Try riding the T at about 6 p.m. on a weekday when most people are getting off work and heading back home. Everyone’s shoving and pushing, racing to get on the train and fighting for a seat. The scene on the T resembles that of a jungle where all the wild animals are fighting for survival. Even when you try to be polite and say “excuse me,” you’re simply ignored by the people with their earphones plugged in. It really is survival of the fittest.

Now, on top of the herd of businessmen, try adding dozens of Red Sox fans on their way to Fenway Park to root for the home team.

The person who came up with the phrase “wrong place at the wrong time” must have been on the Green Line an hour or so before a Red Sox game. Having to commute with the crazed fans is possibly one of the most unpleasant experiences in Boston.

While being passionate fans of a sports team is a wonderful thing, and absolutely necessary in making such a diverse city like Boston feel united, sometimes, the fans take it a step too far.

First, the Red Sox devotees will shove and push anyone to make sure they get onto the train first. Hold up buddy, you’re already two hours early, no need to push the woman holding eight bags of groceries out of the way, the game won’t start early even if you get there early.

As soon as you get on the train, assuming you already missed two of them because it was impossible to fight back, you will probably find yourself pinned against another person. There are two options: You can be face-to-face with an aforementioned businessman who looks like he is going to jump out of his skin, rip off his tie and start screaming about his bad day at work, or be face to face with a Sox fan yelling to his buddy about how “sweet the game will be tonight.” You can decide which is worst.

Even though there are a number of signs at the Park Street T station that say to get off at Kenmore, some people will still never listen and continue to get off at Hynes. Once they are out of the station, surrounded by dozens of people rushing through the streets, some fans just look lost. They’ll stand on the corner of Boylston Street and Massachusetts Avenue, overwhelmed by all the commotion, not knowing where to go. It’s easy to get lost in a city, but finding Fenway Park is no game of “Where’s Waldo.” If, for some reason, you don’t see the signs or the massive lights, just follow the other crowd of people all wearing Ortiz shirts.

Ballgames are fun, and seeing people so passionate about a sporting event is great. I once saw an elderly couple, at least 65 years old, in full Red Sox gear (T-shirts, caps, windbreakers and fanny packs) sitting next to each other, holding hands and talking about the team. Their love for the game was absolutely astonishing. It’s unfortunate that fans like that are overshadowed by the ones trying to start “Sweet Caroline” sing-a-longs on the train.

– Mary Ann Georgantopolous is a middler journalism major and a member of The News staff.