Richard Hammond

[pjm007]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorks hire/5365676.stm

Absolutely tragic news. I am a huge fan of Top Gear, its my favourite programme. I really hope the Hampster pulls through this ok, the show just wouldn't be the same without him. I wish him and his family my best wishes.

[Hammer Head]

You may not like this, but it needs to be said. I think RH is a great presenter but this accident shows just how much disregard some people have for the dangers of motor cars.

I know that he was not on the public highway, but to drive any car at excessive speed invites the kind of tragedy he suffered today.

As a married man with two young children, he should have known better.

[scotstone]

I also hope he pulls through as he is an excellent presenter. However I also hope that this accident makes Jeremy Clarkson think about his stupid obsession with power and speed and the effect his attitude has on impressionable young drivers.

[Playbill]

I agree with you pjm007. It is a superb programme and he is hugely popular.

The first two replies seem to have forgotten that it is an entertainment programme that mixes excitement, humour and information. There are not too many on television like this.

I am sure they take as many precautions as possible when filming - despite Clarkson's comments, but nothing concerning driving motor cars is ever going to be 100% safe. If you want safe programmes there are always the cooking and gardening ones.

I too wish Richard a full recovery.

[RATTER15]

Hammer Head and Scotstone, not every body sits at home in front of the fire with their slippers on, some people have a life to live as they wish!!

I wish him and his family all the luck in the world!!

[Carakeel]

Leeds does have an excellent neurological unit and I hope and pray that Richard comes through this without any lasting damage. These guys do a great job at entertaining the public and that does sometimes come with risks. He did chose to try and break this record and he did know the risks he was taking. The people who go for these records do take every precaution possible. However, just like in day to day driving on our streets, accidents still can and do happen. Having said that, as a parent I very much doubt I personally would have attempted that particular record. So, let's not be too judgemental and just wish him a speedy and full recovery!

[libertie]

Yes, I too hope he makes a good recovery!

I was listening to a chap on the news this morning..sorry, forget his name..but he was pointing out that gone are the days when presenters just stood on the side lines and reported...think Alan Wicker et al, and how producers are now pushing for presenters to be much more hands on, so to speak! Steve Parry living with tribes for example! They seem to think that we the public want to feel like we are in fact there or doing these things ourselves!!

[admarlow]

Get well soon Hamster

[pjm007]

You have probably all heard the latest news but it appears that he is now improving:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorks hire/5366422.stm

[jake-the-peg]

Lets hope he recovers but it does need to be said that in recent years Top Gear seems to have been on an ever increasing spiral trying to outdo themselves over and over again.

Setting fire to caravans, blowing up car washs, racing around the Neurenburg ring in a stripped out van etc. I'm sure a lot of careful planning went into making the stunts appear reckless but I think the BBC and the producers are going to have to have a long and hard look at whether this series got out of hand or not

[Miss Inquiry]

As pmj007 points out he is thankfully said to be recovering. I hope for his family's sake, especially his 2 beautiful little girls, he is back fighting fit as soon as possible, and back with the rest of the Top Gear boys doing what they are so passionate about once he is fully recovered.

Maybe in future leaving stunts like this one to the Stig.

[Homer55]

First of all Jake, they were all stunts, set up by proffesionals. and its the nurburgring.

[noxlumos]

I personally like a man who lives a bit. Where's the fun in getting safely to 97 popping down to the Newsagent's once a day and taking the missus to bingo of a Monday night?
This bloke is an adult. He knew that travelling at 300mph was a hazardous thing to do and he CHOSE to do it, so that's up to him, as it should be.
I personally hope he gets well soon and then goes back and has another pop at it.

[metagirl]

my partner is a big fan, but when we've watched recently I've been a bit concerned over their more dangerous stunts. As an adult, the Hampster has ultimate control over his actions - but I have some questions over whether a prime-time TV show on the BBC should showcase dangerous stunts by people who are not professional stuntmen.

In MTV's Jackass they have a warning at the beginning of every show that people should not practice these stunts at home - perhaps the BBC should get more involved in overseeing the safety and sensibility of the stunts pulled on Top Gear? Unfortunately for them, they will have to now!

[sp1814]

I can't stand Top Gear. I used to love the programme in the old days (before it got all blokey and homophobic).

However, saying that - Richard's crash is horrible news and I genuinely hope he makes a FULL recovery, and quickly.

[kick3m0n]

totally agree with nox on this one.

Can't believe the pious brigade are out in force already.

all the best to the hamster for a full and speedy recovery, thoguths and wishes with his friends and family.xx

[jake-the-peg]

I think I made that point Homer when I said "careful planning into making it look reckless" but as I recall after Sabeen Schmidt raced that van around they asked her how dangerous it had been and she admitted that it had been a pretty dangerous thing to do.

Had Hammond broken the UK speed record you'd probably be telling me it was all set up by professionals and not that great a risk.

But I don't know that and I'm pretty sure you don't know that and I think the BBC and the Health and Safety Executive are going to have to agree it's safe before it starts again

It could have been an awfull lot worse - Imagine if Jeremy Clarkson had fallen asleep at the wheel racing some Ferrari through Europe and killed someone in a pile up.

Tell me that could never happen!

[Siamsal]

Top Gear homophobic? I've never noticed that, on what data do you base this claim?

They insult everyone, fairly equally, I think.

[matt66]

They insult everyones intelligence with their opinionated rubbish. When one of them slates or praises a car (that none of us will ever get near let alone buy), its their opinion. It does not mean it is right. For eg: Hammond was praising a car for having all the knobs and levers in the place where they should be and said that makes common sense. Yet they were slating a car a few years ago for all the switches and knobs being in the same old place and for the designers not showing any imagination. So it is a blokey programme for blokes who are easily led. They even had to get a dog on the show...like its a childrens programme. And the sychpantic audience hanging on to their every word and laughing on cue. Rubbish.

I dont care what happens to hammond. I would feel sorry for his family that they would be left fatherless.

[sp1814]

matt66 is 'King Of The Angry People' today.

Heh heh heh...

[brionon]

On the BBC this morn an expert said ''Driving at 300 miles an hour is not safe.'' But my car driving friends tell me that speed doesn't kill. As a non-driver which should I believe ?