Richard Hammond critically injured

Posted by: rob

Richard Hammond critically injured - 20/09/2006 19:49


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/5365676.stm

Elsewhere it was mentioned that he was driving the world land speed record holding car, so I guess that would be ThrustSSC. It's astonishing that a) the BBC considered it OK for its presenter to pilot what is effectively a missile on wheels, and b) that he had the guts to do it. It sounds bad but let's hope for the best.

Rob
Posted by: g_attrill

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 20/09/2006 19:51

It was the UK land speed record car, which Sky News says is Vampire, but some research shows is Split Second:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1234566,00.html
http://www.thule.co.uk/partners/blsr.asp

Very brave to drive it anyway, I hope he is ok.
Posted by: andy

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 20/09/2006 19:57

Looks like it wasn't ThrustSSC, but rather "a Vampire rocket car powered by a Rolls Royce Orpheus Jet Engine".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hammond

I too hope he'll pull through. Hammond, Clarkson and May made TV motoring entertaining again (despite some of their sillier features).
Posted by: rob

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 20/09/2006 20:01

OK that makes a bit more sense. Vampire and Split Second went head to head in June but I don't remember which one won it.

Rob
Posted by: CrackersMcCheese

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 20/09/2006 20:14

Knowing him, he'll be more worried about the record!

Hope 'The Hamster' gets well soon. Seems a really nice genuine bloke.
Posted by: SE_Sport_Driver

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 20/09/2006 22:29

I didn't know who he was until I clicked on the link... I really enjoy his shows and hope he makes a good recovery...
Posted by: CrackersMcCheese

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 21/09/2006 13:18

Posted by: tahir

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 21/09/2006 15:36

"significant brain injury" according to the Beeb

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/5367616.stm
Posted by: CrackersMcCheese

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 21/09/2006 16:48

All donations to the Air Ambulance Service will be appreciated!

http://www.justgiving.com/PHRichardHammond
Posted by: g_attrill

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 21/09/2006 18:10

Quote:
All donations to the Air Ambulance Service will be appreciated!

http://www.justgiving.com/PHRichardHammond


WOW - It was at £500 when I first saw the post on PH this morning, then £8,500 when I left work at 6. They posted a link on the BBC News site which must have helped a lot.
Posted by: CrackersMcCheese

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 21/09/2006 18:36

Its a shame it takes this kind of accident to occur before everyone starts donating. In a few weeks it'll have been forgotten about. Its a fecking disgrace they don't get any funding
Posted by: schofiel

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 21/09/2006 19:00

The latest news is that he has suffered "severe brain injuries".

This does not sound good.
Posted by: andy

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 21/09/2006 19:29

Actually, the most recent news is that the doctors are "reasonably optimistic" of him making a good recovery, which sounds a little more promising.
Posted by: rob

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 21/09/2006 20:20

Quote:
Its a shame it takes this kind of accident to occur before everyone starts donating. In a few weeks it'll have been forgotten about. Its a fecking disgrace they don't get any funding

It's an absolute scandal. The various air ambulance services around the UK save lives every day both by getting paramedics to scenes of accidents faster, and by getting patients to hospital faster and with less trauma. Most regions have a service, all of them sustained by donations - consider donating folks. You may need them some day.

Rob
Posted by: altman

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 22/09/2006 06:15

Quote:
The latest news is that he has suffered "severe brain injuries".

This does not sound good.


I'm guessing there's a subtle medical difference between "brain injuries" (which you can recover from) and "brain damage" which is brain injury that doesn't sort itself out. I can guess that rolling a long thing car many times at great speed probably does a serious job of knocking your head about.

Fingers crossed that he pulls through (and stays away from things more dangerous than VW campers turned into boats)

Hugo
Posted by: furtive

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 22/09/2006 07:32

Quote:
Actually, the most recent news is that the doctors are "reasonably optimistic" of him making a good recovery, which sounds a little more promising.


What's the definition of "a good recovery" though? Certainly doesn't sound like a "full recovery" unfortunately.
Posted by: tahir

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 22/09/2006 07:56

Quote:
What's the definition of "a good recovery" though? Certainly doesn't sound like a "full recovery" unfortunately.


Little point speculating at the mo IMO, let's just hope he makes a full recovery.

Back to the air ambulances, wonder if they got govt funding for the 7/7 bombings, I work virtually next door to London Hospital and there were choppers in the air virtually all day long.

Better find a link to donate to them.
Posted by: andy

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 22/09/2006 08:20

The London Air Ambulance is in fact partially funded by the NHS. They have an online donation form on their site:

http://www.londonsairambulance.org.uk/

About a dozen air ambulance accept donation through Just Giving, go to http://justgiving.com/ and search for "air ambulance".

P.S. Just Giving take a 5% transaction fee on every donation, but for small charities that is a more cost effective way of getting online donations than setting up their own system
Posted by: tahir

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 22/09/2006 08:27

Thanks Andy
Posted by: andy

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 22/09/2006 08:54

It is worth noting however, that even before the recent PistonHeads lead campaign, Yorkshire Air Ambulance does not seem to have a problem with getting the donations it needs. Last year for example they had £1,199,577 gross income with £967,246 of expenditure (which included buying a new helicopter) and they have £418,000 in reserves.

There are other areas that don't yet have an air ambulance.
Posted by: tahir

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 22/09/2006 15:21

BBC:
"Top Gear's James May says he is convinced his fellow presenter Richard Hammond is "perfectly intact" after a conversation at his hospital bedside.

Mr Hammond suffered a "significant brain injury" when he crashed a jet-powered car at a speed of up to 300mph during filming near York.

Mr May said it was not a long talk "but it was a conversation".

"I'm not a doctor but I am his mate and I believe that deep inside the Hammond I know is perfectly intact," he said."
Posted by: altman

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 23/09/2006 13:07

Latest news is that he's up and walking (to the toilet at least). Bit shaky and not aware of exactly what happened, but it's pretty amazing to be on your feet after an accident like that...

Hugo
Posted by: andy

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 24/09/2006 06:52

Clarkson has an article in the Sun, giving some more details of what happened.

They think it might have been a burst tyre.

http://tinyurl.com/puyjc
Posted by: mlord

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 24/09/2006 18:03

Great article!

Thanks for the link(s)!
Posted by: andy

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 24/09/2006 20:11

Quote:

WOW - It was at £500 when I first saw the post on PH this morning, then £8,500 when I left work at 6. They posted a link on the BBC News site which must have helped a lot.


It now stands at an amazing £156,000

They have set a target now of £500,000 with an aim of getting a second helicopter to based in South Yorkshire (apparently there are plenty of times when there are two calls at once or the current helicopter can't fly due to local weather conditions).
Posted by: frog51

Re: Richard Hammond critically injured - 25/09/2006 13:20

FOr those of you who like a bit of satire, and are feeling reassured at Richard's improvement, visit the Rockall Times --> http://www.therockalltimes.co.uk/2006/09/25/monorail-crash.html