Top Gear caravan farce

[Steve L]

I happened to watch the repeat episode of Top gear last night and what a farce.

All I can say is if anyone thought that was funny then they must be very sad.

Clarkson managed to demonstrate just how low he has to stoop to get TV recognition and of coarse James may went along as his side kick. For such supposed knowledgeable presenters to demonstrate how incapable they are is beyond me.

Also more fool the caravan site used for the filming, because I for one would not use the site on priciple as a mark of respect for all those learner caravanners who have just been scared away from what to a vast number of people is a great way of seeing the country.

May be, we should hold a "camp in" on Clarksons paddock just to show him how to behave?

As for comparrison of these bumbleing trio to the likes of Sid James, John Cleese and Norman Wisdom, then forget it these were true comedians who made people laugh through genuine tallent and skill. Not three "jokers" who popped out with a handy cam to fill a 10 min crap gap.

What were the poilce playing at too! If we "the public" were stupid enough in the first place to think of it, let alone try a three point turn on a trunk road the we would of been done for obstruction of the highway. Any novice caravanner would tell you of their detour to turn round rather than risk embarassement of trying a 66 point turn.

As for the state of the tow bar, again what a stage managed fit up!!

No wonder the television companies would not make all telly "pay per view", they'd loose millions.

Top Gear should be re named "crap gear" and I for one will not be watching it anymore.

Rant over, and back to packing the van for another weekend away.

Steve.

 

[sparkes]

Steve

As the whole thing was set up and a joke, how can you take it so serious. Watch it again and listen to clarksons words.

Anyone who took it serious must be very sad!

I don't like Clarkson at all, but that did not stop me laughing at the antics of 3 idiots in a van. You never know, Clarson may be a vanner who is intent on putting people off vanning so that he can get a pitch in the summer.

 

[Rich]

Steve in leo..... It seems you are in a very small minority of sad people who just take it seriously.. It was not serious and hell even the police car part was staged on a private road... Did you not see the military signs!! for god's sake get a sense of humour !!!! It was very very funny. The whole scene was up there with some of the best comedy most of us have seen and was comparable to any great comic !!

 

[Wendy-Norfolk]

I must also be one of the sad ones as well! I really did'nt find anything humorous about it at all. :O(

 

[DaveBev]

after all the fuss about the show i watched the repeat last night too.

my sides were aching with laughter, it was so blatantly obvious that the backing into the awning and caravan fire was a set up, but it was so funny , and in my opinion it was meant to be funny.

if people want to caravan then this wouldnt put them off, and even us experience caravannners have sometimes come across people who bodge it up, and even if we care to admit it do ourselves. i mean no ones perfect!!

Also if the caravan park did allow them to set fire to the van(which will have been under strict supervision) then they will have been paid an amount of money that could well go towards improving the park( i know that i would have in their position)

i just wished i had recorded it to show my fmaily of cvanners too.

But after all, it was mearly an entertainment program, and if we cant laugh at ourselves then what a poor world we live in!!!

Bev

 

[Paul_5041248]

Whilst this was obviously staged - the explosions in the caravan etc and whilst parts might have been filmed on private roads there was one part that was doing grave injury to responsible and sensible caravaners.

That was the piece alleging that caravanners travel at 30mph and cause traffic jams.

If the caravanner has the correct tow car for the van then it will mean that they can maintain the legal speed limits. Then, the only place where queues might happen is on single carriageway roads where the speed limit for non-towing vehicles is 60mph but for those towing is 50mph. However, I have seen some large, havy twin axles being towed by totally inappropriate vehicles whereby their speed will be very low.

I normally find that on these single carriageway roads a queue does build up behind me. But that is because thre is someone in a little car in front of me who is doing well below the upper limit and the road twists too much to get past safely.

 

[PaulT]

If you go onto the TopGear website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/
you can watch it again and again.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

I must also be one of the sad ones as well! I really did'nt find anything humorous about it at all. :O(

Wendy, what one or two on here cannot realise is those that didn't find it funny knew that it was a set up at trying to be funny. The difference is what some thought as "very very funny" and "some of the best comedy most of us have seen and was comparable to any great comic" doesn't mean others have seen better comedy. IMHO they must have led a very sheltered life. :O)

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Steve

As the whole thing was set up and a joke, how can you take it so serious. Watch it again and listen to clarksons words.

Anyone who took it serious must be very sad!

I don't like Clarkson at all, but that did not stop me laughing at the antics of 3 idiots in a van. You never know, Clarson may be a vanner who is intent on putting people off vanning so that he can get a pitch in the summer.

Steve, don't believe that everyone who didn't think it funny took it serious, I for one never. I can laugh at myself as can be vouched for by lots of people, friends in real life and online friends at other sites but that sketch I just couldn't find funny with the exception of the scrolling sign in the back of the van. You say that anyone who took it serious is sad but whats even sadder is the fact that one or two thought it was "among the best comedy they had seen" and to compare them to the best comedians this country has produced is an insult to them and their memories. That is the height of sadness but each to their own I suppose.

