[21x05] March 2nd, 2014

[21x05] March 2nd, 2014


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No, there are a lot of us on this site that don't watch it. I'd go as far as to say it's probably the least liked segment on the show.

It's a good thing, then, that most media players support the "fast-forward " feature.
Sometimes I wonder why some of you watch Top Gear at all if you don't like the news segment. Isn't that what the show is based on, the three of them sharing opinions about automotive creations from around the world? Plus, :james: the news brings the show down to earth for me. It's like when I get off work and go to the pub with friends just to have a good time.

EDIT: Oh, this was about the SIARPC ? Sorry, I got confused with another post from before. In this case, I concur.
 
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7/10. Good opening segment, nice Porsche review, fun news and a comedy film which, whilst not spectacular, was still quite entertaining, and didn't have that awful scripted feeling. I mean, of course it's scripted, but they didn't shove crap down our throats.

Overall I've enjoyed the series, it's been pretty solid.
 
As a cyclist myself I found their PIF attempts very funny. My favourite part was Jezza's line "After James had mended my geranium he gave me a strong lecture" :D
 
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On an empty airfield, with even the signage removed there isn't much danger. As you can see with his spin as well. He applied a bit oposite lock, but then just sat there with the middle pedal planted and waited for it to stop.
That's probably what Hammond thought back when he was driving that rocket car. But agreed, in a kind of "normal" car I don't see anything bad happen if you spin on a completely flat surface with lots of empty space in all directions. If you go offroad and your wheels decide to dig in there might be a chance that the car flips over, but apart from that you are probably fine if you just brake, don't do anything weird and wait for the car to come to a complete stop.

Regarding the cycling bit of this episode: some of us cycle because we really want to, because it gets/keeps you in shape. The butt-hurt also goes away after some time if you cycle five days a week for several months and once you built some muscles and fitness it's pretty awesome because you'll be able to maintain quite a high average speed and actually get around at a decent pace. Concerning other road users, most of them are pretty ok towards bikes near where I live. There are however those (cars, pedestrians and other cyclists) that misjudge my speed and assume that I'm going way slower than my usual 30-35 km/h. Therefore I've had some pretty close calls and near crashes when people cut me off even though they see me coming from far away. Apart from that we do get dedicated lanes for bicycles (which some people use to park their cars in if these lanes are next to normal roads) and sometimes other cyclists manage to take up pretty much all of the lane with their erratic driving.

There are however two areas that need massive improvement:
1) Many cyclists around here seem to operate on the principle of "oh it's getting dark, but I can still see something. I should be fine then". When you're on a bike it's already a big annoyance to avoid other cyclists without lights, but when you're in a car it's outright dangerous (for the cyclists).
2) Stick to the rules. Since bicycles share the road with others the same rules apply to them. However, many of them run red lights and are either ignorant towards right of way or simply don't know who is allowed to do what in a given situation. This "I don't care cause I'm on a bike"-behaviour gets worse the closer you get to the city center. Also some cyclists seem to be completely oblivious towards their surroundings, with they in-ears on and texting on their phone and only very occasinally looking at what's going on in front of them.
 
Regarding the cycling bit of this episode...

At a junction, for instance a crossroads with four-way traffic light set-up, where I'm turning right and waiting in the queue of cars also to turn right, where should I be in relation to the car in front; on his left or right? I always position myself on his left, so that the cars behind have a clear overtaking path as we round the bend. Is this correct?

I only ask because when James did the same in their film, he was sat on the right of the van in front.
 
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They have finally found there mojo, after the disaster of ep2, they have got their eye in just as the season finished!

After the disaster of ep1, for me, and we still have the two-part Burma special to come - which I'm thinking will be a humdinger!
 
I pushbike more than drive during the work week, & found heaps that ring true in the bike segment they did.
Prob with cycling about is that you are faced with a lot of shortcomings when compared to anything petrol powered, so taking rules into interpretation is sometimes the best policy, but the huge factor is - make it predicable. Even if you're going to blow the red light, if everyone knows exactly what you are about to do & they don't have to change anything that they are currently doing (cars or peds), then it's best thing for everyone concerned.
THe self-righteous rider who ploughs on into the path of a vehicle, even if the rider may be in the "right", is riding on borrowed time.
 
At a junction, for instance a crossroads with four-way traffic light set-up, where I'm turning right and waiting in the queue of cars also to turn right, where should I be in relation to the car in front; on his left or right? I always position myself on his left, so that the cars behind have a clear overtaking path as we round the bend. Is this correct?

I only ask because when James did the same in their film, he was sat on the right of the van in front.
If you're talking about left-hand traffic, then staying as far left as possible is your best option as a cyclist.

Maybe I should clarify: if there is only a single lane and you're taking a right turn, then by all means go as far right as possible. There is nothing worse than a car behind you that assumes you will go straight ahead. If there is a dedicated lane for traffic taking a right turn, then switch to that lane and then stay on the left side of that lane.
 
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2) Stick to the rules. Since bicycles share the road with others the same rules apply to them. However, many of them run red lights and are either ignorant towards right of way or simply don't know who is allowed to do what in a given situation. This "I don't care cause I'm on a bike"-behaviour gets worse the closer you get to the city center.....
This;

NOT this

... taking rules into interpretation is sometimes the best policy, but the huge factor is - make it predicable. Even if you're going to blow the red light, if everyone knows exactly what you are about to do & they don't have to change anything that they are currently doing (cars or peds), then it's best thing for everyone concerned.
THe self-righteous rider who ploughs on into the path of a vehicle, even if the rider may be in the "right", is riding on borrowed time.

How on earth is 'blowing the red light' being predictable?? How on earth is everyone going to know that is what you are going to do?? It's comments/cyclists like this that give the rest of us a bad name, and give fuel to most of the comments in the idiot cyclist thread, which is obviously where you belong.

/end rant
 
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(...) How on earth is 'blowing the red light' being predictable?? How on earth is everyone going to know that is what you are going to do??
Some people are probably relying on the reputation of a whole group. I kind of expect other cyclists to behave like crap - not because I do it myself, but because I've seen it so many times. So as a cyclist you could probably make use of that "expectation" and run red lights "because everybody does it" and the cars better get used to it. It's also much easier to get away with it on a bike: short of a police car chasing you down and stopping you right then and there, there isn't much anybody can do to identify you.
 
After watching this episode, I now firmly believe that.bus.drivers everywhere, not just in California, are sodding nuts!
 
I loved the cycling part and the ads, better than the VW one years ago. Loved to see the experts' reactions, lol! The 918 film was great but somehow I think it could've been better, don't know why...maybe it should've been longer.
 
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I wanted to ask about the P1 & 918, where Clarkson (or was it Hamster?) said that they'll be testing these cars briefly in coming weeks. But i never saw any Special Episode about those cars. Can anyone tell me if that really happened after the finale of the Season? I did watch the Specials after the 5th episode (thats where they reviews the 918), but they were on an entirely different subject.

Did i miss anything in between? (Apart from James May's recently released "Cars of the People"?
 
hi,
Can anyone explain me the CNN joke that Jeremy did while introducing The Stig?
 
I think the episode was recorded just after CNN cancelled Piers Morgan's show.

He's Jeremy's "arch-enemy".
 
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