Top Gear ruined by a bike (and a boat)

Top Gear is highly entertaining and excellently produced television. Typically the visuals are jaw-droppingly lush and the antics of the three boofheads are amusing. Yes, I’ve got to admit that I’m a bit of a fan of the BBC motoring program (usually shown in Australia on SBS on Monday evenings, alternating with Mythbusters but currently scheduled as re-runs on Saturdays).

For me favourite moments include caravan conkers (in fact, just about anything involving caravans), and the episode from several seasons ago in which racing driver Sabine Schmitz hurtles around the Nürburgring in a transit van during one of the public sessions on the 20km-long track.

It’s hilarious to watch Richard Hammond just about wetting himself in the passenger seat as Sabine shouts at other drivers (and motorbike riders!) to get out of her way. I think it’s Hammond who ponders what it must feel like to be the bloke in a fancy Porsche being overtaken by a girl in a van… (They really should have kept Sabine on as a regular presenter—she’s quite funny and personable on screen.)

Move over

But I think I’m going to have to chalk-up a new favourite segment: Race Across London. Four modes of transport, west to east across London. [YouTube keeps removing the videos for copyright reasons, but they keep turning up. Just search for them.] The car loses of course:

1. Bike

2. Boat on the Thames

3. Public transport

4. Car

Clarkson:

How the hell did you do that?

Hammond:

It’s easier on a push bike—you don’t get stuck in queues…

Clarkson:

You’ve ruined Top Gear.

Surely they must have known that would be the result.

Oh yeah: The Stig. What can you say? He really is an under-appreciated talent.

[via London Cycling Diary and Adrian Fitch]

More on a similar topic

• Speedlinking 14 July 2009
• Speedlinking 3 July 2009
• Take the road or the bike path?
• Speedlinking 27 August 2009
• Drive a car? Ride a bike? Watch this