A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Originally Posted by _JD_
Cut from the BBC news website.
TV presenter has serious brain injury
Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond has a "significant brain injury" following a car crash, doctors say.
Link:
At least this sounds like good news (from the same article):
Doctors at Leeds General Infirmary said they were "reasonably optimistic" the 36-year-old would make a good recovery.
A:
A good recovery meaning he'll live or that he'll recover from the brain damage?
A:
I just saw that. Hopefully it isn't as bad as it sounds.
A:
Originally Posted by transio
A good recovery meaning he'll live or that he'll recover from the brain damage?
Hopefully both.
A:
This is what he was driving
Sky News Reports Top Gear's Richard Hammond Driving Vampire Jet Car At 280 Mph At Time Of Accident
Sky News is reporting Top Gear's Richard Hammond was:
"...reportedly driving a jet-powered Vampire car when it overturned. Mr Hammond was said to have been reaching speeds of up to 280mph as the accident happened."
The Vampire, sponsored by the Swedish company Thule, weighs 2,200 lbs, is 30 feet long and drinks 7-10 gallons of fuel per mile (depending on the speed). 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. Sky News continues with some first hand accounts of the accident after the jump.
"Firefighter Dave Ogden, who witnessed the crash, told Sky News that the 36-year-old presenter was able to speak as he was taken out of the wreckage of the car.
Inspector Mike Thompson, of North Yorkshire Police, said officers were dealing with the incident at the airfield northeast of York where the filming was taking place.
He said: "At 5.45pm this evening we received a report via the fire service of a male person trapped in what was described as an overturned jet car which had been driven on the airfield.
"The male occupant has received serious injuries and has been airlifted to hospital at Leeds."
Looks pretty sketchy to me
A:
No specific info on his injuries, hopefully there is no intraparenchymal bleeding.
Meanwhile, Christiano DaMatta (who collided with a deer at Road America) is improving, has been transferred to Rehab.
I mention this because I suspect both of these men have similar brain injuries
(subdural hematomas).
Praying for a full recovery.
A:
Some dude on Pistonheads has set up a web page to dontate to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (which relies on charitable donations) which took him to Leeds General Infirmary. It's raised a ridiculous amount of money since this morning..
A:
Hamster out of intensive care
A:
The Vampire car reminds me of a Formula 1 with a jet fighter grafted to the engine bay.
I pray that he will heal well and fast. Prayers, too, for his wife and daughters.
A:
His friend and co-host James May said doctors at Leeds General Infirmary were "cautiously optimistic".
"I've had a conversation with Hammond today -- not a long one, but it was a conversation," May said. "I am not a doctor but I am his mate and I believe that, deep inside, the Hammond I know is perfectly intact."
A:
That last article expressed some concern that Top Gear might be axed "in its current format". I sure hope not. I love that show. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Hammond will pull through with no lingering effects. He's great on that show and seems like a genuinely nice guy - even if his teeth are too white.
A:
I'd rather like to see 'm turn the whole thing into...an episode.
(You have to read that with a Jeremy Clarkson accent.)
A:
If Hammond turns out to be ok I wouldn't be surprised if they air that episode. I think it would remind people that racing will always have an element of danger not matter what safety precautions you take. To drive a 300 mph car you gotta know what you're doing. Does anyone know what sort of driver training/experience these guys had before Top Gear?
A:
Wow - that's not a whole lot of tire in the back (thinking dragster or F1 wide wheels & tires). Also, they aren't very widely spaced in the back. High center of gravity too. Looks prettly unstable...
A:
They mention some pretty serious head trauma. I hope he's not affected mentally after this.
Cade
A:
Originally Posted by ChrisStarrUSA
Wow - that's not a whole lot of tire in the back (thinking dragster or F1 wide wheels & tires). Also, they aren't very widely spaced in the back. High center of gravity too. Looks prettly unstable...
I think the "car" runs on jet thrust, not wheel driven. But it does look a bit high on the center of gravity...
A:
Originally Posted by catapult
If Hammond turns out to be ok I wouldn't be surprised if they air that episode. I think it would remind people that racing will always have an element of danger not matter what safety precautions you take. To drive a 300 mph car you gotta know what you're doing. Does anyone know what sort of driver training/experience these guys had before Top Gear?
When Hammond rolled that van in the last series I did get a little uneasy, although they joked about it. I think this jet car may sadly have been pushing it a little.
A:
He's getting better. Here's a nicely written article from clarkson with updates:
A:
What's the big deal about reaching 300MPH in a jet car. That happens every weekend at dragstrips all over America. I've seen plenty of 300MPH runs. I must not be understanding his class or something?
A:
It's just that it isn't common in the UK. Apparently the British Land Speed record was 300.3mph. They obviously can go faster (they hold the outright record with Thrust SSC), they've just never done it in on British soil.