Jeremy Clarkson... 'Road Tax??'

[661-Pete]

(*anyone who thinks that their comments about mexicans were in any way acceptable last week may want to consider the following: 1) imagine the reaction if you replaced 'Mexicans' with 'black people' in what they said and; 2) might want to find out more about how Mexicans are treated by the US and how they might be a little sensitive towards the kind of abuse given by the three last week)

I'm surprised that this forum isn't yet boasting a 28-page thread in P&L about JC's latin american antics. But perhaps P&Lers can't be a**ed?

You know, it gives one a comforting feeling to imagine that the only person harmed by JC's brand of idiocy is himself, that the more he does it the more of an Alf-Garnett buffoon he becomes.

But is that so?

I felt like 'showing off' the other day, so, flexing my dimly-remembered grasp of Spanish idiom, I thought I'd put together a comment to post in the Mexican press, touching on JC's previous form and what we (I mean Guardianistas like myself) really think of the idiot. I'd put together all the previous gaffes ("cambiar de velocidad .... cambiar de velocidad .... mirar el retrovisor .... matar a una prostituta .... cambiar de velocidad" - geddit?)

Then I googled a likely-looking Mexican daily and prepared to paste it in.

Alas! I chickened out. Looking at the other comments in that esteemed periódico, looking at the wholesale anti-British sentiments, looking at the "Hitler should have won the war" sort of stuff, I felt I was only opening up trouble. My Spanish just ain't good enough.

I hope that what I stumbled upon was the Mexican equivalent of the Daily Mail. But maybe not. I don't know. This is the real damage C***son inflicts on us...

 

[Norm]

[QUOTE 1305251"]
He knows fair well. He only said it because he knows it winds some cyclists up. Which is good in a way because it means that he (or at least the TG researchers) know what the issues are.
[/quote]+1, it was done for effect, to take the p155 out of the stereotype that he portrays.

They had, after all, not long previously featured a car which was in the £0 road tax bracket.

 

[classic33]

He & richard hammond also pointed out the piece about cyclists wearing cameras, with Hammond saying that he might get one.

Road Tax aside at least they managed to bring up the subject on a show which a few people who drive cars will watch.

 

[mangaman]

I'm surprised that this forum isn't yet boasting a 28-page thread in P&L about JC's latin american antics. But perhaps P&Lers can't be a**ed?

You know, it gives one a comforting feeling to imagine that the only person harmed by JC's brand of idiocy is himself, that the more he does it the more of an Alf-Garnett buffoon he becomes.

But is that so?

I felt like 'showing off' the other day, so, flexing my dimly-remembered grasp of Spanish idiom, I thought I'd put together a comment to post in the Mexican press, touching on JC's previous form and what we (I mean Guardianistas like myself) really think of the idiot. I'd put together all the previous gaffes ("cambiar de velocidad .... cambiar de velocidad .... mirar el retrovisor .... matar a una prostituta .... cambiar de velocidad" - geddit?)

Then I googled a likely-looking Mexican daily and prepared to paste it in.

Alas! I chickened out. Looking at the other comments in that esteemed periódico, looking at the wholesale anti-British sentiments, looking at the "Hitler should have won the war" sort of stuff, I felt I was only opening up trouble. My Spanish just ain't good enough.

I hope that what I stumbled upon was the Mexican equivalent of the Daily Mail. But maybe not. I don't know. This is the real damage C***son inflicts on us...

Pete - I think Clarkson's virtuarlly untouchable at the BBC because of the money he brings in.

Without getting all conspiracy theory, Andy Gray was probably similar at Sky until he sued Murdoch.

The money Top Gear makes worldwide for the BBC is dwarfed by upset UK cyclists / Mexicans.

Sadly, the moral line of broadcasting acceptability has become so obscure, he will continue to push the boundaries.

Randomly, and every now and again, people like Russell Brand / Jonathan Ross are considered to have crossed the line - but they are both already back in broadcasting.

This "moral line" is extemely flexible, I would imagine, at BBC HQ.

And much harder to reach for Top Gear than, for example, Gardners' World. It's just money. No point in complaining.

And I find Top Gear mindless rubbish, so I'm not defending it.

 

[som3blok3]

Its an entertainment show .. Clarkson thrives on this sort of stuff

Get a Life

Is that aimed at me? I have a life and it's great, thanks for the offer though.

 

[som3blok3]

I wouldn't worry yourself - it's all done for effect (and to annoy people like you)

People like me?

 

[som3blok3]

I do enjoy Top Gear, but I fear at some point they are going have pissed off so many people there will be no one left watching.

So true, anybody seen 'Total wipeout' recently? Hammonds career in two words....

 

[mark barker]

OMG, what a crazy over reaction to a comedy show!

 

[som3blok3]

OMG, what a crazy over reaction to a comedy show!

Fair play, end of. Just spent the last half hour wathcing the end of 'wild at heart' and came back to a can of worms that I didn't mean to open. Oops!

Just for the record, spent the first half of my life on a pushbike and the second half driving 7.5T lorries and selling Mercs at dealership level (not any more though, back on the pushie). Not sure thats too relevant, just threw it in.

 

[som3blok3]

Post # 50, get in.

 

[ufkacbln]

"Narcissistic personality disorder"

The following are symptoms:

• Grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)
• Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love
• Believes that he or she is "special" and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
• Requires excessive admiration
• Has a very strong sense of entitlement, e.g., unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with his or her expectations
• Is exploitative of others, e.g., takes advantage of others to achieve his or her own ends
• Lacks empathy, e.g., is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others
• Is often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
• Regularly shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes

Tick off five or more and you have a diagnosis.... how many does Clarkson tick?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

It's a sitcom for, and made by, overgrown Vith formers. Who gives a four stroke cycle for what he has to say?

 

[dondare]

Love 'Top Gear'. Used to be better but still enjoy it. Any body else just see Clarkson defend motorists against camera wearing cyclists, using the phrase... AND I QUOTE 'Who pays the road tax'..............

I would of thought a man who knows everything about motoring would know the basics from 1937.

Guess not.

Maybe it's to do with the amount of beer he drinks, 'hey, we all pay VED'

Whatever, he just went down in my list of watchable people. I know they'll be those that say he never was but hey, I thought he was alright until then.

Of course he knows. He knows what Road Tax is and what it isn't and he knows how to annoy people and how to entertain people. You might as well complain about Alf Garnet being a bigot as complain about Clarkson being offensive.

 

[dondare]

I find all this arguing about the semantics of "Road Tax" v. "VED" boring. That's all it is - playing upon words. As far as I'm concerned, each time mine comes up for renewal it says "tax disc" on the form and that's good enough for me.

More to the point, is that a good many cyclists pay for the tax disc, on a car that spends a lot of its time gathering dust on the driveway whilst we take the bike instead. So I'm shelling out some £160 or whatever, for not using my car...

As for C***son's enchilada escapada, I fail to understand how he has 'immunity' whereas Woss/Brand didn't....

More to the point cyclists without cars also pay for the roads through the other taxes that they can't avoid and irrespective of any individual's contribution to the exchequer all have the same right to use the road.

 

[beastie]

Just spent the last half hour wathcing the end of 'wild at heart'

C'mon that bit has to be a wind up