OK, I apologize out front.

[WinstonSmith4740]

But I just can't shake the feeling that Eric Boehlert's accident wasn't an accident. He was one of the only consistent progressive voices in the media who bucked the Beltway pundits, and called them out for the spineless, pro-chaos wimps they are. Combine that with people in power who admire the way Putin deals with his enemies...

I hope to hell I'm wrong. I hope someone tells me I'm just being paranoid...bring it, I'm a big girl and can take it. I just find it difficult to believe an experienced bike rider (or for that matter, anyone with two brain cells that rub together) would tangle with a commuter train.

[blm]

1. Feeling the same.

[cilla4progress]

2. How could it have been intentional

on the part of the train??

This may be unpopular to say, but, I - and I'm sure many here - have observed many sensitive, fully aware people, through the years, take their own lives because they can no longer handle the horrors and pain of this existence.

[hlthe2b]

3. I don't know how it could happen at all. Perhaps some details will be forthcoming or I have little

imagination. But how does a transit train hit a bicyclist? A car on tracks or a pedestrian, sure, but...?

No, I'm not implying a conspiracy. Just trying to understand how it could happen at all?

[boston bean]

4. Assuming he was listening to something with air pods??

[hlthe2b]

8. Perhaps... But riding across tracks? Trying to board with his bike?

It just seems improbable.

[BlackSkimmer]

15. If he was trying to beat the train and got a tire stuck in the tracks (easy to do), that could turn

bad quickly. Drop the bike and run, but if he’d fallen…gah, horrible to think about.

I accidentally hit a storm grate on my bike once, tire went in. It was a nasty fall.

[Trailrider1951]

17. I was once on an Amtrak train that was stopped for a fatal pedestrian accident

on the track ahead. Apparently, at the crossing with the street, the crossing gates were down and the jogger was waiting for the southbound train to pass. As soon as it passed, the man went around the crossing gates and was struck and killed by an unseen northbound train. There were 2 tracks at that crossing and he assumed that the southbound train was the only one near the street. This may be what happed to Eric Boehlert.

[malaise]

5. Definitely not the train

Hope it was a genuine accident and not what you're suggesting

[cilla4progress]

10. Me, too.

I know the despair gets to me sometimes....

[bluestarone]

7. Just wondering

Any news from train crew? That might help with trying to figure out just how and what happened?

[OLDMDDEM]

9. I agree with you

I wondered about this too. He stepped on many toes so was open for blowback.

[Gore1FL]

11. I believe this was an accident.

Between my old RR job and incidents outside that experience, I have heard of many accidents involving crossings. Most accidents/injuries/deaths occur at those; most railroad deaths are not the deaths of RR employees.

"Stop, Look, Listen, and Live" is sound advice that people often forget/ignore; usually, there aren't consequences.

[Bettie]

12. I recall him saying on a radio show

a while ago that when he rides he just puts in the earbuds and cranks the music up.

Maybe he didn't hear.

But I will admit to wondering the same thing.

[BlackSkimmer]

16. Crazy to ride with earbuds.

Even on bike paths with no traffic I don’t do that.

But many do.

[nolabear]

13. I disagree. Life is fragile. Things happen that we can't control.

We want it all to have meaning and purpose. It so often just happens. And it’s terrible.

[librechik]

14. My street has multiple auto/pedestrian/ bike accidents every year. The visibility is awful

and drivers go too fast. I think I have to say of course it was an accident.

Biking is dangerous. More dangerous than having liberal opinions in media, by a squinch.

Still weeping from this loss. Stephanie Miller's program this a.m. was heartbreaking. One of her dogs died the same day!

[brooklynite]

18. So the Beltway Pundits "got him"? You really want to go with that?

Points for conspiracy theory creativity I guess.