Michael Strickland
Michael Strickland
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Age: 42
Location:
Memorial Boulevard and Purgatory Road in Middletown
Newport , RI
United States
Michael was struck by a driver who claimed he couldn't see him because ot the sun's glare.
From Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition
Mike Strickland Memorial Ride 3/31/12 Photo by Jason Evans, Newport
On Thursday, March 22, we learned the tragic news of a cyclist’s
death at the east end of Purgatory Road in Middletown. A beautiful
well-traveled, oft-cycled area approaching Second Beach. The news that
the cyclist was riding the steep eastbound downhill with the low sun
behind him, and that the driver was turning left at a blind curve with
the sun in front of him, stopped our hearts. Bad timing leading to a
worst nightmare.
From NewportRI.com
Mitch Turner and Ben Hancock, both Middletown residents, met
Michael Strickland last summer shortly after he arrived here from
Australia and they all were participating in the Naval Station
Triathalon.
Now Turner and Hancock are planning a “Ride to Celebrate the Life
of Mike Strickland,” their friend who was killed last week while riding
his bicycle on Purgatory Road and on his way home to his wife and three
daughters.
“If you met him for five minutes, you knew he was one of the most solid guys you would ever meet,” Turner said.
The ride in Strickland’s memory will begin
Saturday at 4 p.m. in Washington Square in downtown Newport, head to
America’s Cup Avenue, Memorial Boulevard and Purgatory Road in
Middletown, and then over to the Strickland home, which is located on a
small road off Indian Avenue, before heading back to Washington Square.
The 15-mile ride will be casual, so everyone can participate, Turner
said.
He said Mike’s father, Tony Strickland of Perth, Australia, and one of Mike’s daughters plan to ride.
“Everyone is welcome as we show our support for
the Strickland family and bring more awareness to cycling safety,”
Turner wrote in an email. “Feel free to join in at any point during the
ride as we pass by First and Second Beach. If you plan to join at the
beginning, please aim to be at Washington Square by 3:45 p.m.”
After the bike ride, all participants are
encouraged to come to the Fastnet Pub on Broadway, near Washington
Square, “where we will continue to celebrate his life and remember him
with drinks and traditional Australian pies,” Turner said.
Turner, who originally is from South Africa, and
Hancock, who originally is from Australia, had been planning on going on
a group ride with Strickland last Saturday. All three were training for
the Gran Fondo New York competition in May. The Gran Fondo, which draws
on the Italian bicycling culture, is a 100-mile race from the George
Washington Bridge in New York City that continues along the Hudson River
up to Bear Mountain and back.
Michael Strickland was working as combat systems
engineer at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center on a two-year assignment,
after which he planned to return home with his family to Perth.
A memorial service was held for him Thursday evening in the Officers’ Club at Naval Station Newport.
“We are celebrating his life, Australian style,”
Turner said by cell phone from the service. The focus was on finding joy
in all the good things Strickland did and what he meant to family and
friends, and trying not to focus on the sadness of his tragic death, he
said.
Strickland was struck by a car on March 22 about
5:35 p.m. and died from his injuries at Rhode Island Hospital.
Middletown police said this morning while it appears at this time that
there will be no criminal charges against the car’s driver, there may be
civil sanctions, most likely for motor vehicle violations.
The accident prompted much discussion about the safety of bike riding on Aquidneck Island.
From Newport Patch Facebook page
A
second ghost bike has been set up in memory of Michael Strickland, who
was killed was riding his bicycle at the intersection of Purgatory Road
and Tuckerman Avenue.
In
memory of Michael Strickland who died after he was struck by a car
while riding his bicycle at the intersection of Purgatory Road and
Tuckerman Avenue on March 22. The
purpose of ghost bikes is to both honor lives lost and to improve safety
for cyclists by raising awareness. The bikes are installed anonymously.
We thank those responsible for the installation.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Age: 42
Location:
Memorial Boulevard and Purgatory Road in Middletown
Newport , RI
United States
Michael was struck by a driver who claimed he couldn't see him because ot the sun's glare.
From Rhode Island Bicycle Coalition
Mike Strickland Memorial Ride 3/31/12 Photo by Jason Evans, Newport
On Thursday, March 22, we learned the tragic news of a cyclist’s
death at the east end of Purgatory Road in Middletown. A beautiful
well-traveled, oft-cycled area approaching Second Beach. The news that
the cyclist was riding the steep eastbound downhill with the low sun
behind him, and that the driver was turning left at a blind curve with
the sun in front of him, stopped our hearts. Bad timing leading to a
worst nightmare.
From NewportRI.com
Mitch Turner and Ben Hancock, both Middletown residents, met
Michael Strickland last summer shortly after he arrived here from
Australia and they all were participating in the Naval Station
Triathalon.
Now Turner and Hancock are planning a “Ride to Celebrate the Life
of Mike Strickland,” their friend who was killed last week while riding
his bicycle on Purgatory Road and on his way home to his wife and three
daughters.
“If you met him for five minutes, you knew he was one of the most solid guys you would ever meet,” Turner said.
The ride in Strickland’s memory will begin
Saturday at 4 p.m. in Washington Square in downtown Newport, head to
America’s Cup Avenue, Memorial Boulevard and Purgatory Road in
Middletown, and then over to the Strickland home, which is located on a
small road off Indian Avenue, before heading back to Washington Square.
The 15-mile ride will be casual, so everyone can participate, Turner
said.
He said Mike’s father, Tony Strickland of Perth, Australia, and one of Mike’s daughters plan to ride.
“Everyone is welcome as we show our support for
the Strickland family and bring more awareness to cycling safety,”
Turner wrote in an email. “Feel free to join in at any point during the
ride as we pass by First and Second Beach. If you plan to join at the
beginning, please aim to be at Washington Square by 3:45 p.m.”
After the bike ride, all participants are
encouraged to come to the Fastnet Pub on Broadway, near Washington
Square, “where we will continue to celebrate his life and remember him
with drinks and traditional Australian pies,” Turner said.
Turner, who originally is from South Africa, and
Hancock, who originally is from Australia, had been planning on going on
a group ride with Strickland last Saturday. All three were training for
the Gran Fondo New York competition in May. The Gran Fondo, which draws
on the Italian bicycling culture, is a 100-mile race from the George
Washington Bridge in New York City that continues along the Hudson River
up to Bear Mountain and back.
Michael Strickland was working as combat systems
engineer at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center on a two-year assignment,
after which he planned to return home with his family to Perth.
A memorial service was held for him Thursday evening in the Officers’ Club at Naval Station Newport.
“We are celebrating his life, Australian style,”
Turner said by cell phone from the service. The focus was on finding joy
in all the good things Strickland did and what he meant to family and
friends, and trying not to focus on the sadness of his tragic death, he
said.
Strickland was struck by a car on March 22 about
5:35 p.m. and died from his injuries at Rhode Island Hospital.
Middletown police said this morning while it appears at this time that
there will be no criminal charges against the car’s driver, there may be
civil sanctions, most likely for motor vehicle violations.
The accident prompted much discussion about the safety of bike riding on Aquidneck Island.
From Newport Patch Facebook page
A
second ghost bike has been set up in memory of Michael Strickland, who
was killed was riding his bicycle at the intersection of Purgatory Road
and Tuckerman Avenue.
In
memory of Michael Strickland who died after he was struck by a car
while riding his bicycle at the intersection of Purgatory Road and
Tuckerman Avenue on March 22. The
purpose of ghost bikes is to both honor lives lost and to improve safety
for cyclists by raising awareness. The bikes are installed anonymously.
We thank those responsible for the installation.