[09x03] February 11th, 2007

[Jezzabelle]

i dont think i forgot anything.

you specifically mentioned people from alabama as needing to be fenced in.

i dont feel the need to be forced into anything from the rest of america

Those Hicks we saw definately need fencing in, sitting down, and educating. I stand by what I said According to other Americans who have posted, some of them also feel that the deep South is not a place to be due to these sorts of people.
I am sure you are a clever person (you must be, to be a member of FG ) and can see that those people & that sort of attitude is just WRONG. Still, live & let live, and did you SEE Jezza in the car shower? Phwarrrr....

 

[Dsemaj]

One of the best, if not.. the best.

I was truely touched by that episode. I'm watering at the eyes. There's nothing else that can be said about that. I'm not going to go into the hicks thing.. it doesn't matter. That episode was just... unreal.

I could go on for ages..

 

[Spectre]

Oh I just figured it was talking to Jaguar mechanics practically every day...

No, that's my neighbor next door with the Triumph Spitfire and Triumph Bonneville.

I learned about British cars the hard way; I bought a project car from someone else and then assembled it. I still do most of my own work. Needless to say, my cars are probably *more* reliable than when the workshy lefties assembled them in Coventry.

 

[awdrifter]

It was a good ep. Obviously some stuff are exaggerated, like the cow on the car, but overall it's a funny ep. And the cars they bought isn't really that bad for $1k. They only have around 150k miles, so they should still have a little bit left in it. I'm not sure if they really got stone thrown at them, but it doesn't feel staged. But if they wanted to go on an vacation, they should stick to Cali and maybe come to Vegas instead. 8)

 

[BerserkerCatSplat]

I'd like to point out that if you went to England, purchased a Ford Transit, wrote "Get a job and get off the dole, you lazy scuts" on the side of it, and drove it through certain areas (the North comes to mind), you would *never* be seen alive again.

Absolutely - and as such, your comment is a representation of certain elements of that country/area. No society is immune, but it does not dilute the truth of the matter.

 

[MustLuvNerdz]

alabama

alabama

As an american.. I fully realize that we struggle when it comes to trying to keep the most ingornant amongst us of the televison.

 

[PsYkHoTiK]

Long time lurker and visitor to the site. Shout out to Viper007Bond (know him through another forum and games.)

I just watched this episode and its pretty hilarious. I loved the race track part and I was hoping for a better view at some of the more 'refreshing' sun bathers at Miami Beach (lol come on now!)

But I felt the need to contribute a bit on the topic of this thread.

Off Topic: First I would like to clear up the wrongful assumption on 'Freedom of Speech.' Freedom of speech is in the Bill of Rights (under our First Amendment) which protects speech. But that doesn't mean everything is protected. There is 'Unprotected Speech. 'These are (but not limited to) fighting words (that provoke a hostile or violent response) and obscene speech (US Supreme Court defined it as something 'The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest.) It probably wouldn't hold as a First Amendment expression. Though reacting to speech in that matter is a totally different subject.

Back to topic. I enjoy road trips in the US. I actually drove through Florida during Christmas (was hitting up some of the theme parks there) and it was real nice. Hot and Humid sums it up pretty well. I actually took that route they drove through (minus the various off Interstate trips that they took) on my way back (drove through Texas and headed north to Kansas.) It was a good drive, had some pretty crazy thunderstorms too on the way back. I can attest to a certain degree of the adverse impact it would have to foreigners visiting our fine country.

But as some of us said in the forums, not all of America is bad. Heck if you are hell bent on finding something bad, you will find it anywhere. I was in London and Dublin, Ireland for Christmas 2005 and I kinda found myself at the wrong place at the wrong time. LOL! My then girlfriend and I took a ride in the tube back to my hotel (it was in London) pretty late at night and as soon as I boarded it (it was an empty car), 3 dozen rowdy youths came running down, jumped over the gates and filled up 2 whole cars (including mine) and swarmed around me with some glaring at me. Intimidating huh? All I did was just smile and nod back.

But any place in the world can be like that. Shouldn't stop anyone from visiting and judging a country and their people.

I look forward to next week's episode.

 

[jockojohnson]

this episode was brilliant! the episode captured the feelings of so many not to mention the friendship of the presenters. everyone has stereotypes of things theyre not familiar with. americans seem to think they're the only ones that can hold stereotypes against others and are somehow immune to being stereotyped themselves. you can only make a joke if you can take a joke.

the line JC has when he says the south has 3 religions: george bush, god, and country western really hit the nail on the head.

the hicks that chased them are pathetic. they dont want to be "dumb rednecks" then they perpetuate that exact perception.

them not knowing that there had been no real reconstruction in new orleans was also interesting. it just shows the world is as clueless as to the status of the situation as the american government itself seems to be. the federal, state, and local governments left the people who live(d) there and the volunteers there to help hanging out to dry. i witnesses this, i was there.

anyway, its a shame this isn't aired in the united states. maybe some of the people could've seen how stupid their behavior is.

oh well, end of rant.

steve (from the US)

 

[Glide]

As an american.. I fully realize that we struggle when it comes to trying to keep the most ingornant amongst us of the televison.

very hard indeed specially with president shrub :lol:

/me runs for shelter

 

[Spectre]

very hard indeed specially with president shrub :lol:

/me runs for shelter

At least we don't have one for our impending *hereditary* monarch-for-life. You know, Prince "I Want To Be Camilla's Tampon" Charles?

 

[Kostamojen]

Now tell me, what can you say about your country that makes it so great?

