heard about richard hammond!!!!!!!!!

[viper900dodge]

he has been seroisly injured in a jet car hope he is alright!!!

[Fran]

Me too, tho "critically injured" doesnt sound good.   I rather fancy the small but perfectly formed Hammster.   

From Reuters:

"Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond was critically injured on Wednesday after crashing in a jet-powered car while filming for the programme, the BBC announced.

The 36-year-old presenter was taken by air ambulance to a hospital in Leeds which has a special neurological unit.

He had been filming at a former Royal Air Force base when the accident happened.

No further details were immediately available."

Checking some other reports, apparently he was speaking when he was removed from the car, so that might be better news.

[nickliv]

Hope he pulls through, but an unconscious airlift to a neurological hospital doesn't sound encouraging.

Thoughts with his family and friends

[rcutler]

I really hope he recovers fully he certainly has risked his life in a few of the Top Gear stunts in the past.   News at 1030 was that he is still critical, the drag car was travelling at around 280mph after the land speed record was broken and was running purely for film. The cars parachute inflated to slow the car but the car suddenly vered to the right and overtured. It took ten minutes to cut him free from the wreckage.

Hope he recovers soon.

[Jason]

Best wishes to RH, I hope it's good news.

News currently is sketchy, but I will say that speculation doesn't help. I've been speaking to a fellow marshal who does rescue, he doubts The Hamster was speaking coherently, more likely garbled, he's just had a severe trauma. Remember it's not the speed of the accident but how quick you stop. Sorry for the bluntness folks, but I try to keep reality in focus, RH is in Critical condition - this is not normally a good sign, it is 50/50.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[Fran]

News currently is sketchy, but I will say that speculation doesn't help. I've been speaking to a fellow marshal who does rescue, he doubts The Hamster was speaking coherently, more likely garbled, he's just had a severe trauma........, RH is in Critical condition - this is not normally a good sign, it is 50/50.

Ummm - surely that is speculation?

[alibongo]

Any body know which drag car he was in?

[Fran]

"..... in the 5,000 bhp Vampire jet car...... " ...... "The jet-car accelerates from 0 to 272 mph in six seconds and is powered by a Rolls Royce Orpheus jet engine and is theoretically capable of 370mph. The Vampire holds the "Outright British Land Speed Record" with a blistering fast 300.3mph."   

If that gives you any clue.

F

[nopanic - neil]

Heard on the radio, do'nt wish that on anyone.

I'm sure the Hamster is a strong one. Hope he gets better and thoughts to his family.

All I know is he is in the best place. We moan about the NHS, but they are stiil the best.

[Paddy_NL]

Oh dear. Presume this is the end of all nice "stunty-things" done by the presentors of TG.
To be honest, it was a sort inevitable. They have gone more and more wild on their stunts over the last few seasons

Hope RH will be okay...

[Jason]

News currently is sketchy, but I will say that speculation doesn't help. I've been speaking to a fellow marshal who does rescue, he doubts The Hamster was speaking coherently, more likely garbled, he's just had a severe trauma........, RH is in Critical condition - this is not normally a good sign, it is 50/50.

Ummm - surely that is speculation?

Got me there. D'oh! However he was speaking as somone who has been to a jetcar incident.

Early news is that RH is now Stable, that is promising, we can only hope he improves from here.

[Muzorewa]

Any body know which drag car he was in?

This: http://www.thule.co.uk/partners/blsr.asp

[Bobblehat]

Oh heck! Get well Hamster.

[BigH]

A drag car!
Blimey! - it's one thing being carted off to hospital, and another thing arriving in fishnet stockings, high heels, split crotch panties and an outrageous wig. I hope for his sake the press didn't get any photographs.
H

[Snoring Rhino]

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery, sounds like he is improving, so all the best.

It does raise the question of inexerprienced drivers in serious machinery though. He may have driven some quick cars for short periods of time but was it enough to qualify him to be competant enough to dirive a Jet Car at 300mph? Every thing is fine untill it goes wrong and unfortunatly he is suffering the concesquense of beeing in the wrong place at the wrong time.