Top Jeer
With the country in economic turmoil, violent crime escalating and an unemployment level rising by the day you would think Members of Parliament would be working non stop to improve things. Positive action is needed NOW!
With babies being killed (who should have blatantly been under the care of social services), you would think Labour MPs would be spending time scrutinising their own departments for failings. Seriously you would think that, wouldn’t you?
One Labour MP has spent his time wisely by watching TOP GEAR on BBC2, 2nd Nov 2008. Rt Hon Chris Mole MP has written a ’strongly worded’ letter to the DG of Aunty Beeb to show his disgust at the offensive comments made by Jeremy Clarkson on the show. The comments intimated that Lorry Drivers have been known to murder prostitutes. Further to this, he called for the instant dismissal of the much loved Clarkson.
Chris Mole
The BBC recieved over 200 complaints in addition to Chris Mole’s. With viewers of TOP GEAR numbering well over 6 million, the percentage of people who were thrown into fits of revulsion was, wait for it…………… 0.003%
The reason why Chris Mole was so offended by this flippant, but humorous remark was that 6 prostitutes were murdered in his constituency, by a man who’s occupation was HGV driver. The murders occurred in 2006 around Ipswich. He stated that anyone with a complete disregard for the victims families must be dismissed immediately. I would suggest to Mr Mole, his time would be spent more wisely by tackling the illegal sex trade that is still, to this date, still rife in his constituency. Although prostitution is often thought of as merely a symptom of a larger social problem, it is still a crime and should be tackled as such.
When I heard Jeremy’s comments I instantly thought of Peter Sutcliffe, The Yorkshire Ripper. He too murdered prostitutes and yep, that’s right, was a HGV Driver. As a qualified HGV Driver, was I offended by this blatant stereotyping, Not one bit! IT WAS A JOKE, YOU MORONIC BUSY BODIES! Maybe the Rt Hon MP jumped on his high horse and presumed it was directed only at the murders in his constituency? Maybe the Rt Hon MP is a little ashamed by the murders, which undoubtedly highlighted a shocking degredation of social values on his very own doorstep, social problems which he is charged to deal with and create a better environment for his voters to live in!
Other high profile complainants included Roger King, CEO of Road Haulage Association, who also wrote to Mark Thompson, DG BBC, stating ‘500,000 Lorry Drivers take great exception to being labelled a prostitute killer’. Bit presumptuous there, Roger! Not for one minute did I think I was being labelled as such.
Other complaints were regarding the dangerous nature of stunts. It was all filmed on a test track, it wasn’t real, it was a string of set ups. (Although anyone who wants to drive a Renault Magnum into a brick wall gets my seal of approval!) The whole program was designed to take a look at driving from a truckers viewpoint. (A viewpoint which most people will never witness first hand, to the detriment of road safety in general.)
Humour was involved, that’s why so many people tune into TG, irrelevant of what level of interest in BHP, Cam shafts, etc any given viewer holds. As an Accredited HGV Driving Assessor my only concern thrown up by the production was that of Personal Protective Equipment. Whilst coupling to trailers not one of the presenters wore substantial gloves. The air lines pump air at 10 Bar. If any escaping air penetrated the skin it could cause tiny air bubbles to enter the blood stream causing dangerous embolisms.
I feel a strongly worded letter coming…………….. or maybe I have got better things to occupy my time!!!
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