No speed cameras and miles and miles of paved twisty mountain roads

As for Jayhawk, I wouldnt take him too seriously... After all, he drives a Pontiac Sunfire, the sister car to the worst car built in the last 10 years, the Chevy Cavalier :lol:


As for America, I find it ironic how different some areas are from others. People in the south get defensive very easily... Here in california, people drive around with every sort of bumper sticker and identifying logo on their cars that you can imagine, and nobody cares. But yes, lawsuits are rampant because of the american ideal of getting a quick buck, and theres cheese on everything (I like cheese! and I'm not fat!).

However, its safe to go pretty much everywhere if you wanted too despite what they showed this episode... And if those rednecks HAD actually hurt someone, they would be doing quite a bit of time.

Katrina really is a horrible story... And yes, the current admin is spending way to much money and time on Iraq rather than actually trying to fix our own problems. However, if you drive around remote areas of the U.S. you will find lots and lots of abandoned buildings from decades ago... I'm starting to think New Orleans will end up a lot like that, but on a far larger scale

Why can't more people be like Neek?

You mean drive a Subaru and posts on NASIOC??? I do!

 

[Ziggy Shadow-Dust]

I was a bit worried by the cow part, but now I think "Why be bothered?" It's a bloody brilliant show. If I was to go to America I'll never go to republican territory. Good thing anyway 'cause I want to go to New York.

"Where to next lads? Japan?"

 

[Spectre]

I was a bit worried by the cow part, but now I think "Why be bothered?" It's a bloody brilliant show. If I was to go to America I'll never go to republican territory. Good thing anyway 'cause I want to go to New York.

"Where to next lads? Japan?"

So, Ireland is still infested and overrun with IRA terrorists who gun down random people in the street every 5 minutes, right? And 2/3rds of Belfast is a burnt out ruin, right?

The above statement is as true about Ireland as this ep was of the US.


By the way, the *worst* areas in the US, in terms of crimes against persons? Hey, guess what? They're all in Democrat territory. Surprise! So are the worst hellholes and combat zones in the US - Detroit, Chicago, and New Orleans (before Katrina), they're all "murder capitals", and they're all Democrat run.

 

[MrMan]

First off I'm from California, would describe myself as a moderate (slight conservative) but often 'smug'. I personally thought this was the funniest episode of Top Gear every. I laughed so hard!

 

[upyourego]

Quick question to even the playing field a bit...What would happen if I painted "MAN U SUX!!!" On the side of a Ford Transit and drove through the worst parts of Manchester...Would I come out alive?

You would be fine as nobody in Manchester actually supports Man U Now if you went to a Celtic part of Glasgow with Rangers written on a car then you might die.

I've also had cause for fear in North London wearing an Arsenal shirt during a derby game with Tottenham.

However back to the point at hand.

Top Gear is a brilliant entertainment show made by the BRITISH Broadcasting Corporation for a British audience - it isn't really meant to be seen outside of the UK but thanks to Viper et al our American cousins and friends from around the world can enjoy the brilliance of British television.

I'm glad to see most people haven't taken it too seriously, nobody in the UK is going to watch this and decide 'that's it I'm not going to the us' - mainly because most of us have a sense of humour

I've been the Louisianna and actually found it to be a wonderful, friendly place full of people that would do anything to help you (I even went out into hicksville a few times as the person I was staying with had family there).

Just enjoy Top Gear for what it is - a brilliantly funny, very British entertainment show with cars in it!

 

[Ziggy Shadow-Dust]

So, Ireland is still infested and overrun with IRA terrorists who gun down random people in the street every 5 minutes, right? And 2/3rds of Belfast is a burnt out ruin, right?

The above statement is as true about Ireland as this ep was of the US.

...and when did you hear that? 1979? Don't take it to heart. Understood?

I don't like the Republicans because of the Iraq crisis, which is why I don't like Tony Blair, also for sucking up to Bush.

 

[AnGuRuSO]

Jayhawk I strongly urge you to edit your post if you want people to take it seriously.. Too many grammatical errors!!

you must be a perfectionist.

 

[ethirtysex]

I've never felt embarassed to live in America until I watched that episode. I can't describe the akward feeling I got when I realized that I share a country with people who haven't quite entered the homo sapien phase of their evolution. These are the same people who tried to start their own country because we wouldn't let them keep black people as slaves anymore. It's just disgusting to me that there are people like this.

All I have to comfort myself with is that I'm isolated in a VERY liberal pocket of America. I think the north needs to seceed from the south this time. God I'm just disturbed. Thank god for oregon.

 

[SR71]

Just finished watching the show and read the comments. As a comedy show it was great, as a motoring show....I'm not so sure. Blame the car manufacturers for not bringing out new models quick enough for TG to fill up their show. I really liked the episode apart from the cow exaggeration.

As for the US bashing, well...you see, it is always more fun & acceptable if you make fun of yourself, but when you make fun of others, you're always bound to annoy some people. Everybody should remember it is an entertainment show and not a documentary on America.

PS. I believe it was the only TG show with so much filming in bright sunlight as far as I can remember it.

 

[AnGuRuSO]

Not entirely true....

To some, NASCAR probably is a religion in the same way that millions attend the Church of Football every weekend.

And I'm pretty sure a Jamaican would take offence to someone driving around Kingston with 'reggae [or Bob Marley] sucks' painted on the side of the car.

The rednecks showed so little tolerance, they're reactions were inexcusable. Top Gear may have intentionally been provoking them, but they do not have to act on it.