Theres a lot to be resolved with bikes and trucks, but one thing I’d really like to see is for the shape of trucks to change.
The classic bike truck interface is getting swept under the wheel as trucks turn left. All sorts of vehicles have bad blindspots – I’d argue small vans have worse blind spots that a lot of trucks as vans aren’t fitted with all the extra mirrors – small vans can be the worst – the blind spot in an Astra van is immense.
Its the high, open sides of trucks that makes them a bigger risk. If a transit van turns across you it’ll barge you to the side as its a flat surface on the sides, down almost to ground level (same would be the case with a bus). With a truck the sides are open, so as the truck turns across – you get hit at shoulder level and tipped onto the ground under the truck and into the path of the wheels as it turns. There are cursory side bars on the sides of most trucks but they only really serve to stop cars running under them, they’re too open and too ill-fitting to protect cyclists and peds.
My aunty was taken off her motorbike in this manner, at least with a motorbike theres a loud enough crash for the driver to know the stop, although unfortunately for her he stopped when she was between the twin axels, so the truck had to be reversed back over her to get her out . Hardcore (she’s fine now by the way).
When I’m king trucks will have smooth coachwork down to curb level. And I’d also change vat legislation so that UK vans can be supplied with quarterlights (as the commonly are on the continent) without there being a tax penalty. Then I’d change all the names of the days of the week to words that can’t be spelt and can only pronounced with hissing, buzzing and clicking sounds. So vote for me to be king