Bicyclist dead after collision with Amtrak train in Eugene
EUGENE, Ore. - A bicyclist died after colliding with an Amtrak train Thursday afternoon, Eugene Police said.
The victim was identified by EPD as James Aaron Daywitt, 49 of Eugene.
According to EPD officials, Daywitt was riding his bike south near the intersection of East 8th and Hilyard Ave. when he ran into an eastbound Amtrak train at 5:14 p.m. Thursday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police closed the area down until 9:30 p.m. while investigators collected evidence and the mangled bicycle from the scene. While Daywitt was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, police said that he may have been using headphones.
Daywitt, known to friends and family as Aaron, leaves behind his wife and two children. Dewitt graduated from the University of Oregon and worked at Alpine Mortgage Planning near Valley River Center.
I was on this train and it was a very sad scene.
Some people just never learn to pay attention to their surroundings when cycling.
This might be a Suicide made to look like a Accident.
Headphones! Sheesh.. I see some motorcycle riders with ear buds in sometimes and it makes me cringe. Wth are these people thinking?
Eugene bikers need to get into touch with reality. I have had so many close calls with bikes that don't pay attention to traffic or stop when they are supposed to that it isn't funny. A bike's not going to win any collision for their own sake it's time for bikes to have to face some sort of traffic enforcement.
Somehow I am sure the bicyclist had the right of way according to Oregon law. Too bad if our federal government didn't subsidize Amtrak it wouldn't exist. So government intervention caused this.
 @givupongod Try again. Please read your driver's manual page 22. Even if he had the right, which he didn't would it pay to be DEAD RIGHT. Any bicyclist must follow the same rules as a driver in this state (driver's manual page 82).Â
This is very sad for the family and friends, however I have to agree with many of the other posters. Railroad tracks are DANGEROUS. Trains cannot stop on a dime, it takes miles to stop a train even at relatively low speeds. Too many walk, ride, drive and play on the tracks without respect for the train that may be coming. I see it almost every day. Don't risk it. You are no match for a train, even in a semi. We need to educate people, especially if we are going to move to high-speed transit.Â
 @Shelly T Lorane some people cant be educated
since KVAL pulled the article on the two kids that fell to there deaths up in WA. Â and since this is another fatality article I believe it is decent time to bring up the 911 network and cell phones. Even when your cell phone has weak or no signal a 911 call does get picked up be a government network according to Verizon.
 @drinkmorewater I've heard that if you don't even have a working cell phone that a 911 call will go thru...
 @Myownopinion!  @drinkmorewater By FCC regulations that is a fact. Unless of course you have NO RECEPTION. As long as you have a charged battery carriers are required by law to put your call through to 911 whether you have a carrier or not AND tell them your position. HOWEVER, please give the 911 caller your location and other pertinent information, cell phones don't have good locating information at most 911 reception centers and it takes too long to get your location anyway.
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See:Â FCC regulations 911Â Â they have some good tips on using cell phones on 911 calls for everyone, with or without a carrier.
@drinkmorewater do you have a source on that statement please? Â
 @thisBITES!  @drinkmorewater I had just got of the phone with Verizon.  Why it is such low profile information I can not figure.  With hunting season on and hearing of accidents where it may have helped it is good topic.  Would like more on subject also.
Sad ..trains and most anything in it's way don't mix. I do not believe all cyclist avoid the rules of the road, they know a car trumps a bike in a collision. Yesterday in a 6 block radius of my house I had 2 cyclist run stop signs in front of me...that is a good way to get hit. It was dark, they had hoodies on and dark clothing, lights on the back...but no where else. I feel lucky to have seen them in time to slam on my brakes. I would never ever want to hit a cyclist but when they ignore simple rules of the road, stop signs, stop lights, turn signals....what do they expect. Just because I am behind the wheel of a car it does not give me super powers to see them in the dark...sheeezz I feel the police should pull them over for the same violations drivers get nailed on, except for speeding that would probably never be a problem. Cyclist should understand for their own protection follow the rules of the road for their safety. I have no problem sharing the road as long as they obey the same rules as cars...it is just plain safer for them.
 @colorowdy Actually, in many if not most places, cyclists are allowed to enter intersections without full stops at stop signs, or are allowed to cross against a red light. For example, in my state:
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"In Idaho, cyclists do not need to come to a complete stop at stop signs.
They must, however, yield the right-of-way to vehicles in or already at
the intersection, and then proceed with caution through the intersection.
Bicyclists may proceed with caution through a red light after stopping
and yielding the right of way to vehicles already in the intersection. They
do not need to come to a complete stop when turning right on a red light.
However, they must yield the right of way to vehicles already in the
intersection."
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Most drivers do not know these rules. Nonetheless, I have seen tickets given to cyclists who do not have lights at night, etc.
 @djm  @colorowdy In Oregon bikes are considered vehicles. They are required to stop at stop signs and red lights. Just like a car.
 @givupongod  @djm  @colorowdy So giveupongod, if you know this how can you believe the bicyclist had the "right of way." Driver's manual page 22.... even unmarked railroad crossings, it is the vehicle's responsibility to stop.
 @colorowdy Cyclists in Oregon have to follow the same rules as motor vehicles. Complete stops, no going through red lights and no going the wrong way in the bicycle lane!! And yet, I see it every freakin day.
 @djm  @colorowdy In Oregon (see page 82 of the Oregon Driver's Manual) "The same traffic rules and regulations apply to both bicyclists and vehicle drivers." The rules in Idaho do not apply in Oregon. You may very well get a ticket in Oregon if you violate the rules on your bicycle. There are additional rules for bicyclists as well.Â
Trains and not silent and they announce when they are in town a lot with horns. I am curious to know why the bike rider was on the tracks anyway. Because if this did not happen on a crossing, then the bike rider was trespassing on the tracks. Summing it up, the person was either oblivious(music in ears), on something(drunk?), in too big of a hurry tried to run the train (stupidity?) or suicidal.Its not like a train jumps off the tracks and attacks people and the conductor cannot suddenly hit a magic button that stops a train on a dime.
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What you get for now following the laws of the road. Like most bicyclists they think they don't have to follow the traffic laws and then when something bad happens to them they blame that there isn't enough laws to protect them. I feel sorry for the family's loss but ya, they had to not have been paying attention or just decided that the road laws didn't apply to them.
Since this was a bicycle, I'd be willing to bet the train was at fault.
 @11bravo =/ Me thinks you've gotten that backwards.Â
 @PleaseBeSmart  @11bravo pleasebesmart I think that was a sarcastic remark..
 @PleaseBeSmart  @11bravo I am glad you added the unless part cause i am so full of sh my eyes are brown oh and satan cringes when ever I get to close to him he says I make him nervous
 @11bravo  @RC95  @PleaseBeSmart Ask City kitty piercy that
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 @11bravo Good to know. I tend to take people literally, unless I'm familiar with them or it's glaringly obvious. Sorry about that and welcome to the board. There are several other bikers who post regularly, including me. There are some other veterans too.
@RC95 @PleaseBeSmart  Yes, this was sarcasm. As a motorcycle rider with over 40 years on the road, I'm well aware of what you have to do to stay allive out there. If Eugene is so bicycle friendly, why aren't the laws being
enforced to keep the riders safe?
Second person to die by train in a few weeks locally. How do you not see, hear, or feel vibrations of approaching trains? Maybe it's suicide by train, instead of suicide by cop, since they can't legally shoot anyone anymore. feel sorry for the families left, but this is unreal.