 

[JohnI.Stephen]

I can't see what the fuss is all about. Clarkson is notoriously non-PC (how about the remark earlier in the same show about being a Moslem.....) We watched this programme as a family and found it silly but overall quite amusing. I mean, crawling along at 30 mph; and then fogettying to put the side steddies down before entering and going to the rear. Of course it was all staged and meant to be a joke. The continual question "what do people DO in caravans" was again funny.

So for us, we were neither offended or took it seriously. It was just an entertainment slot in Clarkson's TV 'magazine'.

John

 

[Vic_5039745]

Steve

As the whole thing was set up and a joke, how can you take it so serious. Watch it again and listen to clarksons words.

Anyone who took it serious must be very sad!

I don't like Clarkson at all, but that did not stop me laughing at the antics of 3 idiots in a van. You never know, Clarson may be a vanner who is intent on putting people off vanning so that he can get a pitch in the summer.

Many millions of people watch Top Gear and the programme is seen as a conduit for serious criticism and informed comment about cars etc.

I haven't watched it for some time and to watch the spectacle of the three presenters bickering in a schoolboy fashion over the pros and cons of American muscle cars beggared belief while a sycophantic audience just stood there with inane smirks on their faces.

The we were treated to the caravan piece...................

The BBC has certainly have allowed a good programme to be well and truly dumbed down.

Vic

 

[Jeff-Pontypridd]

Thanks for the link Paul. I found it really funny.

Off to fill the toilet next week - never realised that's what we are supposed to be doing while caravanning!

 

[brightredrover]

and dont forget to have a cup of tea ....................

 

[Steve L]

I must also be one of the sad ones as well! I really did'nt find anything humorous about it at all. :O(

Actually Wendy you're probabley thinking rationally.

I certainly laugh at Norman Wisdom and his modern day compardray Lee Evans, the carry on team were very good in their day. John Cleese had his moments.

All of this was ad-hock comedy which evolved with little or no technical trickery, just good old tallent from the heart.

I can laugh with the best of them and take a joke too unlike some.

I can recall an occassion with my brother-in-law when he'd wound up all my workers so much they wanted to leave. I stepped up and without him knowing I marked the contact ring on his ear defenders with black etching dye. After him enduring about 20 mins of rapturous laughter from the lads, as he'd by now placed the muffs in about 6 positions on his head, one of the guys advised him to look in a mirror.

Well he did and went bolistic threatening to deck the one who'd done it. All the lads were spliting their sides with laughter. I popped out to the workshop and proudly announced that "it was me" and then added I though that while you'd enjoyed winding up the lads I thought a turn of your key was appropriate. He was fuming. So I told him infront of the lads, if you can't take a joke then don't give them out!!

Can't think why he left shortly after never to return.

 

[Rubix]

I find it odd that although Clarkson apparently "hates" Caravans, he seems to have spent many occasions talking about them.

I once saw one of his videoes where he blew up a caravan. Of course there was explosions that were way OTT, but that is just Clarkson to a tee.

I wouldn't woory about him, if he wants to waste his vastly overpaid time talking about a hobby that he does not understand (possibly - maybe he is a closet caravan-ist) then although he slags it off, he is inadvertantly promoting it.

I wonder how long it will be till he mentions caravans again ??

 

[Guest]

Haven't seen the prog but I see other post on here saying that Clarkson is a Caravanner himself.

 

[PaulT]

There was a comment, on one of the other threads to do with this subject, that JC had been seen (in France) with a caravan - on holiday with his family.

Has anyone got a photo of the event? Should we start a European wide search for him and obtain photo's? Or would this be an invasion of privacy?

 

[Guest]

I live in France and can't say I've seen him! Some French friends who lived in England for a while were on about some tv motoring chappie they had seen with a caravan about two years ago. May be that was Clarkson as well.

 

[Lord Braykewynde]

Apologies to those who worship craven images and think Clarkson is a God but the below was taken from the Urban75 website where people get a chance to thump hate figures.

JEREMY CLARKSON

Step forward that smug, tight-trousered, lardy-a*sed oaf, Jeremy Clarkson and take a well deserved slap.

When this blubbery bore isn't droning about cars in that w*nky voice of his, he's busy making a total f***wit of himself with statements like, "if others want to save the planet, that's up to them. I'm too busy going to parties."

The only party you'll get invited to round here is a face slapping party, fat-a*se.

LMAOOOO now thats what I call humorous :O) On that site Clarkson keeps company with such illustrious figures as Ann Widdicombe, Saddam Hussain, Eminem, Ann Robinson, Margaret Thatcher and Osama bin Laden. Each are awarded a creditation and Clarkson cannot get any higher because hes in the Total W**ker catergory. hehheh!

 

[JohnW1]

I must admit, I tend not to find humorous wit that relies on four letter words and gutter language but whatever turns you on.

Each to their own, and whilst I neither take him very seriously nor place any creedence on what he says I do find Jermey Clarkson humourous and literate.I would draw the line at God and don't have any idols that I light candles to secreted anywhere in a dark cupboard.

I quote from one of his columns and leave you to decide which is better written and more humourous :-

Thanks to Wimbledon, the BBC's strange obsession with covering snooker, which is like billiards for poor people, and the World Cup, which is a competition in which people on vast salaries run around a field, there simply isn't enough space left for the sort of television programme normal people might actually want to watch.

