Watching an old TG on one of the channels yesterday, a passage in which the three presenters were talking about the handling of different animals - dogs RWD, cats and elephants 4WD, hyaenas FWD - had me in fits of laughter. 'Cats can drift on a polished floor, terriers oversteer into the furniture...'
Terrific. The programme isn't all macho risk-taking by any means. Hope it survives and fights off the Health and Safety wonks...
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Richard Hammond is genuinely one of the nicest guys in television.
Anyone who loves cars, loves TopGear. We all hope he recovers soon.
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If you go to the Top Gear website www.topgear.com, you can email them with a message for Richard.
(Fair enough to include a link to a competitor in these circumstances. I know Richard will really appreciate kowing how much he is liked. A lot more than he modestly thought. HJ.)
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What terrible news I really like that little guy. Not been near a telly for a few days, I just overheard the lads on our (Polish) car magazine talking about it. They are all shocked too. Clearly an internationally popular bloke. Hurry up and get well Richard, so many more caravans to blow up.
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Yeah, best wishes to him for a speedy recovery and sympathies with his family. Also echo the comments that I hope this doesn't result in a sanitisation culture due to over zealous health and safety. I have always observed the highest level of health and safety precaution anyway when they do these things.
Sounds like he's in the best place,
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Latest report is that he has a significant brain injury. There are many possible outcomes from this - having previously worked in assisting the rehabilitation of people recovering from brain injury, I have some idea of what the future may hold. I won't go into details as it's too early to speculate (some words deleted. HJ.). I just hope he continues to improve as quickly as possible.
--
andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
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That's very bad news, I've got everything crossed for him and hope he makes a full and rapid recovery.
Puts your own problems into perspective doesn't it?
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The medics have said that they are 'reasonably optimistic' Richard will make a 'good recovery'.
This isn't quite the same thing as saying they are confident he will make a full recovery.
As a TG fan my thoughts, like those of all of us, are with Richard's family.
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Shocked and stunned like so many folk last night, Richard comes across as such a top bloke, everything crossed here for a speedy recovery.
Not sure if this is allowed, but, Pistonheads have set up a related donations page for Yorkshire Air Ambulance which has already raised £10,500 so far today.
www.justgiving.com/PHRichardHammond?page=1
(Yes, that is very much allowed. HJ.) {Link now added to the top of this thread - DD}
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I've met the Hamster once and he was a genuinely nice bloke, full of beans and unaffected.
All the very best wishes go out to him and his family for a full recovery.
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Had the pleasure of spending a day in his company, while working on a Moneysaving/debt feature for his Should I Worry About... series.
Didn't take long to realize that he's geninly a friendly 'ordinary' guy, progressed through the media circus by working hard, doing his radio local stint & so on - unlike sooooo many 'celebrities'
His fame & constant hard work should CERTAINLY NOT have rewarded him in this way.
So unfair!!!!
Best wishes & good luck Richard.
VB
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Get well soon Hamster- a top bloke.
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Always chirpy and cheery, whether he's talking cars on TG, or bikes in his column in the weekly m/cycle rag.
Hope to hear his views again soon.
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It's increadable the amount of goodwill RH has generated. His accident has been the top headline for twenty-four hours, and both JC and James May have said that every car and lorry driver they saw has given a thumbs up or a message of encouragemant.
A guy who has built up a genuine affection among the motoring public, let's hope he makes a full recovery.
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Robin Reliant, formerly known as Tom Shaw
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BBC News is saying 'serious brain injury'. (Some words removed.)
A sad day.
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Can anyone with more knowledge comment on what a "good recovery" might be... I want the guy to make a full recovery. I know it was high speed etc. but the car should have offered protection, helmet worn, etc. Not liking the "reasonably optimistic" bit either. If all the goodwill counts lets hope he's okay long-term.
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Depending on where RH has sustained injury affects what he will be able to do and the nature of his recovery. Best case scenario is that his personality is still there for his family, and that he can at least present programs, . The worst case scenario is if he makes a full physical recovery but does not know anyone and makes himself a pain in the back side since he's fogoten how to behave to people.
Once damaged brains don't heal too readily, as anyone who has dealt with a stroke victim will know. However the brain can adapt more that any other part of the body and lots of stroke victims do make full a recovery.
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The Channel 4 presenter Sheena Macdonald suffered a brain injury when hit by a police car/van answering an emergency call. She spent ages recovering and is now back at work, but as I understand it, several years later, she still has problems as she gets tired more quickly then usual.
As someone indicated, wasn't he wearing a helmet?
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>Can anyone with more knowledge comment on what a "good recovery" might be...
The quote I've seen is:
"Doctors at Leeds General Infirmary said they were "reasonably optimistic" the 36-year-old would make a good recovery."
A GP friend in our local said that this is unusual and probably a good sign.
Doctors in this situation typically refrain from making any public statement other than the standard "He is under sedation and responding well to treatment".
In his opinion, the fact that they also used the terms "reasonably optimistic" and "good recovery" seems to indicate that they are pretty confident that they understand the extent of his injuries despite it being so soon after the incident and any resultant bruising or swelling.
Personally, I hope he's right.
Kevin...
PS. I liked the rather tongue-in-cheek comment from Clarkson:
"James and I are looking forward to getting our hamster back".
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If anything good has come out of this terrible accident it is that Richard ended up on the grass area of Elvington - if it had been on the runway itself then the odds are that the outcome would have been very, very different.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Pointless to speculate - which I am about to do - he might have been better off spinning or even flipping down the concrete for a few hundred yards. If he was well protected in the car, sudden/instant stopping would still be a major hazard - as in 'dug in to the grass'. The F1 drivers usually get away with it these days provided that they don't hit anything too solid.
Let's hope he's got away with it.
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'A Good sign'?
I work bwith sick people and people that have had head injuries.
From the info received via media, ino, Richard will make a slightly better recovery than the boxer(M Watson?) that was brain damaged in a match with the guy that is a charachter, has a kind of slurred speech and dresses like a true gent. (sorry his name escapes me)
IMO, RH will have speech, mobility and co-ordination difficulties, but importantly will be able to look after himself and recognise family and friends.
The very good signs are that he is recognising people so early on, is a truely good sign. IMO, the swelling to the brain has stopped and on the retreat, another very good sign.
I hope I'm wrong re prognosis and see RH back on Top Gear!
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Perhaps I don't get forums.
But why does anyone think, that anyone else cares, whether they think that person x will recover 'slightly better' than person y knowing nothing about the case in question?
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But why does anyone think, that anyone else cares,
Because we share some feelings towards other human beings?
>>whether they think that person x will recover 'slightly better' than person y knowing nothing about the case in question?
Because we like to speculate, even without knowing anything about what goes on in reality. If we only talked about things we were experts on, it would be a very lonely and boring forum.
If I had a high speed crash I personaly would like it to be on smooth tarmac, not lumpy grass. There is adramatic video a car going 250mph+ crashing on salt flats. In the 1960's Craig breedlove and Art Arfons (of the green monster) were locked in a tense contest over the world land speed record. In the end the green monster crashed at about 400mph after some wheel bearings stopped working. Incredably Art survived and this may be due in no small part in having a flat, hard surface to crash on to.
The number of cars that have come to grief after sliding on grass, hitting a rut and digging into the ground with their wheels and then flipping is overwhelming. My hypothesis is therefore grass=bad.
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