Posted By Ron Young He's an entertainer and good at it as well. It's his style to provoke a response and he'll be laughing at transport 2000 and all the way to the bank... This reminds me, did we ever invite Jeremy to this years IOSH conference for the debate with Lawrence and if so, what was the reply?

Posted By Bill Bircham Here’s a thought that is perhaps worth exploring. Our entertainer Jeremy has his own show, how about if Lawrence offered to debate with him there, on his own turf, where he feels comfortable and has an element of control. He may go for it given the fact that he needs to generate media coverage to get paid, IOSH would benefit from showing us “safety police” as generally a sane bunch. Regards Bill

Posted By Bill Bircham Coming back to the article from T2000, I have just read it. I must say that this is exactly the sort of coverage that gives Jeremy fuel to attack us with. I believe that Transport 2000 have made an error in calling for the programme to be changed or removed. It is entertainment pure and simple. Yes, it may appeal to a certain type of viewer, yes it may not be the most PC programme on TV, but is that a reason to ban it? As a public service broadcaster, the BBC does have a duty to promote all things sensible, but also has a duty to provide value for our license fee and give the people what they want to see. The fact that the programme is still going suggests that the formula is winning, so rather than remove it, why cannot Transport 2000 work with the BBC to produce a balancing programme. The viewing figure comparison would be interesting. I also felt that the article seemed to wander around a number of issues, Women drivers, Boy racers, Ecological damage, Public Transport, Pollution and to my mind ended up sounding like nothing except a whinge and an attack on Jeremy himself, especially with comments like “If we must have Jeremy Clarkson on the television” In summary, perhaps spokesperson for Transport 2000 Steve Hounsham should consider their right to impose their will over what we watch on us. Regards Bill

Posted By John Allen Transport 2000 are a pressure group. In some respects they are no different from IOSH; just as we campaign for safer conditions for those at work they campaign for safer and more environmentally responsible transport. Clarkson is an entertainer on a public service broadcasting channel. He gets his money from the licence fee we all have no choice in paying. I am not a member of Transport 2000 but I think they have as much right to express their views on TV programmes as anyone else especially when it comes to their area of interest.

Posted By Seth Pierce Just read the article... Someone's having a laugh!!! Third gear? Why not just scrap the car programme format and tell evry one to go on the train or a bike. What a load of rubbish...If you don't like the programme don't watch it. My view is that some people like to moan about anything and everything they can think of. Surelt there are more important things to be concerned about than Jeremy Clarkson!!! GET A LIFE Long live Ferraris and all associated fast cars

Posted By Jonathan Breeze So what do you suggest, a return to the public service films of the 1950's? I must admit having read the T2000 article, I thought they'd shot themselves in the foot. While they are essentially correct in all their points, it was so humourless I ended up feeling sorry for the presenters of Top Gear.

Posted By Paul Hay Just read the article and I agree with some of the other postings that this sort of attitude does more harm than good. It is a TV programme that is designed to entertain and not educate. If we try to remove every programme that we feel encourages unsafe, unhealthy etc. behaviour then TV would be even less entertaining than it already is. Lets get rid of food and drink programmes because eating and drinking too much is bad for you. Lets get rid of computer game programmes because sitting on your bottom playing these games all day is bad for you. Lets get rid of horse racing programmes because gambling is bad for you etc. etc. Third gear? I bet Mr Clarkson is in hysterics!

Posted By Aidan Toner We NEED Clarkson - he serves a most useful function by being 'in the faces' of H/S and Enviro professionals. -He is a charismatic figure,he speaks passionatly about the high risk buzz factor, he thrives on calls to 'ban him' or 'restrict him'. Clarkson is quick to attack the risk assessments of others (generally poor technical ones which have failed to consult widely and be objective) yet he himself fails to enter into the business of formal risk assessment making. He applies the logic, it's MY risk so go away and leave ME alone. Clarkson comes unstuck on two points. Firstly his glamourous world is only possible in conjuction with a plethora of high tech risk assessment findings and devised physical control measures.(NB-Clarkson sees a parachute as an essential piece of kit for skydiving, a H/S professional and indeed a more cautious member of the public sees a parachute as a naturally engineered control to get out of a faulty plane) Secondly and possibly more importantly, Clarkson comes unstuck when he brings his slick vehicles off the test track and onto the highway. WE ,the public, are then obliged to share in his risk taking (implied or proclaimed) . Jeremy must then be challenged by the world of H/S and the public generally, to state HIS risk assessment findings and proposed controls such that WE and not HIM, remain safe. If H/S professionals or other concerned groups, try to downplay any aspect of the buzz factor or over-egg the risk, Jeremy wins again.!!!!

