I saw the news choppers and there was mention on the radio, but no details. Anybody know what happened?

In the D87 thread, folks are discussing a young man apparently hit by a train.

GEMom2 directed me there, Thanks. I hope the kid's going to be OK.

Many of the high schoolers park in Montclair, climb the fence, then cross the tracks (literally) directly north of the Montclair lot.

I realize the lot is under construction, but I'm guessing one of the high school kids parked on Duane, walked down Montclair, crossed the fence, and got hit by the train.

Nineteen and still in HS?

I'm guessing he's not in Mensa.

The way we hold our kids back from starting school in this town....my guess is there are more than a few 19 y/o in HS.

quote:

Originally posted by farber55:
*shrug*

I have no idea. It is a bit old. Who knows. If I were still commuting, I'd be supremely angry.

Maybe this is the same group of kids who ran their SUV into a telephone pole on Hillside and knocked out power to a six-block area during the middle of winter. Lots of *angry* folks with that one.

All I know is that I'm getting annoyed with this stuff, the bums, and the general police-related weirdness in Glen Ellyn.

My God. You know nothing about this - you don't know who the victim is, from where, what the situation is. Someone has been injured - at the very least - tragically in your town, someone who is only 19 with a family, friends, presumably - and this is your reaction?

I know we're a cynical bunch around here but I mean - people are more upset about the lost train time than they are about a human tragedy? Looping this all into the continued - deteriorating - discussion about the "bums" that make us all a bit too uncomfortable?

This is getting a bit too much for even me.

quote:

Originally posted by scribbler:

quote:

Originally posted by farber55:
*shrug*

I have no idea. It is a bit old. Who knows. If I were still commuting, I'd be supremely angry.

Maybe this is the same group of kids who ran their SUV into a telephone pole on Hillside and knocked out power to a six-block area during the middle of winter. Lots of *angry* folks with that one.

All I know is that I'm getting annoyed with this stuff, the bums, and the general police-related weirdness in Glen Ellyn.

My God. You know nothing about this - you don't know who the victim is, from where, what the situation is. Someone has been injured - at the very least - tragically in your town, someone who is only 19 with a family, friends, presumably - and this is your reaction?

I know we're a cynical bunch around here but I mean - people are more upset about the lost train time than they are about a human tragedy? Looping this all into the continued - deteriorating - discussion about the "bums" that make us all a bit too uncomfortable?

This is getting a bit too much for even me.

Good point, scribbler. Very good point. I have always felt that those that go out of their way to be in the news or public eye are fair game...elected officials, preservation groups with agendas, people who knock down historic homes, village employees that we pay, Ted and his search for a kitten, even me...but a kid getting smacked by a train...seems like the crowd is a little rough here (don't get me wrong...one should know at that age that trains regularly run on train tracks and they should be avoided at ALL costs). There, but for the grace of God, goes your own child.

Most of the high schoolers were still in bed when this happened. Juniors had the ACT portion of the PSAE this morning and the other students had the morning off.

As a mother of high schoolers, I don't care for the teen bashing that pops up here from time to time. If you don't have one now, you likely already did, or will at some future time.

Remember, science has shown that the teen brain is not fully developed - particularly in the risk taking and sensation seeking areas - darn immature frontal lobes!

My first thought wasn't that it was one of those "annoying" high schoolers people like to complain about, but one of the many young people I know who attend classes at the schools in the city - DePaul, Columbia, UIC - but who live at home and take the train in to class.

But it doesn't matter. A life is a life - and at 19, that life has just begun. Hopefully the injuries aren't life-threatening.

I have made it very, very clear to my kids to NOT f#ck around anywhere near those nuisances if they are ever in town with their friends. I have told them that I have z zero-tolerance policy for any infractions that I find out about. I have also explained to them that a train will have zero sympathy for anyone's young or old flesh.

quote:

Originally posted by scribbler:
But it doesn't matter. A life is a life - and at 19, that life has just begun. Hopefully the injuries aren't life-threatening.

I don't wish harm to befall anyone. But I guarantee you the train was where it was supposed to be. It is highly unlikely the train jumped the tracks and chased this kid down the sidewalk.

Death and injury are almost always unfortunate, but accidental death or injury by train ALWAYS involves a substantial amount of cluelessness if not downright stupidity on behalf of the injured party.

I think it is entirely reasonable to feel less sympathy for someone who gets hurt as the result of their own stupidity. Of course, tho I thought it, I wasn't going to be the first person to post it!

quote:

Originally posted by Dinsdale:

quote:

Originally posted by scribbler:
But it doesn't matter. A life is a life - and at 19, that life has just begun. Hopefully the injuries aren't life-threatening.

