WTF : Car owner blames Hammond for crash

[Jabba]

"Jet car owner blames Richard Hammond for the high-speed crash

The owner of the jet car involved in a high-speed crash which nearly claimed the life of Richard Hammond appears on Monday to lay the blame for the accident on the Top Gear presenter.

Dramatic footage of the crash clearly showed the car's right front tyre shredded following a blowout as Hammond tore down an airfield runway at speeds approaching 300mph.

He appeared to lose control of the dragster, which veered off the runway on to the grass before overturning.

But on Sunday's Sun newspaper, Colin Fallows suggested Hammond was to some extent to blame for the crash by "failing to adhere to the briefing".

He said: "Mr Hammond had a puncture and carried on with the tyre deflated", adding that Hammond "stood on the brakes" after the blowout.

He said: "Once these cars are in motion you don't touch the brakes. You stay on the prescribed line and should always be aware of the unexpected.

"By failing to adhere to the briefing, what would have been a controllable incident ended in a major accident."

The BBC and Mr Fallows' firm, Primetime Landspeed Engineering, may be prosecuted for failing to take due care, the paper said.

On Sunday night dramatic footage of the 288mph crash was shown for the first time.

Aired on Top Gear's first show of the new series, it revealed the 36-year-old's miraculous escape when he crashed while filming a stunt for the programme in September."

[blinkmeat]

Well this should be interesting

[cooperluke]

Hum.. strange... why only now the guy says this???

[Mattk]

^Obvious. He may be prosecuted and needs to shift blame. Furthermore, the BBC might sue him. He's also probably going to sue the BBC.

[Jabba]

Yep exactly, trying to "pass the buck" sadly for him though, the video footage proves otherwise IMO.

OK so maybe he should have opened the chutes instead of hitting the brakes, but in the split second it all happened that would have been everyones natural reaction.

In anycase I cant see what could have been done to make it anything other than a very serious accident, the fact he is still alive and in good health would surely mean it was a good outcome for such an horrific "accident" and in that case perhaps he did do the right thing after all.

[saadie]

i cant believe this

[Mattk]

In anycase I cant see what could have been done to make it anything other than a very serious accident, the fact he is still alive and in good health would surely mean it was a good outcome for such an horrific "accident" and in that case perhaps he did do the right thing after all.

Indeed. Hammond has recovered. In any case, there was no reason for him to say this in public. If there is to be investigation into the possibility of prosecution, the facts would come out. If it was Hammond's fault, well, so be it. No need to try and tarnish people unnecessarily.

[McLaren4eVa]

Originally Posted by Jabba Yep exactly, trying to "pass the buck" sadly for him though, the video footage proves otherwise IMO. OK so maybe he should have opened the chutes instead of hitting the brakes, but in the split second it all happened that would have been everyones natural reaction. In any case I cant see what could have been done to make it anything other than a very serious accident, the fact he is still alive and in good health would surely mean it was a good outcome for such an horrific "accident" and in that case perhaps he did do the right thing after all.

Yup, like Hammond said it was 0.4 seconds between the tyre shredding and the accident.

[Stoopie]

LOL Jeremy already said this at the end of the show, why didn't you notice the tire being ruptured while driving Anyway, let's just wait and see what happens next!

[draak666]

If setting a landspeed record is 99.99% safe anyone would have a go. Unfortunately chances that it goes wrong are big. I'm sure everybody tried their best it making this succeed, but unfortunately the project failed. Agreements for this case should have been madeon beforehand.

If one party needs to be blamed, I'd say it's the tyre company, but I doubt they guaranteed that the tyre would last at that speed. So IMO, no need to blame anyone.

[dutchmasterflex]

Sucks how legal issues always have to come into play... I hope everything works out so no legal action is necessary.. Everyone should just be glad he's still alive.

[TNT]

what a fucking sue happy idiot. i am not totally sure on how the legal system works in England, but i really don't think that will even get off the ground in the court room.

[TopGearNL]

Yeah sure, what a moron. Everybody can clearly see it wasn't his fault. And if it was Hammonds fault then he wasn't instructed well and that comes down to the owner... :roll:

[RC45]

I'll be the odd one out here - in a way, Hamster was driving, and as the driver it kinda is always your fault.

Then again I am one of the folks who thinks he shouldn't have done the run to begin with - it was a huge risk to take.

[saadie]

^ true

just like putting him in the car with all that electricity running through it, seeing if the car dose better in below freezing conidiotns or humans ... :roll:

this one is the worst imo .... what kind of record were they gonna make anyway ... they wanted to beat the thrust ssc or what ? .. :roll: