Thread: Clarksons latest antic.

Tuesday, Oct 21 2008

Outrage as Jeremy Clarkson blows up £20,000 classic Routemaster bus with rocket launcher


By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:40 PM on 20th October 2008



Jeremy Clarkson has come under fire for blowing up a rare Routemaster bus worth £20,000.

The Top Gear star dramatically destroyed one of only 500 of the famous red double-deckers still in existence in a huge fireball for his new DVD.
Footage of the explosion, set off by a rocket, is included in a trailer for the DVD on the Top Gear website.
Jeremy Clarkson is seen in the DVD blowing up the rare Routemaster bus with a rocket
The side of the bus has been daubed with 'Wasting space and causing jams in your community'.

But the spectacular stunt has outraged bus enthusiasts, who have branded it 'sacrilege'.

Just 18 of the iconic buses, which London Mayor Boris Johnson has vowed to bring back, are still in service around the capital.
Clarkson: The Top Gear presenter referred to the explosion as an 'accident'

Andrew Morgan, chairman of the Routemaster Association, said: 'This bus is held in great affection by the public. It was in service for the best part of 50 years and it's been part of everyone's life for so long.

'It's just sacrilege and a very sad thing to do. Why pick on a vehicle like that when you wouldn't do it to a classic car and there are more of them?

'There are plenty of other red double-deckers that he could pick on in scrapyards. It's typical Clarkson. He does things just to make a story to sell his video.'

Promoting the DVD, Clarkson refers to the bus explosion as 'a bit of an accident'.

He also blew up speed cameras with fireworks during filming.

A spokesman for company 2 entertain, which made the DVD, said: 'What Jeremy wants to blow up for his own, and viewers' entertainment, is up to him.

'However, it's a well-known fact that he isn't fond of buses.'

A Transport for London spokesman said: 'We don't agree with what Jeremy Clarkson has written on the bus.

'We are keen to see people transfer from their cars to buses and the Routemaster can carry up to 90 passengers, actually reducing traffic.'






Outrage as Jeremy Clarkson blows up £20,000 classic Routemaster bus with rocket launcher | Mail Online
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shame members of the government were not inside

storm in a teacup.

A lot of flames in that explosion. Looks more like a Hollywood rocket hit.

I would have thought a better stunt would have Clarkson inside the classic Routemaster bus at the time of the rocket impact.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

the spectacular stunt has outraged bus enthusiasts, who have branded it 'sacrilege'.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Andrew Morgan, chairman of the Routemaster Association, said: 'This bus is held in great affection by the public. It was in service for the best part of 50 years and it's been part of everyone's life for so long. 'It's just sacrilege and a very sad thing to do. Why pick on a vehicle like that when you wouldn't do it to a classic car and there are more of them? 'There are plenty of other red double-deckers that he could pick on in scrapyards. It's typical Clarkson. He does things just to make a story to sell his video.'

Oh, dear. And I thought I needed to get a life...

^I wonder what the collective noun for 'bus enthusiasts' is?

tossers ?

possibly "bussers".

Can't see a problem theres still 499 left.

He could always part with his cash to restore one of the defunct ones; if anyone really gave a sh1t

Originally Posted by Mr Pot

if anyone really gave a sh1t

agreed.

I think it has something to do with the fact that the routemaster had a revolutionary gearbox, or pre-select, and it is considered to be one of the 'postcard symbols of London'. The fact that they don't do much to the gallon, as they are getting a little grey behind the ears, is wasted on the enthusiasts, who believe that every town should have one, or two. The collective noun would be Nerds or Geeks (or possibly, very sad people). Love him or hate him, Clarkson has done some good stuff in his time but lately he seems to want to drive very fast, with the road all to himself. Perhaps, like me, he is a little big to get into a real racing car.

I like Clarkson's irreverence and TG is a great show but the casual destruction of something which has survived from a bygone era and is considered vintage (at least by enthusiasts) seems a bit sad.

I know it ain't in the same league as blowing up the giant Buddhas of Bamiyan but I wasn't angry about that because I am Buddhist (and I don't worship old buses either), I just like things that have survived the scrapheap to become collectable and give you a glimpse of the past.

Does seem a shame if they were still usable. I'd have thought they could change engine etc to make them more user friendly, but kept the basic hop on - hop off concept. Bit like trams. Good things trams.

Originally Posted by gjbkk

shame members of the government were not inside

Yobbos not allowed on buses! still we can make an exception for our beloveds

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Does seem a shame if they were still usable. I'd have thought they could change engine etc to make them more user friendly, but kept the basic hop on - hop off concept. Bit like trams. Good things trams

Don,t be silly Janda that,s too good an idea, it,s what the people want, so that,s the end of that then!!!

Maybe i should stand for Mayor against Boris wot is name?

Originally Posted by jandajoy

Senior Member Last Online: Today 06:41 PM Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: out bush Chiang Rai way Posts: 6,496 Maybe i should stand for Mayor against Boris wot is name?

You mean,t Boris TWOTS his name

BLASPHEMING BUSES WILL BURN IN HELL, SAY CHRISTIANS

The Routemasters were all regular churchgoers

BUSES which carry adverts doubting the existence of God are risking their eternal souls, Christian campaigners said last night. The Humanist Association is to spend more than £20,000 on adverts declaring: "There is probably no God, so you should probably stop worrying and probably enjoy life. Then again, maybe not. Who knows?"

But Stephen Green, director of Christian Voice, said: "Any bus which allows itself to be abused in this way will spend eternity in the company of Satan's bus.

"They will burn alongside gay buses, buses that have had abortions and buses that knowingly took people to see Jerry Springer: the Opera."
Some London buses have refused to start, insisting the adverts have forced them to choose between their faith and their job as a bus.

Number 16, Cricklewood to Victoria, said: "If it wasn't for all those Christian adverts I carried as a teenager, I would have wound up in bus prison."

Meanwhile Roman Catholic priests across the capital have offered to exorcise any bus that carries the humanist message.

Father Joseph McKay, from Clapham, said: "A bus that cannot be cleansed of its demons will be condemned to bus hell where every bus is vandalised and every passenger smells of stale urine.

"Okay, it's actually Liverpool."


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