In stable condition

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/5365676.stm

9/21/2006 12:11:19 AM

$England

9/21/2006 12:59:31 AM

oh shit

9/21/2006 2:07:48 AM

step into my office

cuz youre fucking fired

9/21/2006 3:13:46 AM

damn that should have been clarkson

9/21/2006 3:42:48 AM

Geez. Hope he's alright.

9/21/2006 12:55:12 PM

tiff should be on top gear not 5th

9/21/2006 1:27:34 PM

who the hell is richard hammond

9/21/2006 1:44:09 PM

The younger, shorter guy on top gear. He looks like he's 25, but apparantly he's 37.

[Edited on September 21, 2006 at 1:57 PM. Reason : ]

9/21/2006 1:57:05 PM

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/5367616.stm

Quote :

"TV presenter suffers brain injury Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has suffered a "significant brain injury" after crashing a jet-powered car at speeds of up to 300mph during filming. Doctors at Leeds General Infirmary said they were "reasonably optimistic" the 36-year-old would make a good recovery. The BBC, which is likely to face close scrutiny, has begun an inquiry. The police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are also investigating. Event organisers insisted that proper safety precautions were taken. Hammond's father, Alan, was reported to be looking after the presenter's two daughters. He told the London Evening Standard newspaper he was "just hoping Richard pulls through". "At the moment we are not sure if he is going to live or die. His children are very confused," he said. Hammond's wife Mindy was at his bedside in the Leeds hospital and he was also visited by Top Gear co-hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May. Referring to Hammond by his nickname, Clarkson said in statement: "Both James and I are looking forward to getting our 'hamster' back." The presenter had been driving a jet-powered dragster similar to the Vampire - used by Colin Fallows to set the British land speed record of 300.3mph. Primetime Land Speed Engineering, which is jointly run by Fallows, organised the event. A spokesman for the firm said the vehicle Hammond was driving "had been prepared and was being operated to the highest of standards". Keith King, an inspector for the HSE, said it was a "very unusual case", adding that the executive would look at the preparation and planning of the event and contingencies for an emergency. Meanwhile, Supt Martin Deacon of North Yorkshire police, said his officers would initially focus on the road and the vehicle. On Thursday afternoon, the dragster was lifted on to the back of a lorry and taken away for forensic examination at an undisclosed location. 'Speed obsession' The BBC said in a statement that it had begun an investigation into the accident and promised full co-operation with the HSE. "We continue to be concerned about [Hammond's] condition and we are keeping in touch with his Top Gear has courted controversy in the past over its big-budget car stunts, and in 1999 a group of MPs criticised the series for being "obsessed with acceleration and speed". Last year, lobby group Transport 2000 called for the show to be taken off the air accusing it of "glamorising speed and failing to make the connection with danger on the roads". At the time, Hammond defended the programme, saying: "Top Gear is an entertaining show, for people that are interested in cars, that is driven by people who have been motoring journalists for many, many years." Hammond had to be cut free from the car on Wednesday evening after eyewitnesses at the Elvington airfield near York described how he "veered off to the right" and the car's parachutes were deployed. A website set up for well-wishers to make donations to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which airlifted Hammond to hospital, has so far raised more than £4,000."

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-13543592,00.html

Quote :

"[clarkson] 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.""

Sounds like some shit clarkson would say, hahaha.

[Edited on September 22, 2006 at 2:31 AM. Reason : ,]

9/22/2006 2:28:20 AM

I hate all this safety B.S. these days. Of course they took every precaution, but he was trying to break a fucking 300mph record!!! He knew the risks. It sucks that he got hurt, but when you're into racing/speed in general, that's part of life. At 300mph, it seems like the slightest thing that goes wrong could be catastrophic.

9/22/2006 7:47:28 AM

yup. everything's about safety. we can't ride on the side of the fire truck anymore but yet garbage men do it all day and we are the ones going in a burning building. i remember when sex was safe and firefighting was dangerous.

oops, sorry. [/rant]

back on topic.