Posted By Ron Young Each sketch could end with him suffering a horrible and painful death - just for a laugh! Two wrongs don't make a right!

Posted By Jonathan Breeze He, he! I can see the next series of Top Gear starting somthing like this: Jeremy - One of our researchers found the following posted about me on the internet thingy; "...My view is the man is a complete **!!. We should ridicule him. "I think we should persuade Little Britain to do a caricature of the man. A curly-haired loudmouthed public school boy with a midlife crises who laughs in the face of risk. "Each sketch could end with him suffering a horrible and painful death - just for a laugh!" Now we noticed the poster had the same surname as you Richard, you wouldn't happen to know anything about it would you? [Cue camera zooms in on Richard Hammond who desperately tries to deny everything while Jeremy & James look at him accusingly] Jeremy - So what we decided to do is send Richard to crash test the latest "green" cars. [Picture changes to test track with Sinclair C5, Milk Float & bicycle lined up together. At the end of the track is a brick wall with a cardboard cutout of Steve Hounsham (Transport 2000) on it... ...Net result - safety & environment get ridiculed (again!), nasty vehicles get trashed, Richard Hammond gets humiliated, Jeremy gets to spout off (again)] All in all a classic Top Gear moment has been created - and on this website folks!

Posted By Richard L I for one would be up for that but not in the reasonably priced car. Bring on one of those gas guzzling 160 mph+ “oh no I’ve done it in my pants again” Aston Martin DB9’s Some of the sad “lets hug a tree” brigade really ought to get a life. Richard

Posted By Renny Thomson I suppose the following lifted from Transport 2000's website could be viewed as showing they have a sense of humour. However, I suspect they might actually believe it themselves... First details of Third Gear, the new responsible motoring programme to replace Top Gear, now released... Transport 2000 has produced ideas for the first couple of episodes of the new all-green alternative to Top Gear, currently the focus of a campaign to send it to the scrapyard to be recycled into Third Gear. Third Gear will have viewers in stitches on Sunday evening but leave them making responsible transport choices on Monday morning. The new all-green replacement for Top Gear will promote sensible driving in sensible vehicles, rather than madcap dashes to Switzerland in a speeding Ferrari, tank-like rampages across sensitive peat bogs in a 4x4 and deliberate collisions with trees to test the strength of front bumpers. It will replace Top Gear’s two-fingered ‘salute’ to the environment, road safety and other road users like cyclists, with a friendly embrace. It short, it will be devoted to encouraging responsible motoring based on less environmentally damaging cars, considerate and safety-conscious driving, and thorough exploration of alternatives to the car. But Jeremy Clarkson could still present the new show because, let’s face it, his face is as much a fixture on the television screen as Tony the Tiger’s is on a packet of Frosties. And he does have his strengths. He is amusing, in a laddish sort of way, and falls into the “I’ll do anything to get on TV” mould which makes for entertaining viewing. But he has his drawbacks. The damaging emissions from the over-powered cars he likes to drive are frequently matched by those from his own mouth, which knows no boundaries. And he comes across as yobbish; he is to responsible driving behaviour what a bag of chips is to haute cuisine. But Third Gear gives him the chance to present a new image: the greener, more caring Jeremy, willing to slow down for old ladies crossing the road and perhaps even to stop to help the odd cyclist mend a puncture. But there is no reason for him not to be funny in presenting Third Gear’s more responsible take on cars, and transport in general. Here is the running order for the first two editions of Third Gear, the first to be broadcast on 5 June, World Environment Day, with the follow up a week later during Green Transport Week/Bike Week. •Jeremy test drives a range of new ‘shopper’ bicycles and assesses the advantages of front basket over rear rack. He takes a trip to his local organic food store and stocks up on green lentils, brown rice and mung beans before stacking them carefully on his bike for the journey home along traffic-calmed Liverpool Road in north London. Once he gets home, he measures the amount of lentils, rice and beans left in the bags before cooking himself a nutritious meal. •Jeremy is invited by Transport for London to “see it from the bus driver’s point of view” and operate the No. 19 bus through the heart of London during the morning rush hour. Jeremy begins to appreciate considerate behaviour from motorists and is pleasantly surprised by the comfortable, value for money journey he provides for his passengers. •Jeremy tests out national rail and the London Tube by taking his Brompton folding bicycle from his home in the Cotswolds to Westminster Station, where he joins a demonstration outside Parliament calling for the Government to do more to improve public transport. On the way, he harangues and lampoons train and Tube representatives on why they make it so difficult for people with cycles to use public transport. •Jeremy drives from London to Paris in a Smart Car, while colleagues try out Eurostar and a plane journey. On arrival at the Eiffel Tower, they all fill large balloons with gas to represent the amount of carbon dioxide their journeys have pumped into the atmosphere. Jeremy and his train-travelling colleague go away with a green halo and get to keep the balloons. •Jeremy spends a week living in a flat alongside the commuter racetrack that is the A40 West Way in west London. He comes out with a headache on the seventh day and stops a motorist at random with a list of alternatives for making the journey. The driver finally agrees, under the stare of the cameras, that the next day he will catch the train from Oxford or look at the daily coach service. Jeremy takes two aspirin and heads back to the Cotswolds to recover. •Jeremy joins a police mobile speed camera unit on a dangerous section of the A1 in North Yorkshire. As the police wave drivers into the layby, Jeremy approaches to gently remonstrate with the speeders and sign them up for an advanced driver safety course. Later he joins a demonstration in which 3500 people lie on the road (which his new police friends have kindly closed off) to represent the total death toll on Britain’s roads each year. Ten minutes later, he gets up with an oil stain on his jacket to turn to camera to say: “I was once a boy racer but today I have decided to join Transport 2000.”

