I'll be interested to see what arises from the inquest. But this was a race in Australia, and not an Audax in the UK. So it's surprising to find it on these pages, given the sensitivities.
Given that Mike gave the talk after the AUK Reunion Dinner last year and some of us were chatting with him late into the night thereafter, any discussion of matters about his tragic death does not surprise me.
We were at the Mersey Roads dinner that night, talking to 24 hour riders. My first 24 was the 100th running of the North Roads in 1998. It stopped fairly soon after that, following a fatality. I can understand how organisers lose heart in the face of that. So I can sympathise with the organisers of this race, either stop, or introduce new rules. Their effectiveness is debatable, but if it makes the organiser feel like running it again, then so be it.
Marshalling the night section of a '24' provides an insight into rider visibility, and driver behaviour. But it's in a Time Trial, albeit one that has AUK points. So I'll quite understand if people say it's irrelevant to Audax, with it being a race and all.
My sympathies to Mike's family at this time, and also to those who knew 'Micky' Ina.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/90535154/Cycling-community-mourns-loss-of-Japanese-rider-killed-near-Twizel