FBinNY 

Truck right hooks are all too common, and nothing that follows is intended to excuse negligent drivers in any way.

HOWEVER

We need to operate on two planes. There's the advocacy standpoint where we should focus on things like road design, driver education, and laws to punish negligent drivers. Then there's the self-preservation aspect where we should focus on what riders can and should do to stay safe.

I'm more interested in the second because I place a higher priority on things I can control, meaning mostly things I can do to be safe in an inherently dangerous world.

As cyclists we need to be mindful, and help educate our peers, to hazards involving trucks, especially tractor trailers. These include things like sight lines, high bodies, and the smaller arc tracked by the rear axle. Many (though not necessarily this one) truck right hooks happen because cyclists start passing trucks on the right as they're stopped or slowing at intersections. This is extremely risky and should be avoided unless you are 100% sure you can completely pass or at least get equal to the front axle and driver's right window sightline before the truck will move.

Starting a right side pass while the truck is slowing or stopped leaves you vulnerable to being trapped in the "kill zone" between the front and rear axles when the truck begins a right turn. I call it the kill zone because the rider will be hit by the truck body, and knocked to the ground where the rear wheels can roll over him/her.

Of course, it's not always a cyclist passing that's the issue. Often a truck will start passing as it approaches the intersection, even if planning a turn. Here too, even when not at fault, the cyclist can and must take defensive action by slowing and allowing the truck to pass completely before the cyclist enters the area where he/she might be right hooked.

Again, I'm not excusing drivers, nor arguing about advocacy, just reminding my fellow cyclists that they'll face multiple opportunities to manage their own safety long before any good can come from changes in laws, road design, or driver habits.