Posted By Hilary Charlton Shame on you Phil - you write to Heather and then lobby for "Safety BLOKE in a reasonably price car", what's wrong with us safety gals?

Posted By Heather Aston Phil Not on our account please.... How would that look on the accident form? Actually I've never driven a Fiat Panda - it was just the first small car that popped into my head. Speaking from experience then, perhaps I should have said 1.4 litre Diesel Corsa sans turbocharger, which really is like driving a small underpowered tractor. No I've never had one, but I have had the dubious pleasure of drivin one several times. Heather

Posted By Heather Aston Of course you did Phil - what did you think I meant? You shouldn't have started the "little car" "big car" thingy - see where it leads.... TGIF Heather

Posted By Heather Aston Probably. I have a perfectly proportioned medium size car....... Heather what's the similarity between piles and a BMW? Sooner or later every a***hole gets them.

Posted By Phil.D.Baptiste Getting back to the Clarkson Effect, where movement happens before brain engages...oh no, I've turned into Dennis Norden...its just fun, even if he is a self opinionated, spoilt, arrogant, SoB, he has one saving grace, he's a Yorkshireman....whats more, he's a Yorkie' Pud who lives down south

Posted By Heather Aston "All done in the best POSSIBLE taste". No I know that wasn't the character, but it's the only one I remember. So John, what do you drive then? Company discount? Heather

Posted By Alan Osborne There is a really important issue at stake here. If we are to improve H&S we must get people like Clarkson on board. We made a huge mistake attacking him in the first place. He would be a very powerful ally of sensible health and safety risk management (which is surely what we all want?) and as such we should make further efforts to get him on board - how about it Lawrence? Alan Osborne

Posted By Hilary Charlton Well, on Friday night I watched Jeremy Clarkson host "Have I Got News For You" which was hysterically funny as usual. Whatever you might think of Jeremy Clarkson you do have to own that he is a consummate professional. He speaks proper English, he obviously did his homework before the quiz and is quite clearly a very intelligent man. Now I know that this has nothing to do with health and safety but it is refreshing to see a presenter who can hold the Hislop/Merton teams of "Have I Got News For You" together with apparent ease. So, for all his faults and failings I think we should be grateful for people like Jeremy Clarkson who bring a professionalism to our television shows which, sometimes these days, is sadly lacking.