RE: Top Gear Crash
Friday 20th June 2003
Top Gear Crash
BBC smash up a Megane to prove how safe it is
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Is Top Gear getting a bit obsessed with smashing things up? You might think so given the latest feature that they've recorded.
They set up a crash test using a real driver rather than a dummy and the results will be screened on BBC2 on Sunday at 8pm.
The idea was to show how safe a car is that has scored the maximum 5-star rating in the independent EuroNCAP crash test programme. A Renault Megane was used - the only 5-star car in the lower-medium family hatch market to get five stars from NCAP.
Co-Presenter Richard Hammond commented, "We on Top Gear wanted to remind people that safety should be one of the top reasons for a family car buying decision."
"What we wanted to show is what it means for a human driver to crash in a safe car, like the Renault Mégane. The added advantage was that we could get live feedback from our driver about what it felt like to hit another car at around 30mph. The results are just amazing and prove how strong a 5-star EuroNCAP car is."
Discussion
That picture shows the Megane hitting an old Mondeo side on. What a load of tosh - they knew the Mondeo didn't have dedent side impact like a newer model and that this would show the least damage to the Megane. They should have crashed it head on at 30-40mph like Quentin and Tiff did a few months ago on 5th Gear. It should have come out better than the Mondeo even then.
Oh well, at least thats another Megane off the road. I've never known more of a numpty wagon than a Megane Scenic.
Oh well, at least thats another Megane off the road. I've never known more of a numpty wagon than a Megane Scenic.
swilly said:
Ah i feel much safer now that Renault have produced a car that allows the driver to crash into me in a more safe manner. 
Why all the emphasise on being able to safely crash?
Isn't crashing inherently danegrous?
Why not emphasise the 'not crashing' bit?
Well said that man
There seems to be an assumption amongst the general public that crashing is inevitable.
PetrolTed said:
Ah i feel much safer now that Renault have produced a car that allows the driver to crash into me in a more safe manner.
Why all the emphasise on being able to safely crash?
Isn't crashing inherently danegrous?
Why not emphasise the 'not crashing' bit?
Well said that man
There seems to be an assumption amongst the general public that crashing is inevitable.
Well given the sheer volume of idiots out there, it's hardly surprising is it...
Good point though. What they should have done is gone through the full cycle... better driving technique, car control... use of electronic systems (eg ABS) and THEN what to do in a crash...
Podie said:
swilly said:
Ah i feel much safer now that Renault have produced a car that allows the driver to crash into me in a more safe manner.
Why all the emphasise on being able to safely crash?
Isn't crashing inherently danegrous?
Why not emphasise the 'not crashing' bit?
Well said that man
There seems to be an assumption amongst the general public that crashing is inevitable.
Well given the sheer volume of idiots out there, it's hardly surprising is it...
Good point though. What they should have done is gone through the full cycle... better driving technique, car control... use of electronic systems (eg ABS) and THEN what to do in a crash...
You forget that TG is now trying to appeal to "the masses". Sod the enthusiast, just please the numpties and get those viewing figures up
. Its impossible to crash a Renault Megane anyway.
Its so damm ugly any driver will make sure not to be anywhere near you as you drive down the road
Wa going to make a comment but it's all been said already.
TG rubbish.
This just shows the tosspots out there that they can crash quite readily and safely, so will drive nearer the edge.
Hit an older car with lesser saide protection, in its softest place. Why not just crash it into Clarksons head!!
TG rubbish.
This just shows the tosspots out there that they can crash quite readily and safely, so will drive nearer the edge.
Hit an older car with lesser saide protection, in its softest place. Why not just crash it into Clarksons head!!
Just had a funny thought.
Fast forward fifty years, we are all driving cars that are now designed to bump into each other without danger of injury OR damage to the other cars........just like the dodgems....bump Doh!!....bump Doh!!....bump Doh!!.....bump Doh!!.
Edited by Homer
>> Edited by swilly on Friday 20th June 12:41
Fast forward fifty years, we are all driving cars that are now designed to bump into each other without danger of injury OR damage to the other cars........just like the dodgems....bump Doh!!....bump Doh!!....bump Doh!!.....bump Doh!!.
Edited by Homer
>> Edited by swilly on Friday 20th June 12:41
swilly said:A man after my own heart!
Why all the emphasise on being able to safely crash?
Isn't crashing inherently danegrous?
Why not emphasise the 'not crashing' bit?
Primary safety should be the priority. Instead we seem destined to a future where everyone toddles around slowly bashing into each other at will - safely. Unless you happen to choose to walk or ride a bike, in which case you'll fully appreciate all the safety advances of modern vehicles as TWICE AS MUCH metal bears into you.
I blame Volvo myself, they started it.
"Sorry mate I didn't see you ... no, you're right, I wasn't looking. Didn't hurt me though."
