[Closed] Top Gear in Argentina

Storm in a tea cup.

The things with numbers is they are either the same or they are not. Nearly doesn't really count.

[i]But.[/i]

I've always noticed that if people who want to look at numbers long enough they can always find some sort of connection to the point they're trying to make.

"Ah, but the number plate had 487 on it and if you multiply the 4 and the 8 and then add 7 zeros it's within a billion or so of the number of blades of grass that the Falkland Islands have on them"

etc etc

@wwaswas your post needs a picture of Carol Voederman

[i]@wwaswas your post needs a picture of Carol Voederman [/i]

Carol, earlier;

[img] [/img]

Never mind about the Falkvinas. Pay yer debts yer bleedin slackers.

My reg plate has a 10 in it which is close to the number of aircrew in a Vulcan. Previous one was 54 which is not exactly the number of miles that the Marines yomped.

I think the H982 FKL has been deliberate.

The other 2 are just nonsense. If you were going to do it, then why not get number plates that actually match?

That's nothing. I have a 56 in my number plate... Only a fool wouldn't see the link to the inaugural Eurovision contest won by those crafty Swiss songsmiths!

Surely it's Malvinas in Argentina so MLV would have been the offensive letters, no?

As an accountant, this sort of thinking would make my job so much easier..

"What do you mean it's not the right number? It's A number, that'll do, surely?"

I'm completely jaded by the 'Top Gear Bantz' that has been the hallmark of the recent series and don't doubt for a second that the three of them would have filled the segment with tired stereotypes and so on, but this,

"Local councillor Juan Manuel Romano said the digits 269 on the number plate of the Ford Mustang Mustang Richard Hammond was driving were close to the 255 Britons killed during the 1982 war. He added that the numbers 646 on James May's Lotus could be taken as a reference to the 649 Argentinian casualties."

Is definitely reaching.

That being said, if Clarkson came round my gaff I'd find any excuse to 'expel' him as well.

Surely it's Malvinas in Argentina so MLV would have been the offensive letters, no?

Not really, no. It's broadly equivalent to wandering around Mumbai calling it 'Bombay'.

Would it be hard to check the history of that Porsche - if it's been re-registered in the last few months then it's deliberate.

If not - then they've gone to a lot of trouble to locate a car with that reg.

Apparently a Porsche of that model was originally registered with that plate in 1990.

It would be disappointing if they were deliberately trying to wind the Argentinians up. I hope not as it's a great place to visit and the jingoism reflects badly on all Brits.

They deliberately try to wind up everyone, it's what they do. I wouldn't be worrying yourself over it though.

The amount of planning that goes into the Top Gear programmes is huge. H982 FKL is far too close to 1982 Falklands for it to be a coincidence, they probably even tipped off the locals so as to get a news story......... 🙄

They love that kind of thing. Provoking then getting chased around by hicks in southern USA was the most entertaining thing on that particular show.

At least he didn't drive a 911 through ****stan.

One time Hammond drove a Volvo V70 with the numberplate DFM across Scotland- we soon realised it was a reference to the Deep Fried Marsbar. So we ate his car.

As above - other two numbers - meh - H982 is much more considered, even get the patriotic 'H' bit into it too..

top gear bottle it in argentina oh the ironing

h982fkl

registered 30/05/91 to Porsche 928 gt grey 4957cc petrol

If only this wasn't contrived publicity seeking; if only the TG * can't say that word here * faced a long footsore walk along a deserted pampas highway...

Vehicle details

Vehicle make PORSCHE
Date of first registration 30 May 1991
Year of manufacture 1991
Cylinder capacity (cc) 4957cc
CO?Emissions Not available
Fuel type PETROL
Export marker No
Vehicle status Tax not due
Vehicle colour GREY

Taken from the Vehicle enquiry service [url= https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/ ]HERE[/url]

Seems like genuine enough info. FKL originates in the Maidstone area IIRC and the age is right for an H reg car.

Septic peg would be proud of some of the tenuous links to numbers and letters made there.

Of all the cars with all of the reg numbers, TG chose that one.

bbc news now reporting the red car was smashed up by angry locals, hope it was insured.Licence fee money and all that.

Should have used

[img] [/img]

First the Mexicans, now the Argies.

Shouldn't have provoked them...but to be fair they have been getting a bit bolshie in the last couple of year's about the Falklands.

"Local councillor Juan Manuel Romano said the digits 269 on the number plate of the Ford Mustang Mustang Richard Hammond was driving were close to the 255 Britons killed during the 1982 war. He added that the numbers 646 on James May's Lotus could be taken as a reference to the 649 Argentinian casualties."

This just makes him look daft.

johndoh - Member
Apparently a Porsche of that model was originally registered with that plate in 1990.

According to the news on BBC radio this evening the car has had that plate since 2001 and it last changed hands this year. Coincidence and Argentine paranoia, I think.

