Top Gears Richard Hammond

[WabTheKing]

Rippon from London says:

Hammond belongs to the cult which fetishises cars and speed, and thereby celebrates the materialistic culture of which the car is a potent icon.

This is a juvenile mind-set which we must all grow out of for the sake of the future of humanity and our environment.

Hammond’s accident should evoke the same level of sympathy as that of a silly adult playing with guns.

The best outcome of Hammond’s accident is if he and his colleagues (of whom Clarkson wins in the juvenile stakes) grow up and realise that, as mature (in years at least) adults, they should focus their attention, and that of their cult following, not on the latest polluting toys (only available to the very rich anyway) but on a feasible future for private transport.

think rippon from london should go back to there nice safe living rooms, lock the door, pick up the phone being careful not to harm themselves in the process,

ring the samaritans and talk to them about it,

they might actually give a ****
t.w.a.t.s like this that move next to a race circuit then complain about noise

[Jamo]

I have to say I thought this miserable old **** was bang out of order saying



sounds like he's bitter because the new guys have overshadowed him and Tiff a bit

link to the article

Dunno he was on BBC one defending Top Gear to the hilt this morning

[PeteRR]

It seems he is now out of Intensive Care and in the High Dependency Unit, making 'satisfactory progress'. Hopefully this means his life is no longer in danger.

I'm just hoping and praying he makes a full recovery, with no lasting effects from the brain injury he has said to suffered.

[terrybullwon]

Rippon from London says:

Hammond belongs to the cult which fetishises cars and speed, and thereby celebrates the materialistic culture of which the car is a potent icon.

This is a juvenile mind-set which we must all grow out of for the sake of the future of humanity and our environment.

Hammond’s accident should evoke the same level of sympathy as that of a silly adult playing with guns.

The best outcome of Hammond’s accident is if he and his colleagues (of whom Clarkson wins in the juvenile stakes) grow up and realise that, as mature (in years at least) adults, they should focus their attention, and that of their cult following, not on the latest polluting toys (only available to the very rich anyway) but on a feasible future for private transport.

Well **** me! this is a prime example of the type of people you find writing in the back of your local paper. Never did make it as a journalist because there head is... well lets say they are very narrow minded!

Sorry about my rant

[PeteRR]

Quite right Terry!,
Pretty typical schpeel by these 'types'. Misguided and naive, as well as sounding far more concerned about the endangered 'lesser-spotted-throat-warbler' than for actual human life. Coldly stating that RH deserves no sympathy and the best outcome of the accident would basically be if focus was put on future transportation.
Surely the best outcome would be Hammond's full and total recovery.

[Keeper of The Kitten]

Imagine the way the world would be if there were no Malcolm Campbells, no Richard Nobles, no Neil Armstrongs, no Alexander Graham Bells, and so on.

The attitude that people shouldn't dare to try something outrageous or merely different would have left us still living in caves and chasing animals with spears.

The people who would rather see nobody do anything wild or daring are the people who really endanger the future of the world and humankind, and to take a holier than thou attitude hardly makes them better people.

For much too long, the anti-speed nanny-state attitude has been allowed to have the moral high ground. So much so, that I see the public at large already being brainwashed into believing that we should never try anything remotely dangerous. FFS, kids used to climb trees - now councils cut them down to avoid being sued!!!

Richard Hammond was doubtless aware that his adventure was dangerous, I believe he stepped in to drive the Vampire when the proposed driver was unable to do so. How anyone can have the opinion that it is juvenile to try and achieve something (he was attempting a speed record), I find hard to understand.

I'm glad that Hamster is out of IC and I continue to hope for his complete recovery.

--M-D-C--

[PeteRR]

Couldn't agree more Kitten Keeper!

[Crawford_S2]

This is on the aol news today, looks good!

""Doctors treating Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond said his condition has improved and he has been moved out of intensive care.

Hammond is now said to be in a "stable" condition following his high speed crash in a jet-powered car.

A spokesman at Leeds General Infirmary said: "Doctors say Richard Hammond is making satisfactory progress.

