James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism

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Sun 14 Dec 2014 21:36
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - edlithgow

Watched the first edition of the James May "Peoples Car" tonight. (Dunno when it screened in the UK)

I generally like James May, and I found the program interesting, but I was hugely disappointed that he didn't resist the infantile temptation to drop that Lada from the helicopter.

This stopped being amusing on Top Gear a long, long time ago, certainly long before they did it with a Beetle. Doing it with cars that, by definition, have historical importance (otherwise they wouldn't be in the program) is indefensible. You are supposed to get that kind of thing out of your system by setting fire to your own, badly made Airfix models when you are, say, about 8.

I don't think it makes any difference that it was a car that was generally despised. and I don't say it because I rather liked mine. I don't like flies, but I wouldn't approve of children pulling the wings off them.

From the trailer, it looks as if there's quite a lot more of this kind of thing to come with other makes. Dunno if I'll watch the rest of the series.

Not big. Not clever.

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Sun 14 Dec 2014 22:09
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - Simon

I half watched this program the other day. I did briefly wonder if the car that he dropped from the helicopter was the 'mint' looking example that he was bombing around in earlier in the show or whether it was a different old knacker that had had a quick flash over with a spray gun to look the same but was really worthless??? Who knows, who cares...

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Sun 14 Dec 2014 22:20
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - alan1302

It's juts a bit of fun

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Mon 15 Dec 2014 09:38
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - TedCrilly

It wasnt the same car, look again closley. The engine and running gear had been removed. Fact is thousands of cars of similar ilk meet their respective ends in scrapyards up and down the country every day but where are the tears for them?. This one met its end in a more spectacular way in the name of entertainment. If it had been something valubale, historical or significant there would have been a caset to argue.......get over it, there are far bigger injusticies in life.

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Mon 15 Dec 2014 13:33
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - Snakey

In the same way as Top Gear, people seem to forget thats its entertainment loosely based around motoring themes

If you want serious, watch a documentary.

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Mon 15 Dec 2014 13:58
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - Leif

I take it you object to the wanton (1) destruction in James Bond films? It's just a bit of childish fun, requiring little effort to watch.

(1) Chinese starter?

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Mon 15 Dec 2014 14:05
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - Happy Blue!

Mind you, if they did the same to a Fiat 500 (1969 version) we would all be up in arms at the wanton destruction of a piece of classic motoring history. Must say though, dropping a Lada is a good start.........

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Mon 15 Dec 2014 22:49
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - focussed

Mind you, if they did the same to a Fiat 500 (1969 version) we would all be up in arms at the wanton destruction of a piece of classic motoring history. Must say though, dropping a Lada is a good start.........

Based on my wife's experience with a 1960's Fiat 500 they can drop as many as they can find from helicopters and keep the Ladas.

Classic motoring history? Best forgotten I reckon.

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Mon 15 Dec 2014 23:01
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - Wackyracer

I never look back at cars from the past with rose tinted glasses. Sure I'll think about those cars and how I liked them at that time, Would I want one of my previous cars back now? You must be joking.

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Tue 16 Dec 2014 20:43
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - TedCrilly

The BBC set the wanton destruction standards years before TG. Anyone else remember `Panic Mechanics` hosted by Trevor Nelson and everyones favourite spannerman Ed China?

2 minutes to get your rusted out 80s hatchback started or it gets run over by a challenger tank!!! I seem to remember them dropping cars from cranes too.

I dont think it got a second series.....cant imagine why.

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Tue 16 Dec 2014 21:19
James May's Peoples Car - Vandalism - carr

They had obviously taken at least the engine and the rear seats out , doubtless to get the car's weight below the lift capacity of the McDonnel Douglas light helicopter.

It would have worked with Clarkson and Hamster in the front seats but as it was it was merely an expensive and mindless stunt that pretty much sums up most of the BBC's output.

Edited by carr on 16/12/2014 at 21:21

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