Not that I'm suggesting the TG team is above stirring it.

Wait until the edit. What's the chances of the H being partially obscured?

According to the news on BBC radio this evening the car has had that plate since 2001 and it last changed hands this year. Coincidence and Argentine paranoia, I think.

You really honestly think that?

anagallis_arvensis - Member
According to the news on BBC radio this evening the car has had that plate since 2001 and it last changed hands this year. Coincidence and Argentine paranoia, I think.
You really honestly think that?

Don't know, don't really care: just what was on the radio on the way home.

Does it really matter? Just another example of stupid Brits bating foreigners, maybe. There's plenty of that going on.

Does a new series start soon?

If they Argentinians don't want to be upset by Top Gear driving around with a slightly inappropriate reg number on a Porche, , they shouldn't have invaded the Falklands in 1982.

To be fair they started it.

I'm not clicking on that.

Please tell me some of the stones/rocks/gravel actually hit him?
🙂

Meh

[IMG] [/IMG]

Not really, no. It's broadly equivalent to wandering around Mumbai calling it 'Bombay'.

Not really, no.

It's "broadly equivalent" to driving round Mumbai in a car with the reg plate H982 BMY ?

Read his account of the incident in the Sunday Times.

It appears that the offending number plate was removed whilst in Chile after it was pointed out on Twitter that it may be inappropriate.

Looks like they are going to use the footage for a Christmas Special.

Sounds like it was a prety nasty incident but they should get some decent viewing figures from it.

Coincidence my arse. The trouble with the Argentinians is they don't understand that it's just a joke. If they understood the character that Clarkson was playing I'm sure they would have laughed along.

Top gear pillocks.

Well according to the DVLC website, H982 FKL is on a Porsche, tax due May 2015, MOT due June 2015.

Richmars beat me to it.
😉

And only £230 a year to tax it!

Sounds like it was a prety nasty incident but they should get some decent viewing figures from it.

Sounded pretty horrific.

speckledbob - Member
The trouble with the Argentinians is they don't understand that it's just a joke

So some Germans coming over dressed as Nazis, parading a V2 round London for instance, would be seen as a joke here?

I think that's a reaonable position for the Argentinians. I for one don't get his "jokes" about driving and cyclists, I imagine those who have lost loved ones in such situations may also struggle.

Clarkson is a role model for the mouth-frothing Mail-reading car-worshipping drivers who give us all grief on the roads and take lives with next to no punishment.

So some Germans coming over dressed as Nazis, parading a V2 round London for instance, would be seen as a joke here?

Would you threaten to kill them?

Would you throw stones through their car windows?

Anyway, he didn't even have that number plate on his car in Argentina.

He may be a cock but it sounds as if it went a bit too far.

So some Germans coming over dressed as Nazis, parading a V2 round London for instance, would be seen as a joke here?

Is that even [b]similar[/b] to having an almost relevant three letter combination on a number plate ?

Or did you just overdo the "comparison" a bit maybe 🙄

So some Germans coming over dressed as Nazis, parading a V2 round London for instance, would be seen as a joke here?

Ah yes, i remember the 7th seaborne armoured Porsche 944 division valiantly driving into Stanley to liberate the town.

I may be confused though - I was only 6 months old at the time

So some Germans coming over dressed as Nazis, parading a V2 round London for instance, would be seen as a joke here?

So some Germans coming over dressed as Nazis, parading a V2 round London for instance, would be seen as a joke here?

Achtung !!

People object to Clarkson getting run out of town?

I think its utterly ridiculous. SO focused on the Falklands. The Argentinean government has just doubled public spending again. Its crackers, yet instead of the people turning on the government they are led and focused onto an island. If they got it and it was full of oil.

The Argentinean government would drive round in solid gold cars and still be heading to bankrupcy.

They are so far into debt its unreal.

Whats interesting- the Government subsidises the prices of heating, electricity, public transport etc at a fraction of the cost to the electorate. Its barking but like the Falklands - its all designed to deflect interest in the economy.

Whether TG did it intentional or not. I'm guessing here that it was a happy coincidence and the producers decided to go with it and that'd it'd stay oblivious to the locals but they could get a joke in their mid-program.

I think they are idiots. I love watching the old circa 2004 TG's- still cutting but interesting and funny reviews. Its now turned into 'look we've got a automatic fast car for old men'. Try and spot the manuals they use nowadays..

Hora in 'it was better in my day' shocker

Their best overseas jaunt for me was across Syria. Still full of idiocracy but hey.

Idiocy?

Botswana was the best

I kinda didn't believe a old lowered 850 T5 could last without daily major mechanical intervention behind the scenes. Just stretched it a wee bit.

So some Germans coming over dressed as Nazis, parading a V2 round London for instance, would be seen as a joke here?

