Top Gear Should Be Banned

[sharkster]

You guys might've read this before...obviusly im not for this campaign against Top Gear...

Top Gear should be banned call

By Tom Evans, last updated April 12 2005

A transport pressure group yesterday demanded the end of the popular BBC2 programme ‘Top Gear’, claiming it promotes irresponsible driver behaviour. It wants a replacement show called Third Gear, which would promote “sensible driving in sensible vehicles.”

The group, Transport 2000, which is chaired by sometime Monty Pythoner and latter-day globetrotter Michael Palin, said that the programme had an obsession with big and “unnecessarily powerful” cars and ignored the interests of women drivers. It said the alternative programme would encourage responsible motoring based on less environmentally damaging cars, considerate and safety-conscious driving, and exploration of alternatives to the car. The group particularly took aim at the show’s flamboyant main presenter, Jeremy Clarkson, who is also a ubiquitous newspaper and magazine columnist. They claim his “distinctive image... is in danger of encouraging a ‘yobbish’ attitude on the road. “

Transport 2000’s Steve Hounsham said: “Everyone is talking about how to reduce car use, cut climate change emissions and make the roads safer but, to quote in perhaps its own language, Top Gear effectively sticks up its fingers to this… If we must have Jeremy Clarkson on the television, let's give him something useful to do, such as trying out public transport or road-testing new bicycles. Perhaps he would like to drive a bus; he'd find it just as much fun as a Ferrari."

The group lists Top Gear’s mortal sins in full:

- “Following complaints made to the BBC, the programme team was sent back to Oxford twice to refilm a piece about the closure of the High Street to through traffic because it failed to present a balanced view of the scheme.

- To test the claims made for a 4x4, the programme really did try to take the vehicle to the top of a mountain in Scotland, “through a sensitive peat bog causing substantial ecological damage.”

- “In an infamous episode”, Jeremy Clarkson tore up on camera information from Transport 2000’s website presenting the dangers of speed.

- In a race against colleagues using public transport and plane, Clarkson drove a Ferrari more or less non-stop from London to Switzerland and was stopped by police for speeding on the way.

- Clarkson deliberately drove a car into a tree in a car park in Somerset to test the strength of the car in a crash. The programme ended up apologising and paying compensation to the local parish council for the damage caused.

Despite this multitude of crimes, ‘Top Gear’ has proved a smash-hit ratings winner since it was relaunched in its new hour-long, high-budget format in October 2002, and it is one of the most popular programme on BBC2. The BBC has defended the programme, saying "none of the [Top Gear] presenters advocate or encourage dangerous driving, and high performance cars are always tested in a controlled and safe environment."

"The programme regularly features discussions of issues across the whole gamut of motoring. It does review fast cars but it has also recently featured the new Smart car, as well as a series of items on restoring cars and a second-hand car challenge. To say Top Gear encourages just a macho or yobbish attitude simply isn't true."

"Half of its regular audience of 3 million viewers is women. A recent example [of discussing green issues] would be in December 2004, when an engine was featured that was half electric and half petrol powered."

http://cars.msn.co.uk/CarNews/TopGearApr05/

[Watchman]

You guys might've read this before...obviusly im not for this campaign against Top Gear...

Top Gear should be banned call

By Tom Evans, last updated April 12 2005

A transport pressure group yesterday demanded the end of the popular BBC2 programme ‘Top Gear’, claiming it promotes irresponsible driver behaviour. It wants a replacement show called Third Gear, which would promote “sensible driving in sensible vehicles.”

