Bicycle Crash Claims the Life of BU Grad Student

Collision occurred near the Museum of Science Friday morning

A bicycle and bike helmet involved in an accident when a biker was hit by a truck Friday, November 9 lie on the road in a taped off accident scene by the Museum of Science

BU student Meng Jin (GRS’19), from Shanghai, arrived at BU in September to begin graduate studies in economics. Photo by David L Ryan/Boston Globe

November 9, 2018
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A Boston University graduate student died after an accidental collision between his bicycle and a dump truck in front of the Museum of Science parking garage in Cambridge Friday morning.

The victim, 24-year-old Meng Jin (GRS’19), is from Shanghai, China. He had arrived at BU in September to begin graduate studies in economics and was living in Cambridge.

“We are extremely sad about this most unfortunate accident,” says Kenneth Elmore (Wheelock’87), associate provost and dean of students. “The University’s thoughts and prayers are with the student’s family.”

The crash occurred on Monsignor O’Brien Highway in front of the museum at about 8:15 am, according to State Police, who are conducting the accident investigation. The student was rushed by ambulance to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. State Police have notified his family.

According to a State Police statement, the truck was stopped at the intersection of Museum Way and O’Brien Highway, waiting to take a right turn onto Museum Way. The bicyclist was also stopped, on the right side of the truck, waiting to take the same turn. When both the truck and bicyclist began to make their right turn, the bicyclist was struck by one of the truck’s tires.

The investigation is ongoing. No charges have been filed, but if there were to be any, it would not happen until the conclusion of the investigation, according to State Police spokesperson David Procopio.

Elmore says that counseling support is available for all students, faculty, and staff, on campus and abroad, and he urges anyone seeking help to contact one of the following resources:

  • Marsh Chapel chaplains can be reached at 617-353-3560.
  • Behavioral Medicine providers at Student Health Services can be reached at 617-353-3569.
  • Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center (SARP) counselors can be reached at 617-353-SARP (7277).
  • Counseling is also available for faculty and staff through the Faculty & Staff Assistance office, 617-353-5381.
  • The Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders is at 617-353-9610.

BU Today will provide updates as information becomes available.

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Bicycle Crash Claims the Life of BU Grad Student

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  • Joel Brown

    Staff Writer

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There are 13 comments on Bicycle Crash Claims the Life of BU Grad Student

  1. Very sad news! But, all the university is offering is “thoughts and prayers?” We’ve seen how far that’s gotten us with mass shootings. Maybe the BUPD should take this as an opportunity to ensure cyclists are safe on campus and start ticketing the many Ubers, delivery vehicles, and service vehicles that illegally block the bike lanes, endangering the hundreds, if not thousands, of students and staff who bike to campus each day, as well as members of the public just passing through campus.

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    1. As a bicyclist in this area I couldn’t agree more with what you wrote! Riding on the bike lanes that are not physically separated from the cars by little poles or other means, is a very dangerous obstacle course! Uber and Lyft, especially, are guilty, but so many others as well. And I have never seen any of them getting a ticket!

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  2. So sad to lose Meng Jin to our dangerous, unforgiving streets. I don’t see where the word “accident” is justified. It was surely unintentional, but the road design at that intersection set the conditions that enabled the crash. If the road were designed for safety instead of maximal car throughput, Meng would not have lost his life.

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  3. To lose a fellow Terrier, a fellow human being in this way is devastating. Meng Jin, like many here at BU began a journey of education likely with plans to do something in the world at large. I wish the most ease and comfort to those impacted by this horrific tragedy.

    One thing we need to do as a community is watch out for one another and encourage the use of caution when commuting, especially around the city. The reality is that massive vehicles are sharing the thoroughfare, and we must urge mindfulnes. We are not invulnerable, yet many of us have witnessed someone’s near strike by the T or a vehicle in the hopes of making it to class on time at the BU Central stop. As pedestrians we have rights to safety, but we also have the responsibility to make safe decisions. This should never have happened, and while this certainly doesn’t bring Meng Jin back to us, his death forces us to have a conversation about how safe we truly are.

    Find comfort and practice self care my brave Terriers. Today and everyday following we carry with us the hopes and dreams of Meng Jin and all students who have lost their lives in the pursuit of education.

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  4. To increase bicyclists’ safety, there should be separate traffic lights just for them that would turn green first and give them several seconds to get a head start in order to make them visible to general traffic. Vehicles and bikes should not be turning at the same time. Boston also needs to get serious about creating safe bike lanes. Any death is one death too many.

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  5. On behalf of the BU History 487 seminar “The Making of Modern China” that Meng was auditing with enthusiasm and just out of personal interest, I want to express the deep sadness and shock of all other students and myself at his untimely death. He and his family and friends are in our thoughts, and we do hope that safety for bikers in Boston will indeed be enhanced to avoid similar senseless and repeated tragedies. Prof. Eugenio Menegon, Department of History

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  6. I have often had to veer into traffic because the bike lanes were ‘occupied’ by trucks, ubers, lyfts, or just cars pulled over to talk on their cell phones. Vehicles blocking bike lanes should be ticketed!

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  7. Hello BU community, On behalf of the Boston Cyclists Union and our 1300 members, we are so sorry for your loss. We know that traffic deaths are preventable when there is infrastructure that separates cyclists from pedestrians from cars and appropriate signals and signage. We are diligently working (and had been for a long time before this tragedy) to get protected bike lanes on the Craigie Bridge and O’Brien Highway. Members of the clergy and broader cycling community are hoping to hold a ghost bike ceremony for Meng on Sunday, November 18, right before International World Day of Remembrance vigil at the Statehouse. Before we do anything we wanted to check in with his friends, family and community. If you knew Meng or know his family, please let us know at info@bostoncyclistsunion.org so we can honor him accordingly.

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  8. This is so sad. I am so grateful every day that I make it to and from work alive. It is dangerous out there. We need to do more to protect bikers. Last week, I got cut off by car making a right from Ruggles Street onto Parker Street. I don’t know if the driver didn’t see me or just didn’t care; but this is not acceptable.

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  9. I know I am late for this news. But I really just saw this and I really want to say, I and this victim come from the same country and the same city, we were both studying at same graduate school. Same accident happened to me while I was biking in NYC. There was a trunk at the left side of me at the intersection of the road. When the green lights on, the truck was turning right and I was trying going straight. Luckily, the trunk was not going that fast and I was able to stop. So fortunately, I only injured my hands and got some stitches. I feel really sorry and sad for Meng Jin and hope his family could get through this. Hope they can appropriate support they should receive!

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