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Bollards > Trucks.
There are enough angry, violent men in the world that it makes sense to always have bollards around places that large numbers of pedestrians will gather.
So if you're going to upgrade your bollards, please don't remove the old bollards weeks before you install the new ones.
https://bsky.app/profile/worldbollardassoc.bsky.social/post/3lebzcr4bxk2v
1/N
@mekkaokereke@hachyderm.ioBollards also protect everyone, pedestrians and drivers, from unintended acceleration.
If you accidentally stomp on the gas right next to a busy farmer's market, you'd rather show up and be embarrassed on World Bollard Association, than show up in court defending vehicular manslaughter charges.
2/N
I live in the USA, where we have no gun control. Our guns are most definitely out of control.
But I remain optimistic that we can get some truck control at least?
We already have truck licensing, mandatory safety courses, and we take your license away if you're dangerous. Need a few more bollards.
3/N
And more bike and pedestrian infrastructure. "Trucks over there, humans over here." 
And more kei trucks. Look at this cute little truck! Look at it!
If it ran over your foot on the way to put out a cigarette, you'd just say, "That's OK little guy! Go go go!"
https://www.connecteddotsmedia.com/blog/celebrating-teeny-tiny-joys
4/4
@mekkaokereke the kei trucks are getting outlawed for safety reasons, which is hilariously backwards in the most USian way
@ATLeagle @mekkaokereke never been prouder of the humble British Bollard. I wish we could take pride in our infrastructure again instead of it all being an excuse for a grift now.
@ATLeagle @mekkaokereke there is a lot of me that wants to build modern versions of this and sell them
“oh, kei trucks are unsafe because they don’t meet FMVSS? well, how about this? this does meet FMVSS, yet is significantly less safe.”
(actually, technically, it fails to meet FMVSS in one way: the headlights are too far apart to be legal as a motorcycle, I believe. but, a modern version could trivially fix that.)
@mekkaokereke YES to better infrastructure. More walkable cities would be great on so many levels.
Also, I want a kei truck now. sigh
@mekkaokereke I love kei trucks
@mekkaokereke welcome to the club 
https://bollards.club
You're out of control, Mekka.
(you sound like me)
@mekkaokereke I get there has to be access for emergency rescue, but that's why retractable bollards were invented.
Do you prefer telescope or matador?
Telescope bollards are much more affordable and practical, but I think the matadors are so cool!
@mekkaokereke Wasn't even aware of sliding bollards.
They seem way more vulnerable to obstruction, though.
Both opening and closing.
@mekkaokereke Ok, that is a REALLY cool truck
@Canageek @mekkaokereke Oh, man, that’s Todd’s! I rode in it – I can confirm it’s very fun! (Coming from Europe, I love small cars. Alas, even cars in Europe are reportedly not immune from getting bigger these days.)
@mwichary @Canageek @mekkaokereke
At least the bulk of European car size growth is side impact bars - safety cage, crumple zones and similar and pedestrian survivability is a major factor in car crash testing in the UK.
The ego bloat is there but it’s not too bad.
@mekkaokereke There's someone local with a Daihatsu fire truck they drive around town, and I love it so much. I test drove a Honda Acty a while back. Same cargo weight limits as most american trucks, but 1/3 their size. Cars are a problem, but the smaller they are, the less of a problem they are.
I am of the opinion that most full sized trucks in the US should require a special drivers license with additional training and safety requirements.
@icastico And special parking spots that are nowhere near cars! @mekkaokereke @dominic
@mekkaokereke You can always tell what a city values if you look at what it protects with bollards. Here in Pittsburgh, it’s gas stations and the clump of utility machines outside important buildings, but not pedestrians or cyclists. We get paint and flex posts.
@mekkaokereke we need more bollards like that! most of the ones in my “bike friendly” city are on joints that allow them to pop right off… blocking bike or pedestrian lanes
@mekkaokereke I can second this. I'm in a place where bollards aren't just safety but the primary obstacle to intentionally driving and parking vehicles on sidewalks, and it's awesome how they double as safety.
It sounds like the official argument in this town against bollards would be "but they would damage cars". 
(Which somehow isn't a problem if they are protecting cable boxes rather than pedestrians, though).
@mekkaokereke Even if I were not bollard-pilled, I particularly love the framing in this article
"No matter who you are or how much money you make, the only way to avoid the irrefutable physics of stationary concrete vs. fast-moving steel is, simply, *not to hit the damn bollard"*
@bennylope @mekkaokereke Genius - thank you. Nobody needs to be threatened. The constructed environment can be better constructed. Nobody complains about laws requiring handrails on fire escapes; nobody complains about bollard lines.
@bennylope @mekkaokereke This is completely the premise of the World Bollard Association—and even with a decades-old interest in alternative transportation and bike advocacy, I found the spectacular examples they find of the losers in car vs. bollard battles eye-opening!
@bennylope @mekkaokereke
Thank you again for helping me articulate my thoughts.
I want more consequences instead of punishment for drivers. In a small accident I want the car pranged, the bollard unaffected, the pedestrian knowing they are not seconds from death and the driver not going to prison.
Like the millennium bug, I want such success the argument is ‘prevention is working’.
@mekkaokereke As a driver, I appreciate bollards, especially when they’re used to protect bicyclists and pedestrians. Makes it a lot easier—and a lot less anxiety-inducing—to share the road with them.
I’m sure I’ll appreciate it even more if I ever return to cycling. (I stopped as a child, out of fear, after I got hit by a car. The fear has long since abated. The only challenge remaining is getting a good bike at a good price.)
@mekkaokereke even at our sixth form centre (this is a college like the two senior years of high school) there are small bollards around the pedestrian crossing. Its not even as much against a malicious attack (although it would have been considered on the risk assessment) the driving age here is 17 so there's also a risk a nervous/new driver gets confused and may try to turn into the school across the pedestrian crossing rather than the correct pick up/drop off point..
@mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io Also, there are bollards that look like Orca fins. How could we not want those all over the place?
This will stop people from driving where they shouldn't.
@JeffGrigg@mastodon.social @mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io Especially yacht owning rich people!
@mekkaokereke
UK bollard game is good. People take photos with the giant Arsenal letters outside the football stadium, not realising these are first and foremost traffic bollards that are in disguise.
The UK got big into bollards to stop cars bombs being driven into places but now also protect against hostile vehicle attacks.
@mekkaokereke Paris has this everywhere (plus super high kerbs… I’m not sure how much is for pedestrian safety and how much to stop people just parking anywhere they like…) https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2019/8/19/the-streets-of-paris