'Cause it's the cyclists that need educating...

I'm still not convinced. If it's indicating, the indicator on the left side of the vehicle, under the wing mirror should also be illuminated. I'm pretty sure that the brake light is at the top of the rear light stack on a transit.

I'm kinda with Matty here.... just spent far too long on Google and found this.. which seems to be the common patten for Ford rear light clusters on Transits:
http://www.thetoolboxshop.com/0-641-50-durite-commercial-rear-lamp-right-hand-version-1204-p.asp

Which would suggest the top light is the brake light, which would make sense too that the brake light is highest in line of sight to following vehicles. Am going to start tailgating Royal Mail vans as a result to confirm this as an absooooloute.

How about bigger windscreens and door windows that enable the driver to see to the front and left. Like a bus. Or a coach.

Problem here for car designers is the thickness of the A pillar, that's the front sloping pillar that comes up from the engine area to the roof line.... over the years with the increased desire for MPV's, more glass, doors, and the requirement for a decent score in NCAP testing (http://www.euroncap.com/home.aspx) .... The A pillar has become thicker and thicker... hence the dangers in particular to motorbikes travelling at speed for them to get 'lost' in the sight line of the A pillars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver_visibility#Effects_of_A-pillar_angle_on_visibility).

Sadly until cars start to be made of even stronger stuff than the strong stuff they're already made of, and/or we change the way we want our cars to look... A pillar's will always be a problem. Which is why at advanced driving level one is keenly advised to move ones body as well as one's head around constantly to get round these blind spots.