I don't wish harm to befall anyone. But I guarantee you the train was where it was supposed to be. It is highly unlikely the train jumped the tracks and chased this kid down the sidewalk.

Death and injury are almost always unfortunate, but accidental death or injury by train ALWAYS involves a substantial amount of cluelessness if not downright stupidity on behalf of the injured party.

I think it is entirely reasonable to feel less sympathy for someone who gets hurt as the result of their own stupidity. Of course, tho I thought it, I wasn't going to be the first person to post it!

I do hope - sincerely - that no one you love ever makes a stupid choice. Somehow, I don't think the pain of any kind of tragedy resulting from such a choice is less.

OF COURSE we all tell our kids everything we think they need to know, and drum it into their thick skulls over and over...yet still, they make wrong or stupid decisions. Usually the results are minor. But sometimes they're not.

I'm sorry - I just can't get on board with the idea that it's OK to be less than sympathetic to something like this because you think someone made a stupid decision. Especially when the victim is a 19-year-old son of someone in this community, in all likelihood. Especially when the facts of the matter are unknown to us all.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by GEmom2:
If you don't have one now, you likely already did, or will at some future time.
QUOTE]

Or, you were one, right? And if you think back, I'm sure you can remember a time that you did something stupid in your teens, too.

I pray it's not my nephew - going to work! I'll just die!

quote:

Originally posted by scribbler:
I'm sorry - I just can't get on board with the idea that it's OK to be less than sympathetic to something like this because you think someone made a stupid decision.

That's cool.
I just tend to think people are responsible for their choices and actions. Especially by the time they are 19.
To a large extent I believe people tend make their own luck. And IMO people who are reckless and stupid tend to experience more bad luck than people who look both ways before crossing train tracks.

Obviously, the facts in this situation are scarce at this point. We don't know if was potentially a suicide attempt. We don't know if this young man was listening to his I-Pod. We just don't know the circumstances at all so I think we should refrain from jumping to conclusions.

One of the worst days my husband has had as an ER doctor was a few years back at Christ Hospital when a 13 or 14 year old girl was hit by a train. She was listening to her I-Pod and walking with her family...the train was coming and her family yelled to her but she didn't hear them. She didn't stand a chance against the train. My husband had the glorious job of trying to bring her back - which was pretty much impossible.

These stories are real life examples that we need to share with our kids so that the warnings to avoid the tracks are heeded. Brain research shows that rules are more likely remembered and followed when there is an emotional attachment to the information. I know I NEVER drove without my seatbelt after one of my high school buddies was killed in a car accident....

If you are so inclined, a prayer for this young man might be a good thing right now.

quote:

Originally posted by scribbler:

quote:

Originally posted by Dinsdale:

quote:

Originally posted by scribbler:
But it doesn't matter. A life is a life - and at 19, that life has just begun. Hopefully the injuries aren't life-threatening.

I don't wish harm to befall anyone. But I guarantee you the train was where it was supposed to be. It is highly unlikely the train jumped the tracks and chased this kid down the sidewalk.

Death and injury are almost always unfortunate, but accidental death or injury by train ALWAYS involves a substantial amount of cluelessness if not downright stupidity on behalf of the injured party.

I think it is entirely reasonable to feel less sympathy for someone who gets hurt as the result of their own stupidity. Of course, tho I thought it, I wasn't going to be the first person to post it!

I do hope - sincerely - that no one you love ever makes a stupid choice. Somehow, I don't think the pain of any kind of tragedy resulting from such a choice is less.

OF COURSE we all tell our kids everything we think they need to know, and drum it into their thick skulls over and over...yet still, they make wrong or stupid decisions. Usually the results are minor. But sometimes they're not.

I'm sorry - I just can't get on board with the idea that it's OK to be less than sympathetic to something like this because you think someone made a stupid decision. Especially when the victim is a 19-year-old son of someone in this community, in all likelihood. Especially when the facts of the matter are unknown to us all.

We're talking about Dinsdale - he or one of his own would never do something stupid or reckless.

Now I on the other hand. The memories of college and high school make me shudder when thinking about my kids growing older.

I feel horrible for any family that loses a local child in any accident, stupid or not stupid.

We can all only hope to grow up as enlightened and as perfect as Dinsdale.

Is blithely strolling across train tracks with your iPod blasting so loudly that you cannot hear someone shouting at you anything other than someone who is too damn stupid to live?

Sorry, but there is too much crap happening to undeserving people for me to waste a moment feeling sorry for stupid people doing stupid things.