9/22/2006 8:05:28 AM

His status is improving

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/north_yorkshire/5369512.stm

Quote :

"Top Gear's Richard Hammond is out of intensive care and is making "satisfactory progress", doctors say. The 36-year-old presenter suffered a "significant brain injury" when he crashed a jet-powered car at a speed of up to 300mph during filming. Doctors at Leeds General Infirmary, where he has been since Wednesday, said his condition was now "stable". The accident is being investigated by the BBC, police and the Health and Safety Executive. Event organisers insisted that proper safety precautions were taken. A Leeds General Infirmary spokesman 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'." The doctors treating Mr Hammond have previously said they are "reasonably optimistic" he will make a good recovery. Mr Hammond's wife Mindy was at his bedside in the Leeds hospital and he was also visited by Top Gear co-hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May. Mr Clarkson told the Sun newspaper that he had insulted Mr Hammond's driving skills - prompting a smile from Mr Hammond. He also said the presenter had no visible injuries following the ordeal he had been through other than a black eye. The presenter had been driving a jet-powered dragster similar to the Vampire - used by Colin Fallows to set the British land speed record of 300.3mph. Mr Hammond had to be cut free from the car after eyewitnesses at the Elvington airfield near York described how he "veered off to the right" and the car's parachutes were deployed. Primetime Land Speed Engineering, which is jointly run by Fallows, organised the event. A spokesman for the firm said the vehicle Mr Hammond was driving on Wednesday "had been prepared and was being operated to the highest of standards". The BBC said in a statement that it had started an investigation into the accident and promised full co-operation with the HSE. "We continue to be concerned about [Mr Hammond's] condition and we are keeping in touch with his family," the statement said. Top Gear has courted controversy in the past over its big-budget car stunts, and in 1999 a group of MPs criticised the series for being "obsessed with acceleration and speed". "

9/22/2006 10:19:27 AM

http://www.finalgear.com/

9/22/2006 12:36:06 PM

crap driver, i lawled

9/22/2006 1:42:46 PM

Quote :

""Top Gear's Richard Hammond is out of intensive care and is making "satisfactory progress", doctors say. The 36-year-old presenter suffered a "significant brain injury" when he crashed a jet-powered car at a speed of up to 300mph during filming. Doctors at Leeds General Infirmary, where he has been since Wednesday, said his condition was now "stable". The accident is being investigated by the BBC, police and the Health and Safety Executive. Event organisers insisted that proper safety precautions were taken. A Leeds General Infirmary spokesman 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'." The doctors treating Mr Hammond have previously said they are "reasonably optimistic" he will make a good recovery. Mr Hammond's wife Mindy was at his bedside in the Leeds hospital and he was also visited by Top Gear co-hosts Jeremy Clarkson and James May. Mr Clarkson told the Sun newspaper that he had insulted Mr Hammond's driving skills - prompting a smile from Mr Hammond. He also said the presenter had no visible injuries following the ordeal he had been through other than a black eye. The presenter had been driving a jet-powered dragster similar to the Vampire - used by Colin Fallows to set the British land speed record of 300.3mph. Mr Hammond had to be cut free from the car after eyewitnesses at the Elvington airfield near York described how he "veered off to the right" and the car's parachutes were deployed. Primetime Land Speed Engineering, which is jointly run by Fallows, organised the event. A spokesman for the firm said the vehicle Mr Hammond was driving on Wednesday "had been prepared and was being operated to the highest of standards". The BBC said in a statement that it had started an investigation into the accident and promised full co-operation with the HSE. "We continue to be concerned about [Mr Hammond's] condition and we are keeping in touch with his family," the statement said. Top Gear has courted controversy in the past over its big-budget car stunts, and in 1999 a group of MPs criticised the series for being "obsessed with acceleration and speed"."

9/22/2006 2:04:40 PM

Quote :

"The BBC, which is likely to face close scrutiny"

Why?

9/22/2006 8:41:31 PM

He is a popular talk show host doing what many would consider a ridiculous stunt.

I've always thought they were a little bit relaxed regarding safety. Rarely do you see them wearing helmets when testing the cars. The only time you see it is when they're "official" laps, or if they're going head to head.

9/23/2006 12:28:53 PM

James May: "“I was chuffed to see him and although he’s muttering, he seems much like the irritating little shit I know and love. Even when he can’t say much, he seemed to make as much sense as he does when he can talk normally.”"

Lol. I guess they must have high confidence that he'll be ok, otherwise I don't think they'd say things like that, hah.

9/23/2006 12:32:28 PM

Quote :

"1999 a group of MPs criticised the series for being "obsessed with acceleration and speed"

whats wrong with that?

