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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think BBC (Top Gear) should not promote bad driving

124 replies

EdwardTaylor · 06/02/2013 12:46

Latest programme (broadcast Sun.3rd Feb. Repeat Sat.9th Feb) includes the following:
(Last feature) car race on public roads.
Richard Hammond spinning the wheels of his car on the hotel forecourt.
James May reading a map as he drives along.
Jeremy Clarkson putting his car into a slide at one junction.

All this on public roads. It looks dangerous. Any driver should be prosecuted for dangerous driving for doing any of the above. Isn't it wrong for the BBC to promote it as "harmless fun"? Aren't they promoting bad attitudes to driving and safety.

OP posts:
rubyslippers · 06/02/2013 12:50

it's a self congratulatory, macho, and I would imagine staged and scripted

i guess it is to appear dangerous

Sparklingbrook · 06/02/2013 12:56

POWER!!!!!

WorriedMummy73 · 06/02/2013 12:59

I don't think anyone actually takes it seriously as a 'driving show' anymore. I certainly don't, I find it hilarious! Anyone watching it for driving tips, or taking away the presenter's attitudes towards cars and driving is a bit worrying to me...

Original poster
EdwardTaylor · 06/02/2013 12:59

P.S. Oh, and we have one of the worst child pedestrian accident rates in Europe, apparently. Why doesn't the BBC ever make any programmes on the dangers pedestrians face?

OP posts:
fluffyraggies · 06/02/2013 12:59

YANBU

All three of them are dick heads.

fluffyraggies · 06/02/2013 13:00

Especially that fat headed arrogant bastard Clarkson.

Bogeyface · 06/02/2013 13:04

If it was a program called "Driving lessons for the hard of thinking" then you would have a point.

As it is an entertainment show that is loosely based around cars, featuring grown men buggering about, YABU.

Sparklingbrook · 06/02/2013 13:09

It's entertainment, and it's funny. They aren't promoting anything. I don't think you can blame three blokes cocking about in cars on BBC2 for the child pedestrian accident rates TBH.

Bearbehind · 06/02/2013 13:13

Some of it is downright dangerous. Did you see the one last week where Clarkson was driving that bubble car thing that was little more than a moped, on a main road with all the traffic queuing up behind him?

The bit I thought was disgraceful was when he went to fuel it and it wouldn't take the minimum amount of fuel you have to buy so he squirted the remainder into the bin by the pump! How fucking stupid is that?

chocoluvva · 06/02/2013 13:17

YANBU. I completely agree - Top Gear is outrageous. Can't stand it. Very irresponsible.

stargirl1701 · 06/02/2013 13:21

He didn't squirt petrol in the bin. It was edited to look like that. It's an entertainment show, not a documentary. It is highly scripted and edited.

WorriedMummy73 · 06/02/2013 13:23

I personally like the show, but I'm acquaintances with someone who worked on it a few years ago and she said Clarkson is a massive, sexist arse...

ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 06/02/2013 13:24

I loathe Top Gear. It's tv for twelve year old boys and I doubt they have the nous to consider how reality what they are watching is.

Sparklingbrook · 06/02/2013 13:24

noo stargirl who'd have thought? Grin

hellsbellsmelons · 06/02/2013 13:28

If you don't like it, don't watch it.
Blimey, it's an entertainment show and is scripted, set-up and edited very well.

BYW - Jeremy is my guilty crush! Such a funny bloke (IMO), his books are LOL hillarious!

Hobbitation · 06/02/2013 13:29

They really shouldn't promote men being totally sad shitclown bellends. Plus even for people who enjoyed the show, they jumped the shark five series ago.

I actually used to watch and enjoy it in the 90s when they had Tiff Needell and actually used to test & review cars, not wank over expensive penis extensions.

hellsbellsmelons · 06/02/2013 13:30

That should be BTW and not BYW!
I'm a woman in my mid 40's and I love it - not a 12 year old boy.

We all like different things - would be a dull world if we all liked the same stuff!

CalamityKate · 06/02/2013 13:32

DH thinks all their banter is spontaneous. He won't have it that its scripted and rehearsed. Bless him.

Hobbitation · 06/02/2013 13:35

Hammond is a twat as well.

James May is potentially more likeable, but lets himself down being a minion/patsy to the others.

It's awful, the male equivalent of Loose Women.

If it were up to me I'd make the next show the last episode, put Hammond & Clarkson in a caravan, set light to it and fire it from a trebuchet into the North Sea :)

Bearbehind · 06/02/2013 13:49

Does that make it alright then, Stargirl, looking like he squirted petrol in the bin is acceptable?

Sparklingbrook · 06/02/2013 14:04

I don't think people are likely to squirt petrol into the bin after seeing JC possibly doing it. Petrol way too expensive for that.

Llanbobl · 06/02/2013 14:05

YABU- it's a light entertainment programme - if it's not to your taste go watch another channel.

The queues of traffic behind the P45 car and the petrol incident were staged - it was bloody obvious. Can't see how it's different to some of the dumb and far fetched story lines in soaps. Write to the BBC and complain, I'm sure Top Gear will broadcast a suitably contrite apology Wink

I would think that stretches of road are closed for filming to mitigate the risk to the public (anyone work on the programme or at the BBC and know?).

Startail · 06/02/2013 14:05

Oh fuck off you miserable lot.

Sparklingbrook · 06/02/2013 14:06

Come round to mine Startail we have all the Challlenges on DVD, we could start with the Polar one. Wink

WorriedMummy73 · 06/02/2013 14:07

My Dad loathes Clarkson, which I find particularly amusing as they're very alike! Would never tell my Dad that though - mentioned it to my Mum and she was HORRIFIED!