Public ignorance kills

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As city pedestrians, we've all done it. You hear the rumble of an approaching subway, and run to stand on one of the sidewalk vents. Just in time, you feel the surge of air up both trouserlegs. Cooling in summer; comforting in winter; stinky year round.

However, what the MBTA doesn't want you to know is that this seemingly harmless situation is killing Cantabrigians through a phenomenon known as suckback.

As the train approaches the vent, it acts a piston, pushing air down the tunnel ahead of it, resulting in the enjoyable gust exhausted through that vent. But, once the train has passed and begins to pull away from the vent, it sucks air along behind it, creating dangerous antipressures. Antipressures, some scientists say, measuring as high as 70 jerseys. The result? A horror known to some as suckback. Pedestrians too slow to react can be sucked right through the ventilation grate. In July alone, four locals were sluiced in such a fashion.

We asked local expert, MIT Professor Samuel Jigga, to better explain the science behind suckback. "I ain no professa- g. But I don need a collich degree ta tell y'all da T sucks," said Prof. Jigga.


CAPTION: "I tol you areddy I ain a professa."


CAPTION: "Wat da hell dis sposta be now?"

I spoke with Red Line spokeswoman, Seamus O'Malley, about the incidents:
MJ: "Don't you feel you should be warning the public about the dangers of suckback?"
O'Malley: "We got enough Mexicans riding the T as it is. What do I care if you don't want to ride anymore?"
MJ: "Erm, I'm not Mexican."
O'Malley: "You sound like a racist. Maybe you should take the orange line."

Finally, in a city centered around a large engineering school, it can be easy to forget that this isn't just science we're discussing-- It's sad science. This blogger got in touch with Ela J. Sera, mother of the latest puddle of subway gravy. "Does he daddy stop pay chile sport jus cuz he die?"

Prowl says: You need to stop heckling hard-working Americans who are just trying to do their #$%^ing jobs!

Giant Japanese Schoolgirl says: NO FREE PEEKS! nononono I STOMP I STOMP