9/23/2006 3:32:51 PM

what does suck about it all is that BBC was basically waiting for a reason to cancel this show, despite its popularity. Top Gear and BBC have constantly butted heads about the message the show puts out. They're already delaying the start of the new season, and I worry about the future of the show as a whole.

Quote :

"He didn’t look very “rallied” to me. In fact, he looked like a Klingon, with a massively swollen eye and a huge lump on his forehead. The only good news, so far as I could see, was that his teeth were still as shiny and bright as ever."

[Edited on September 24, 2006 at 9:36 PM. Reason : jeremy clarkson beating a dead horse]

9/24/2006 9:28:19 PM

postponed indefinately ...

9/24/2006 10:14:12 PM

Is there no American TV channel that has the balls to pick up the show? Like ESPN or Spike?

9/25/2006 1:50:54 PM

i could see spike picking it up

9/25/2006 1:52:15 PM

ahahaha he figured out how to get a white teeth joke in

9/25/2006 2:08:23 PM

http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/09/26/hammond-begs-bbc-to-air-crash-video-fuming-over-top-gear-hiatus/

Quote :

"Hammond begs BBC to air crash video; "fuming" over Top Gear hiatus Top Gear host Richard Hammond has reportedly begged the BBC to air footage of the 280 mph dragster car crash that nearly killed him. Hammond worries the accident may be used as an excuse to cancel the show, which the BBC has put on hold indefinitely. "Richard could not stand to feel he was to blame for the demise of the show he loves," a friend said. "He's fuming they've postponed the next series because he fears that's the first step towards the BBC pulling the plug permanently. He's terrified they're going to axe it while he's stuck in hospital." The new season of Top Gear was slated to begin on October 8th. Hammond says he wants the BBC to air the crash footage, and even allow him to share his commentary on the accident. "He'll do anything to keep Top Gear going, even if it means broadcasting from his hospital bed.""

9/26/2006 6:06:22 PM

The Times Online has an article from last Sunday (I apparently missed it) by Jeremy Clarkson and how blame is going around and that people are saying someone’s “head has to roll”. A very interesting read and here’s a few samples of the article if you don’t want to read the whole thing:

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,22749-2372412_1,00.html

Quote :

" It therefore seems likely that soon, in a matter of weeks maybe, the Hamster will be back on his feet and ready to start work. The question is: will he have a show to go back to? As I write, swarms of bureaucratic bluebottles are nibbling away at the crash site on a York airfield, desperately trying to find some reason why Top Gear should be banished from the screens."

Quote :

" Well, contrary to reports that he was put there by ratings-hungry producers, it was his idea. He wanted to know what it would be like to go really fast. And I know exactly why. If he’d been interested in flowers and vegetables since a young age, he might very well now be standing in a pair of wellingtons on Gardeners’ World, talking about compost. But he isn’t interested in compost — he’s interested in speed. "

Quote :

" Some people are born with a physical need to take risks. Steve Irwin was one. Christopher Columbus was another. And Ellen MacArthur is a classic case in point too. Telling her to stop sailing round the world is as daft as telling a black person to be white, or a blind person to look where they’re going. But of course, we have a whole industry nowadays designed to do just that. To ensure that nobody ever falls over, that nobody ever hurts themselves, that nobody ever dies. And that if someone does, then the system must have failed and a head must roll…"

Quote :

"How can this be a problem for anyone other than Mrs Hammond and their children? Because he crashed and tied up the emergency services? Oh come on. Are we to tell DIY enthusiasts who fall off a stepladder that no ambulance will be forthcoming because they should have called in a professional plumber? Perhaps you might argue that Hammond is setting a bad example and that kids might try to copy him. What? In their jet cars? On their airfields?"

Quote :

" In the last series, while attempting to build an entire car from scratch in one day, the nearly completed project fell from its stands onto the floor. “Who’s fault was that?” I barked. “Oh for God’s sake, how’s that going to help?” said Hammond. He’s right. How can blaming someone help? We just need to make sure the little guy keeps getting better and that when he does, he can get back in a car, get back into Top Gear, and go 316mph."

9/26/2006 9:24:00 PM

bttt

2/1/2007 12:05:07 PM

why is this ttt? someone made a thread about the new season already

2/1/2007 12:14:32 PM

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=dcb23623ff

For the crash video.

2/1/2007 1:57:04 PM