal responsibility for safety issues. Then again, no matter how cautious someone is, you can get an irresponsible “other person” who can injure you or worse by their lack of safe behavior.</p>

[wisteria]

<p>

Don’t step into the road unless it says to WALK because drivers and cabbies are not gonna stop just cause you are walking like they do here.

</p>

<p>In lots of big cities, even stepping into the road when it says WALK is dangerous.</p>

<p>I caution my kids–“The right of way is a legal concept that has to do with how much the pedestrian’s estate can collect after he’s killed. It doesn’t do you any good to have the right of way unless the driver honors it, and you as a pedestrian have to constantly be on guard for drivers who don’t care.”</p>

[wisteria]

<p>Here is a link to the story in the BU newspaper</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87/news/2006/10/05/News/Freshman.17.Killed.In.Cambridge.Accident-2333846.shtml?norewrite200610051655&sourcedomain=www.dailyfreepress.com&mkey=2288695[/url]”>http://www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87/news/2006/10/05/News/Freshman.17.Killed.In.Cambridge.Accident-2333846.shtml?norewrite200610051655&sourcedomain=www.dailyfreepress.com&mkey=2288695&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>The story is very sad. She was only 17. She had been playing on an intramural soccer game. </p>

<p>

CAS sophomore Hugo Juarez and CAS freshman Chiara Cortez were with Ponce the night of the accident. After playing an intramural soccer game at Nickerson Field in West Campus, the team walked back to the George Sherman Union. Because most of the other teammates lived along Commonwealth Avenue, they left Ponce alone at a BU Shuttle stop by the GSU around 11:15 p.m. The Shuttle is scheduled to stop in front of the GSU at 12 a.m.</p>

<p>Juarez said he believes Ponce either “got tired of waiting for the bus or missed the last one.” Cortez said she did not believe it was possible for Ponce to be too late because she was at the GSU long before the final Shuttle was due.</p>

<p>“The bus either didn’t make it on time, or she got tired of waiting,” Cortez said.

</p>

<p>EDIT: Here is a link to another poignant article in the BU student newspaper (with a heartbreaking picture–she has such an engaging smile)</p>

<p><a href=“http://media.www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87/news/2006/10/05/News/Ponce.Remembered.As.Kind.Happy-2333853.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailyfreepress.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com[/url]”>http://media.www.dailyfreepress.com/media/storage/paper87/news/2006/10/05/News/Ponce.Remembered.As.Kind.Happy-2333853.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailyfreepress.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

[molliebatmit]

<p>

Ryanbis; but doesn’t Massachusetts State Law require motorists to stop for pedestrians at crossings, even when the car has the right-of-way or was there first?

I believe the law is that drivers must stop for pedestrians <em>in marked crosswalks</em>.</p>

[wisteria]

<p>It’s a sad irony that Cambridge overall is a very pedestrian-oriented city. </p>

<p>Even more ironic, the street she was crossing (Memorial Drive) is an essential link between the city of Cambridge and a wonderful path specifically designed for bikers, walkers, runners, and other pedestrians.</p>

<p>The city commissioned a major planning document six years ago, “The Cambridge Massachusetts Pedestrian Plan,” which is full of thoughtful suggestions for improving pedestrian safety.</p>

<p>The Charles River bikepath/Memorial Drive area was specifically highlighted as an area needing improvement in that 2000 plan. The MDC, which is responsible for the area had supposedly prioritized upgrades to pedestrian safety in the area in 1997.</p>

<p>

2. Charles River</p>

<p>The MDC park along the Charles River is popular throughout the year. It is the MDC’s most intensely used reservation. The Dr. Paul Dudley White Bicycle Path is heavily used by pedestrians and in-line skaters as well as bicyclists.</p>

<p>It is one of the oldest bicycle paths in the United States and is a substandard facility. It is too narrow, has some sharp turns at blind corners, and has inadequate road crossings and other problems. While it is one of the city’s
most important and scenic open spaces, the facilities for pedestrians need improvement. Because it is an MDC park, the City’s role is advisory.</p>

<p>In June 1997 the MDC began a planning process to develop a master plan for the Charles River Basin.</p>

<p>Action:
Work with the MDC to develop ways to minimize conflicts among park users, to improve pedestrian crossings of Memorial Drive, and to increase citizen participation in managing the reservation.

</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.ci.cambridge.ma.us/CDD/et/ped/pedplan/ped_plan_all.pdf[/url]”>www.ci.cambridge.ma.us/CDD/et/ped/pedplan/ped_plan_all.pdf</a></p>

[kinshasa]

<p>Babboo, those two kids who were hit by the commuter train were hanging out on the tracks at 1 a.m. Their deaths are a horrible accident, but the train operator had no reason to think anyone would be there.</p>

[JeepMOM]

<p>Part of the problem of Comm Ave and Memorial Drive is that many - especially students - tend to cross where there is NO crosswalk - which was the case here - even during the news reports you could see students crossing thru the traffic just anywhere - with cars zipping by. Mass does have a law that the pedestrian has the right of way - within the marked cross walks - but if there is a light - they must cross with the light - otherwise it is J-walking - a ticketable offense because of the danger involved. </p>

<p>It is very sad that this happened - could have been avoided if the right cautions had been taken. Being main thorofares - they are very dangerous roads to attempt to cross.</p>

[PrimetimeMom]

<p>Beautiful, gorgeous girl, apparantly inside as well as out. My mind can’t even wrap around the fact that this could happen in the first month of college… My heart is with the parents/family/friends at home and newfound friends. </p>

<p>A horrible tragedy Very sad and hopefully a wakeup call to BU and students everywhere that life is fleeting and precious.</p>

[calmom]

<p>It doesn’t matter what the law says about right of way – a motorist can’t avoid hitting someone he doesn’t see in time. The report from the news article was:

The driver had a green light, and Ponce did not cross at a crosswalk.</p>

<p>State Police identified the driver as Maurizio Aragona, 31, of Belmont. Witnesses said Aragona got out of the car to try to help Ponce after the accident.

This doesn’t make it any less of a tragedy, but it sounds like the type of accident that might have been avoided if the student had used a marked crossing. I don’t think any driver is going deliberately run down a pedestrian because they think they have the right of way. What happens is that drivers don’t see pedestrians who dart out into traffic at night until it is too late.</p>

[roshke]

<p>I read this story earlier with great sadness and am now shocked all over again to learn that both my S and D knew the girl. D went to camp with her for years, although they were in different age groups. S was the same age and knew the girl from socials etc. D just heard a few minutes ago and is just very affected. She’s especially incredulous becuase I had already mentioned hearing (here) about this tragedy. Unbelievably sad loss - a beautiful and talented young woman. :(</p>