Not in those exact words but i’ve heard people say that if the bollards had been in place to prevent traffic he would’ve found another way to inflict harm. As a matter of fact, it is my speculation that the truck wasn’t his plan A. I think if you are trying to inflict the most damage, he would’ve done it when the crowds were bigger at or right before midnight. The devices he planted wouldn’t detonate, so once he couldn’t get them to explode after a few hours he went to plan B.