The group, Transport 2000, which is chaired by sometime Monty Pythoner and latter-day globetrotter Michael Palin, said that the programme had an obsession with big and “unnecessarily powerful” cars and ignored the interests of women drivers. It said the alternative programme would encourage responsible motoring based on less environmentally damaging cars, considerate and safety-conscious driving, and exploration of alternatives to the car. The group particularly took aim at the show’s flamboyant main presenter, Jeremy Clarkson, who is also a ubiquitous newspaper and magazine columnist. They claim his “distinctive image... is in danger of encouraging a ‘yobbish’ attitude on the road. “

Transport 2000’s Steve Hounsham said: “Everyone is talking about how to reduce car use, cut climate change emissions and make the roads safer but, to quote in perhaps its own language, Top Gear effectively sticks up its fingers to this… If we must have Jeremy Clarkson on the television, let's give him something useful to do, such as trying out public transport or road-testing new bicycles. Perhaps he would like to drive a bus; he'd find it just as much fun as a Ferrari."

The group lists Top Gear’s mortal sins in full:

- “Following complaints made to the BBC, the programme team was sent back to Oxford twice to refilm a piece about the closure of the High Street to through traffic because it failed to present a balanced view of the scheme.

- To test the claims made for a 4x4, the programme really did try to take the vehicle to the top of a mountain in Scotland, “through a sensitive peat bog causing substantial ecological damage.”

- “In an infamous episode”, Jeremy Clarkson tore up on camera information from Transport 2000’s website presenting the dangers of speed.

- In a race against colleagues using public transport and plane, Clarkson drove a Ferrari more or less non-stop from London to Switzerland and was stopped by police for speeding on the way.

- Clarkson deliberately drove a car into a tree in a car park in Somerset to test the strength of the car in a crash. The programme ended up apologising and paying compensation to the local parish council for the damage caused.

Despite this multitude of crimes, ‘Top Gear’ has proved a smash-hit ratings winner since it was relaunched in its new hour-long, high-budget format in October 2002, and it is one of the most popular programme on BBC2. The BBC has defended the programme, saying "none of the [Top Gear] presenters advocate or encourage dangerous driving, and high performance cars are always tested in a controlled and safe environment."

"The programme regularly features discussions of issues across the whole gamut of motoring. It does review fast cars but it has also recently featured the new Smart car, as well as a series of items on restoring cars and a second-hand car challenge. To say Top Gear encourages just a macho or yobbish attitude simply isn't true."

"Half of its regular audience of 3 million viewers is women. A recent example [of discussing green issues] would be in December 2004, when an engine was featured that was half electric and half petrol powered."

http://cars.msn.co.uk/CarNews/TopGearApr05/

they have got to be kidding......

3rd gear? if we want to see people drive at average speeds in average cars, we wont sit in front of a TV.. we'd go up to the road and watch any tom, dick and harry drive around the roads in a ford focus... or in sri lankan terms we'd goto galle road and watch a Mr.Perera or a Mr.Silva drive his silver FB15 around colombo on a sunday afternoon... or we can even watch our beloved 'Autovision'...

and i have not seen one episode where they've dangerously driven on a public road.. they have that huge airstrip for that... all tests that are done on the main road are of very slow driving and to demonstrate things like the leather seats or the radio or the hi-tec windshield wipers, which dont need speed... stuff like ABS, or traction control or anythign like that is done on the track...

[Velocity]

Sharky,This is my opinion,

Just as all fast cars interest us, topgear cover very little about practical cars of day to day use.

And the amount of time wasted on stage with extremely stupid jokes of those 3 guys are absurd.

I think they should be concentrating stuff which really matters to motorist and make a decent programme without being on a stage.Also i truly loved the programme when Tiff Needle and Vicky Butler henderson was there,

Specialy some of the fantastic Videos have been the M5 / Evo and P1 Shootout. Also skyline Programme and then the Audi RS. These were some fantastic Programes

Just to remind you Sharky there was this comparison of the SLK and the Porsche Boxter. And they compared it through a military field when the marksmen where shooting at the cars, Now thats a bit odd.

I would love to see a Enzo Fight against the Buggati Veyron or Mcleaen F1. I dont want it to race against the ferry and a plane. now do you guys.

I dont know upto you guys.

[fuzzo]

Just as all fast cars interest us, topgear cover very little about practical cars of day to day use.