Hughesie2 said:
[quote]
Its impossible to crash a Renault Megane anyway.
Its so damm ugly any driver will make sure not to be anywhere near you as you drive down the road
And an 8 year old Fiesta is a much more attractive option isnt it
[/quote] Of course it is!
You can never achieve enough speed to crash
eddited to say: I cant get used to this new quote thing!
>> Edited by robp on Friday 20th June 19:17
safe car? ALL cars are safe - it's the tossers behind the wheel that are dangerous. Fancy running the Megane into the side of an old Mondeo at 30mph - been more interesting to see the old Mondeo being run into the side of the (hunchback-not hatchback) Megane or even more interesting to have seen the 'live' dummy run the Megane into the Mondeo at a more usual speed, say 70 - 80mph - bet he wouldn't do it again!!
All bloody pointless and just to hammer up viewing figures. What REALLY worries me is these dickheads keep harping on about 'safe' cars and backed up by manufacturers who drole out adverts like braking and steering at speed and missing 3000 individual frogs crossing the road. Don't these prats realise the message they are giving dickheads? "Oh yaah, we have a new Volvo, weel never get keeled on the roood, itts soooo safe" They died 10 minutes later after causing a mass pile up, when a baby rabbit run out on to the motorway and Mr Volvo doing what comes naturally hit the brakes as hard as he could, spun violently, hit 3 other vehicles, crossed the central reservation and was hit by a braking jacknifing Daf artic (largest in the world) which sent the Volvo over the armco, crashing down on the nearby railway line and was hit by the 9.30 Express which derailed hitting the underpass and killing 62 passengers and train driver.
Safe cars... unsafe drivers.
All bloody pointless and just to hammer up viewing figures. What REALLY worries me is these dickheads keep harping on about 'safe' cars and backed up by manufacturers who drole out adverts like braking and steering at speed and missing 3000 individual frogs crossing the road. Don't these prats realise the message they are giving dickheads? "Oh yaah, we have a new Volvo, weel never get keeled on the roood, itts soooo safe" They died 10 minutes later after causing a mass pile up, when a baby rabbit run out on to the motorway and Mr Volvo doing what comes naturally hit the brakes as hard as he could, spun violently, hit 3 other vehicles, crossed the central reservation and was hit by a braking jacknifing Daf artic (largest in the world) which sent the Volvo over the armco, crashing down on the nearby railway line and was hit by the 9.30 Express which derailed hitting the underpass and killing 62 passengers and train driver.
Safe cars... unsafe drivers.
The feature on Top Gear did not compare the damage to the old car to the damage done to the Megane. It was mearly indicating what a safe small car the Megane was and well done Renault. Which frankly is fair enough.
And the overwhelming opinion in this thread seems to be that safety is a bad thing - so do I assume that you all disagree with seatbelts and roll cages in cars, along with crash helmets and leathers for motorcyclists?
And the overwhelming opinion in this thread seems to be that safety is a bad thing - so do I assume that you all disagree with seatbelts and roll cages in cars, along with crash helmets and leathers for motorcyclists?
The BBC make programs. That's all there is to it. If this little stunt gets everyone talking about it then they have provided entertainment.
It's suprising how much Top Gear gets slagged off on PH, but we keep on watching it don't we.
The debate should be about how wisely they are spending our license fees. The Mondeo was probably used because it was a cheap car from a scrapy. Most viewers probably didn't even notice it.
It's suprising how much Top Gear gets slagged off on PH, but we keep on watching it don't we.
The debate should be about how wisely they are spending our license fees. The Mondeo was probably used because it was a cheap car from a scrapy. Most viewers probably didn't even notice it.
GingerNinja said:
The feature on Top Gear did not compare the damage to the old car to the damage done to the Megane. It was mearly indicating what a safe small car the Megane was and well done Renault. Which frankly is fair enough.
And the overwhelming opinion in this thread seems to be that safety is a bad thing - so do I assume that you all disagree with seatbelts and roll cages in cars, along with crash helmets and leathers for motorcyclists?
Got to say I agree with you!!!
Last month I hired a car in ibiza for 2 weeks and yes it was a new megane.... so if a mondeo or similar had pulled out on me I would have been ok but not so good in a free lander....
How many stars has a TVR or S2000 or Boxsters ????? are we safer in a megane?????
who knows the answers
Whole European Type Approval (or some-such phrase) crash testing is mandatory for production cars, Euroncap is an FIA initiative to test cars to a higher level than that required by law, so not every car has been tested. Some manufacturers produce cars in such small numbers that they can get away with an extended sva test instead-this enables TVR and others to avoid cripplingly expensive tests. Oddly, the Morgan Aero has been crash tested as Radshape wanted a test bed for their aluminium bonding technology.
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