"This morning he has been moved from intensive care on to a high dependency unit. His condition has been downgraded from 'serious but stable' to 'stable'."

Friends and family are keeping a bedside vigil for the 36-year-old, who suffered a "significant brain injury" in a high-speed crash.

Hammond was airlifted to hospital after the 370mph jet-powered Vampire dragster veered off the runway, flipped over several times and crashed on to grass.

Hammond's brother, speaking to reporters on Thursday, was also positive about the father of two. He said: "He's making a bit of good progress. Both his brothers are here and his wife. The doctors are very pleased."

Fellow Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May visited him in hospital on Thursday and said they were "looking forward to getting our 'Hamster' back".

Clarkson said: "Obviously at this time both he and his family are the most important concerns we have. It must be devastating for his wife, Mindy, and his two utterly adorable children."

Clarkson also revealed that he had made Hammond smile during the visit by calling him "a crap driver''.

He told The Sun: "He was lying peacefully with a black eye but didn't react so I tried something else.

"I said, 'The reason you're here is because you're a crap driver'. He then smiled at me. It was an amazing moment, very moving.''

Police and safety experts have launched an investigation into the crash, which happened after Hammond had been driving at speeds close to 300mph as part of filming.

May was originally due to drive the Vampire for the programme, but switched places with his colleague ahead of the event.

May said: "Despite everything he's been through he still seems like the Richard I know and love.''

Organisers - who have denied reports that Hammond was trying to break the British land speed record - said the "highest'' safety standards had been followed in preparation for filming.

Primetime Land Speed Engineering, which is jointly run by the current British land speed record holder Colin Fallows, said they were "deeply shocked'' by the accident.

Spokesman Malcolm Pittwood said he did not know how fast Hammond was going when he crashed but he was less than half way down the 1.8-mile runway when the accident happened.

Keith King, a principal inspector with the Health & Safety Executive, said the HSE would be looking at the preparation and planning for the event.""


Jeremy Clarkson is as far as i am concerned A mate above all else and this demonstrates this implicitely. There will be fallout and wingers about this incident for months no doubt, i just hope the public at large do enough to stop these 'do gooders and killjoys' from using this accident for their own agenda.

As a healthcare professional, i spend my life picking up alsorts of morons that have too much to say about everything and can only see to the end of their nose. Hammond is, in my mind, 'living' and that should only be met with the upmost respect.

As someone wise once said 'Get busy living or get busy dying' its along the same lines as 'if you ain't living on the edge you are taking up too much space!' and unfortunately there is a lot of space being taken up by ppl with big gobs!

Come on 'the hamster' we the motoring public are behind you and if the minority want to moan and complain, out of respect for a great dude they should keep it to themselves.

Crawford

[Crawford_S2]

Sorry on nights and the rant gene is strong today

[Baldy]

The do gooders get on my nerveswhen they diss the attitudes of programs like top gear.

the whole point of these programs is to give us normal people on normal wages an insight into what its like to drive cars that we could save up every wage we ever earn and still not be able to afford.the reason we watch these programs is because the likes of clarkson and hammond drive these cars and tell us what its like in our terminology.

How many of us would turn down the opportunity to drive a car that could do 300+mph and 0-60 in 2 secs?

and its good news on the hammond front now he's out of intensive care

[europeanme]

My Dad always told me if you've got nothing good to say, don't say anything.....
These feckers have now found computers!!!.... :l

Nowt else better to do.....

[AUDI9020V]

Hes Out Of Icu

[Azman]

Cool, next step, out of bed, then next setp (for him I am guessing) will be into the cockpit of a Noble M15

[s2dude]

Cool, next step, out of bed, then next setp (for him I am guessing) will be into the cockpit of a Noble M15

Not sure there mate.....
It will be a long road back for him.
Brain injuries take weeks and months to make their full extent known...the fact he is breathing unassisted and has apparently smiled at Clarkson has to be a good sign though...
but they have not even mentioned if he has any other injuries such as spinal or whatever??
Fingers crossed he hasnt.

[Azman]

S2dude - I know it will take time but here is hoping!