I think there will be one episode of Top Gear in 2006, on a Thursday, in August, while you're at the beach.

This might be a disappointment for the huge numbers of teenage girls that tune into to see Richard Hammond's new teeth every week, but for those who actually work on the show, it'll be nothing short of a blessed relief.

 

[Guest]

As an Ex Pat living out of the country I watch the odd ITV or Beeb output via satelite. I have business interests in the UK to fund my pensioners life style and also keep up with the UK news nearly every day.

UK is so stupidly PC with so many of the government depts and quango press reports that I find Clarkson's output quite refreshing at times.

"Gutter Language" comment is a little to nose in the air comment for me, I've come across many well educated and well bred ( if that's the term ) folk who could be accused of popularising foul or rude language and humour. A bit like the army officers mess where animal like behaviour is down to high spirits and next morning they are charging some sprog for throwing a punch as he had a few to many pints.

Trying to pidgeon hole humour re class is a little out dated in my experience.

Clarkson is quite polite in many ways by todays standards and in his own way he has a go at the establishment and by average standards of todays presenters he is literate and is able to write his own literary output with some humour and flourish.

Daughter in-law works in "press / media", and Clarkson I understand is his "own man" and very OK with everyday people who come into contact with him.

 

[JohnW1]

As an Ex Pat living out of the country I watch the odd ITV or Beeb output via satelite. I have business interests in the UK to fund my pensioners life style and also keep up with the UK news nearly every day.

UK is so stupidly PC with so many of the government depts and quango press reports that I find Clarkson's output quite refreshing at times.

"Gutter Language" comment is a little to nose in the air comment for me, I've come across many well educated and well bred ( if that's the term ) folk who could be accused of popularising foul or rude language and humour. A bit like the army officers mess where animal like behaviour is down to high spirits and next morning they are charging some sprog for throwing a punch as he had a few to many pints.

Trying to pidgeon hole humour re class is a little out dated in my experience.

Clarkson is quite polite in many ways by todays standards and in his own way he has a go at the establishment and by average standards of todays presenters he is literate and is able to write his own literary output with some humour and flourish.

Daughter in-law works in "press / media", and Clarkson I understand is his "own man" and very OK with everyday people who come into contact with him.

Fair comment,although it wasn't meant to be nose in the air and certainly not suggesting that humour has anything to do with class.

As for officers and otherwise thats a whole different subject. Having spent nine years in the Forces (not as an officer I hasten to add) that is a wholly different debate I would agree that certainly in the 60's the double standards there were quite amazing sometimes.

 

[john_5075839]

As an Ex Pat living out of the country I watch the odd ITV or Beeb output via satelite. I have business interests in the UK to fund my pensioners life style and also keep up with the UK news nearly every day.

UK is so stupidly PC with so many of the government depts and quango press reports that I find Clarkson's output quite refreshing at times.

"Gutter Language" comment is a little to nose in the air comment for me, I've come across many well educated and well bred ( if that's the term ) folk who could be accused of popularising foul or rude language and humour. A bit like the army officers mess where animal like behaviour is down to high spirits and next morning they are charging some sprog for throwing a punch as he had a few to many pints.

Trying to pidgeon hole humour re class is a little out dated in my experience.

Clarkson is quite polite in many ways by todays standards and in his own way he has a go at the establishment and by average standards of todays presenters he is literate and is able to write his own literary output with some humour and flourish.

Daughter in-law works in "press / media", and Clarkson I understand is his "own man" and very OK with everyday people who come into contact with him.

Get a life you lot. I love caravaning and enjoy it to the full. Top Gear is a brilliant program (with a sense of humour)!!! Of course there are the minority that the caravan schene could be related to and i am sure they know who they are. Loosen up!!

 

[HamishC]

I think it is time to take a chill pill !!

If anyone is so sad to take top gears caravanning exploits so seriously. Also note the point thay gave about what to do when you experience snaking - ie: to increase your speed slightly to regain contol of your outfit, NOT to slow up which increases the snaking effect. I have always used their advice and finds it works every time. What we have to remember is that Top Gear is a television programme intended for entertainment.

So why can't we all just take it as it is intended and chill out and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!! After all if Mr Clarkson wants to expess his views, he is as entitled, as we are to do so. If we were all the same the world would be a very boring place.

Hamish C

 

[linda_5129225]

The C&CC were conned by the beeb as this statement from them shows

Top Gear asked to use Moreton Site as a backdrop to a feature they intended to air on Caravanning. We agreed as long as they adhered to Club policies, a fact which was mentioned in the programme.

The items in the feature which included the destruction of a caravan and similar potentially dangerous actions, were not filmed on site and we were not aware that they were going to take place.

The Club promotes safer caravanning and has a number of site rules to ensure the safety of all campers, for example positioning all camping vehicles 6m apart to help prevent the spread of fire in the unlikely event that this should occur, additionally this spacing is designed to ensure that people have plenty of space in which to manoeuvre vehicles safely. The Club also prides itself on providing assistance in the pitching all vehicles individually and safely.

There are around