And the amount of time wasted on stage with extremely stupid jokes of those 3 guys are absurd.

i'm not a huge fan of the new format either. i used to watch top gear back inthe day when it was just the 1 host and it was a full program. not the condensed one that they show now...

[ucscsades]

the new format does kinda suck..but I'm glad i get to see the bit of it I do get to see in America! And yeah, Vicky Butler Henderson was hot!

[Velocity]

Vicky Butler Henderson was hot!

She is hot, capable and if i ever want to fall asleep while a girl is driving it will be vicky on the driving seat

VICKY WE NEED YOU ON BBC AGAIN.

[fuzzo]

\

VICKY WE NEED YOU ON BBC AGAIN.

now here is a worthy campaign!

[Velocity]

now here is a worthy campaign!

Dragster will surely second it.

[xXx]

Sharky,This is my opinion,

Just as all fast cars interest us, topgear cover very little about practical cars of day to day use.

And the amount of time wasted on stage with extremely stupid jokes of those 3 guys are absurd.

I think they should be concentrating stuff which really matters to motorist and make a decent programme without being on a stage.Also i truly loved the programme when Tiff Needle and Vicky Butler henderson was there,

Specialy some of the fantastic Videos have been the M5 / Evo and P1 Shootout. Also skyline Programme and then the Audi RS. These were some fantastic Programes

Just to remind you Sharky there was this comparison of the SLK and the Porsche Boxter. And they compared it through a military field when the marksmen where shooting at the cars, Now thats a bit odd.

I would love to see a Enzo Fight against the Buggati Veyron or Mcleaen F1. I dont want it to race against the ferry and a plane. now do you guys.

I dont know upto you guys.

velocity, i have to disagree with u. fast cars going wild is the fun part. i think the trio(jerramy, james and richard) is doign a good job. come on there jokes arnt that bad. they do go over board when it comes to british cars specially the Aston Martin.

tiff and vicky is doign a show called 5th gear which focus more on practical cars. personally i think its no where near top gear.

[sharkster]

new format does hav +'s n -'s but u gotta luv how dey test cars...plus wud u really watch a tv program or visit a car show if it was just practical cars?

[Velocity]

new format does hav +'s n -'s but u gotta luv how dey test cars...plus wud u really watch a tv program or visit a car show if it was just practical cars?

I was waiting to watch the Drifting Silvias, but i f****ing mised it.

XXX- machan those are jokes are hideous. may be i am not into britcom

by the way triple XXX which channel is 5gear shown. is it LBN ?

[xXx]

I was waiting to watch the Drifting Silvias, but i f****ing mised it.

XXX- machan those are jokes hideous. may be i am not into britcom

by the way triple XXX which channel is 5gear shown. is it LBN ?

machan, im watching 5th gear on channel 5. its a terrestrial channel in UK. sorry mate but i dont no which cable channel its on.

[fuzzo]

we don't get 5th gear yet.. just good ol auto vision on sirasa and motor cross on tnl

by the way, has the times for top gear changed. haven't seen it in about 2 weeks

[Watchman]

we don't get 5th gear yet.. just good ol auto vision on sirasa and motor cross on tnl

by the way, has the times for top gear changed. haven't seen it in about 2 weeks

when and what time is MOTOR CROSS on TNL? i never get around to see it.

[xXx]

5th gear has bee narround since 2002. u can donwload some of the episodes of both 5th gear and top gear using the followong link

http://www.finalgear.com/downloads/

hope it'll b usefull

[Velocity]

we don't get 5th gear yet.. just good ol auto vision on sirasa and motor cross on tnl

by the way, has the times for top gear changed. haven't seen it in about 2 weeks

Machan TOP GEAR season is over

Final Episode was the one which they have awards to some cars and there was fight between jeremy and the other dude and they wasted lot of time on that shit.

[fuzzo]

Machan TOP GEAR season is over

Final Episode was the one which they have awards to some cars and there was fight between jeremy and the other dude and they wasted lot of time on that shit.

ah ok..that episode did annoy me.. it was just way too much talking....