David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
News this evening is that Richard Hammond (Top Gear) has received serious injuries whilst driving a Jet car at an airfield in Yorkshire and was airlifted to hospital.
Richard Hammond
- Thread starter David Morton
- Start date
Doc Watson
Lifetime Supporter
lets hope he's ok.......... show wouldnt be the same without those whitened teeth........
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
Let's wish him well, I suppose "condition stable" is good news.
I saw a jet powered dragster fatally crash some years ago.
And in fact they are banned in several US States.
Novices have NO BUSINESS driving one (more like riding than driving !).
Was Mr. Hammond qualified to run this car?
MikeD
And in fact they are banned in several US States.
Novices have NO BUSINESS driving one (more like riding than driving !).
Was Mr. Hammond qualified to run this car?
MikeD
The thing that gets me is why so much attention is being focused on 'how could this happen' blah blah blah. It was a land speed record attempt ffs, and prototype cars have a habit of crashing when pushed to their limits...
Presumably they did a risk assesment (!) and he was not stupid, so would have known there were risks.
Mike, he isn't a qualified racing driver, and I am unsure if he has driven/ridden a rocket car before. He did however have several passes in this car, gradually increasing his speed. The accident happened on his second record attempt at the end ofthe run when the drag parachute was deployed, and the car veered off and rolled many times.
One report said it had two, and one didn't work.
I would guess even an experienced rocket car driver would have difficulty controlling it.
I'm watching morning tv at the moment (the joys of working from home
)
Apparently clarkson paid him a visit and told him he was a crap driver which is why he crashed
Apparently it brought a smile to his face, and he tried to sit up.
Lots of press about how he may have sustained brain damage, but no one really knows yet as the hosptial are under instruction by the family not to release any info, so its all speculation.
I hope he gets well and makes a full recovery soon.
Presumably they did a risk assesment (!) and he was not stupid, so would have known there were risks.
Mike, he isn't a qualified racing driver, and I am unsure if he has driven/ridden a rocket car before. He did however have several passes in this car, gradually increasing his speed. The accident happened on his second record attempt at the end ofthe run when the drag parachute was deployed, and the car veered off and rolled many times.
One report said it had two, and one didn't work.
I would guess even an experienced rocket car driver would have difficulty controlling it.
I'm watching morning tv at the moment (the joys of working from home
)Apparently clarkson paid him a visit and told him he was a crap driver which is why he crashed
Apparently it brought a smile to his face, and he tried to sit up.
Lots of press about how he may have sustained brain damage, but no one really knows yet as the hosptial are under instruction by the family not to release any info, so its all speculation.
I hope he gets well and makes a full recovery soon.
David Morton
Lifetime Supporter
One thought going around in my mind is that he may have had a right crosswind when the braking parachute (drag chute) deployed. I remember some of the V bombers had a limiting crosswind when contemplating using the drag chute because the aeroplanes nose wheel could not cope and the aeroplane would spear off into the wind.
As far as high tech jet dragsters go, Vampire is a vintage machine. I well remember it at the drags as long ago as the late '70's. As far as I remember it doesn't have an A/B either and has many hundreds if not thousands of runs under it's belts without mishap. A well engineered and sorted machine if ever there was one (at least in my day). 
Pat Buckley
GT40s Supporter
I can guess at one.
I'm getting very dubious about the media. According to a local radio station today, Hammond toddled off to the toilet on his own and "continues to recover well following his crash driving the worlds fastest car"
Eh?
So, one day he's at death's door with "severe brain damage" after crashing in a 30 year old demonstration jet dragster and the next he's walking about after crashing in the world's fastest car.
Presumably, the Thrust II team who managed almost 800 mph might have something to say about that.
I don't get it.
Eh?
So, one day he's at death's door with "severe brain damage" after crashing in a 30 year old demonstration jet dragster and the next he's walking about after crashing in the world's fastest car.
Presumably, the Thrust II team who managed almost 800 mph might have something to say about that.
I don't get it.
Keith1 said:
The hospital actually said "significant brain injury" I'm guessing that one may be recoverable and the other not?
I suppose that bruising to the brain may be what they are implying as opposed to permanent damage.
Whatever..he seems to be one fortunate chap to survive an impact like that!
Simon
ps, I work in the media, and I don't trust the bug*ers
Apparently he's up and walking. Let's hope for a speedy recovery.
Here's a link.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=146278
Cheers,
Danny
Here's a link.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=146278
Cheers,
Danny
They Want Top Gear Banned
The "Nannies" are at it again. If you value your freedom to build and drive the car of your dreams...sign the petition. If they drive Top Gear off the screens, your exotic sports car might Be next...
Don't risk it - sign today...20,000 already have.....
http://www.petitiononline.com/tg100/petition.html
The "Nannies" are at it again. If you value your freedom to build and drive the car of your dreams...sign the petition. If they drive Top Gear off the screens, your exotic sports car might Be next...
Don't risk it - sign today...20,000 already have.....
http://www.petitiononline.com/tg100/petition.html
Re: They Want Top Gear Banned
Done!
Done!
Ron McCall
Supporter
Done!
Charlie Farley
Supporter
'Keep it coming"
Once again the to$$ers in power think we need to be protected from anything and everything.
Why the hell can't they accept things for what they are - accidents.
Whatever happened to freedom of choice ?!?!?
Quick, someone take my soap box before I get excited again ! :bash:
p.s. I wanna see mote tv from Uraguay
Why the hell can't they accept things for what they are - accidents.
Whatever happened to freedom of choice ?!?!?
Quick, someone take my soap box before I get excited again ! :bash:
p.s. I wanna see mote tv from Uraguay
I guess I'll rant now. We have the right to be morons, a#%holes and what not. We also have the right to live our lives as we see fit. I thought Ms Katherine Legge was dead on Sunday, upon seeing her accident at Road America (live). She has the right to choose ! If she had died, thankfully not, she would have gone doing what she wanted and loved to do. How many of us can say we would go today happy in the knowledge we're doing what we really want, too few, including myself.
The difference between the enthusiast auto crowd, GT40, Allpar, Cobraclubs, SAAC, SCCA, NASA, et al is hitting the apex on the local superhighway, then accelerating around the turn, or driving the offramp, pulling away from the "common man" behind you, who always seems to slam on the brakes on the curve, never understanding the physics, or joy of it all.
The politicians who constantly try to protect us from ourselves, are the most unhappy of our human lot. I doubt seriously they enjoy anything, save the fake power trip they have as they try and legislate our lives to fit their neat, perfect and all but impossible vision of our world.
Rant completed................. For now.
The difference between the enthusiast auto crowd, GT40, Allpar, Cobraclubs, SAAC, SCCA, NASA, et al is hitting the apex on the local superhighway, then accelerating around the turn, or driving the offramp, pulling away from the "common man" behind you, who always seems to slam on the brakes on the curve, never understanding the physics, or joy of it all.
The politicians who constantly try to protect us from ourselves, are the most unhappy of our human lot. I doubt seriously they enjoy anything, save the fake power trip they have as they try and legislate our lives to fit their neat, perfect and all but impossible vision of our world.
Rant completed................. For now.
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