We've got Prince Harry to do that sort of thing, better still considering his "heritage".

So some Germans coming over dressed as Nazis, parading a V2 round London for instance, would be seen as a joke here?

Yes, good comparison. 🙄

German Top Gear, or Hochste Gear or whatever it's called, driving around in a Mercedes with the registration V2 BOM would be more equivalent. I don't think we'd stone them.

German Top Gear, or Hochste Gear or whatever it's called, driving around in a Mercedes with the registration V2 BOM would be more equivalent. I don't think we'd stone them.

It's more like German Top Gear driving through France with V2 BOM as a reg and then taking it off before they cross the Channel into England.

The Porsche didn't have that reg when it was in Argentina.

I think the issue was less with the number plate but the presence of Jeremy Clarkson. If I saw him I'd be looking for something to throw at him.

It's more like German Top Gear driving through France with V2 BOM as a reg and then taking it off before they cross the Channel into England.

And in a Ferrari, rather than a Mercedes.

[i]Pook - Member
Hora in 'it was better in my day' shocker [/i]

I will admit that TG made me laugh when I saw the log GC was towing behind his BMW, bounce high into the air and then proceeded to gain entry to the car's interior via the tailgate window. The space shuttle reliant robin, was mildy interesting. When reminded of that episode, I wonder what would have happened if the exploding bolts had actually worked (IIRC that was the reason for failure of the task)
Midly amusing Buffonery, if that's your thing.

TG today, is just a program about three middle aged idiots, pratting about, usually in, around, with, cars. I view it as a strange sort of comedy show, rather than a car review program.
In the end, the GF use to like to watch TG, for a laugh, while I went and did something else.
😐

Botswana was the best

Nah. The Bolivian one was by far the best.

Its now turned into 'look we've got a automatic fast car for old men'. Try and spot the manuals they use nowadays..

the GF use to like to watch TG, for a laugh, while I went and did something else.

I often fall asleep whilst TG is on and wake up with mrshora having switched over to something else.

It's "broadly equivalent" to driving round Mumbai in a car with the reg plate H982 BMY ?

Or maybe H944 BMY?

Let's be honest, there are a few "facts" here.
- TG chose the number plate deliberately as a "joke" (it was a fortunate coincidence for them that they found a car with the "right" number plate)
- The Argies rather overreacted
- TG are loving what this will do for their viewing figures (-1 here - haven't watched TG since Jezza showed his true colours regarding cyclists)

Anyway, he didn't even have that number plate on his car in Argentina.

Er, yes he did - they went to Chile after already having gone through Argentina, and it appears from the initial story that the car never made it to Chile anyway.

Yup my analogy was extreme, but we are a reserved society, unlike the spicy Spanish speakers, and I referred to a war we won rather than an ongoing territorial dispute the Argentinians feel justified and aggrieved about.

My point is... everyone is keen to say "aw it's OK, it went too far, poor JC"...rather than accept they have some responsibility AND JC also has responsibility for propogating an anti-cyclist approach among car drivers.

Of course it went too far, but WTF were they expecting?

TG chose the number plate deliberately as a "joke" (it was a fortunate coincidence for them that they found a car with the "right" number plate)

Is that a fact?

Cynic-al. Just to be clear I was having a dig at people who insist it's all just his persona, a character that he plays. It's not. He really is a pillock as I stated later in that post.

It's a "fact", njee - it would seem an incredible coincidence that there wasn't some significance behind it - particularly given it was Jezza driving the Porsche, which isn't what you'd have normally expected him to choose.

I think the issue was less with the number plate but the presence of Jeremy Clarkson. If I saw him I'd be looking for something to throw at him.

Now then.

In a carefully crafted advertising opportunity, the fourth ****wit, Andy Gilman, has denied any deliberate intent:

[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29581183 ]We really, genuinely think you're stupid enough to believe anything we tell you.[/url]

It's genius really isn't it?

They hadn't noticed the number plate, but had another set of plates that spelled "be11 end" in the boot anyway, I suppose they hadn't noticed the possible double meaning of that either.

Of course, there is another way of avoiding later embarrassment about failed military interventions.......

(which is not to invade another nations sovereign territory and then be surprised when you get your ass handed to you on a plate by the enormously more capable military forces of said country)

Why does he keep doing it though?
The slope remark in Myanmar, the 'eeny meeny' thing.
Even if you think these are just for laughs - why bother, because they're not remotely funny.

He's the Dawkins of motoring.

boxelder - Member

Why does he keep doing it though?

Because a significant percentage of those who watch TG enjoy a bit of lighthearted xenophobia?

It's like Tourettes - he can't help himself.

Because a significant percentage of those who watch TG enjoy a bit of lighthearted xenophobia?

Because a significant percentage of people who watch Top Gear don't know what xenophobia is ,or how to spell it.

probably