Jeremy Clarkson admits to 186mph on public rds

Depending on the circumstances it may not have been all that dangerous. I have been on the freeway with a long straight section with good visibility and no cars around and hit 140 (indicated) on my 748. I got from 70 to 140 and back down to 70 in a distance that was constantly visible. To me that is as safe as possible to do 140, still not safe but as safe as possible. If Clarkson uses similar judgement and only does it in a situation where the only life at risk is his own then I don't have too much of a problem with it.

A few years ago there was an English motorcycle magazine that took an R1 to some freeway in France and ran it to redline in top gear and kept it there until the tank ran dry. That is irresponsible, figure a top speed of about 170 for what maybe 10-15 minutes or more. Many miles, many cars, many lives, and many opportunities to turn yourself into a greasy smear on the road go by at that pace.

 

I'm laughing-yes you are right!

 

I think he is totally in the wrong to pull a stunt like this. Sure, this man is a legend, but i feel he shouldn't let this sort of stuff out to the public - let alone, do it at all.. He's got his own track to pull do this kind of 'testing' anyway!


Just had a look on google maps to find that this "staight" is where he pulled the stunt.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=limehouse+link&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=178.512889,360&ie=UTF8&ll=51.50957,-0.032873&spn=0.011459,0.027637&z=15

if my calculations are correct - he could have achieved 0-300-0 in ~22sec. this car never ceases to amaze..

 

He has driven more exotic cars than I will probably ever see in my lifetime, let alone touch or even be able to sit in, much less drive.

He is rich and much more capable of paying an enormous speeding ticket like that than I am

He is a much better driver than me and much more capable of doing 186 on public roads than I am

He was behind the wheel of a Bugatti Veyron

Im much less of a skilled driver than him and if given the opportunity to drive a Veyron there is no doubt in my mind that I would take it up to speeds in far excess of my driving capabilities. It may be stupid but i'd still probably do it at least once or twice. Granted, id make sure the roads were clear and there was no chance of vehicles turning out in my way, but i'd still do it.

To be honest i'd be much more suprised to hear he was given the keys to a Bugatti Veyron and then proceeded to drive it the speed limit everywhere he went. It would be a waste of the mileage added to the vehicle.

 

That was Thomas Bscher, ex Bugatti CEO.

 

I wonder if it is still possible for the London Police to charge him with a crime.

 

Could be on Mythbusters..

 

That was Thomas Bscher.

 

Andy Wilman blog from the Top Gear site:

"Then, towards the end of the week, Jezza told some socialist hippies at a book festival in a field that he'd driven at 186 mph through the Limehouse Link.

Now the thing is, you'd need a frigging Tardis to do 186 mph in the Limehouse Link, but nevertheless all hell broke loose and the Daily Mail Outrageometer burst a blood vessel, with loads of other papers close behind demanding JC's head.

There were even two paparazzi dispatched to sit outside his house, which seems a bit of a waste of a day for the poor chaps, because if Jeremy gets the urge to pop into town, he's hardly likely to come down his drive in a Top Fuel Dragster.

Obviously we've now sacked him and he's at the dole office, but what's depressing about all this to me is that we're in danger of becoming a country where it's a crime to be fatuous, to make mischief or just practise the fine art of talking bollocks.

Soon everything we say will have to be the flat, down the line facts of the truth - no hyperbole, no white lie, no 'it was this big' nonsense from the amateur angler - just state things the way they are, like the instructions on a washing machine.

Making mischief frees the imagination, it quickens the pulse. It should be taught in schools. Watch that film Big Fish and you'll see what I mean."