# Top Gear: Bad Stunt, Or Misunderstanding? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 4, 2014, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347 "2014-10-04T04:04:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/41 "2014-10-05T12:08:02Z")
> [@SiamSam222](#): > > Oh, c’mon. It’s _Jeremy Fucking Clarkson_! Of course he did it on purpose. Tell me how he got the British government to issue that special plate. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/42 "2014-10-05T12:12:28Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Tell me how he got the British government to issue that special plate. [Monk] I don’t know how he did it. But he’s the guy. [/Monk] ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/43 "2014-10-05T12:13:51Z")
I doubt it was deliberate because finding offence in this is very similar to finding Jesus in your food, and, as **Baron Greenback** pointed out, the plate has been on that car since 1991, not because I doubt Jeremy Clarkson would do it. > [@Teacake](#): > > The trouble with this is that we (the UK) have a very sensitive relationship with Argentina, and now the state broadcaster is associated with a stunt allegedly designed to offend them. Clarkson’s public declarations that the whole thing was actually cooked up by the Argentinian government is hardly helpful to that delicate relationship. He’s a moron, and I’m personally sick of paying him. If the Argentine government wasn’t involved in this, it’s probably because they didn’t hear about it in time. They’re quite happy to manufacture and play up external outrages when it suits them (which is often). Kirchner just announced the US may be trying to oust or even assassinate her, and that they’re sending death threats in emails. I’m not Clarkson’s biggest fan, but it’s not up to him to maintain good relations with people like this. I much prefer the idea of paying for him than paying for a whole BBC that follows the government’s line on what is and isn’t convenient for international relations. ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/44 "2014-10-05T12:19:59Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > I doubt the state broadcaster issue is much of a problem. Or it shouldn’t be. Anyone in their right minds know this stunt was by Clarkson and Top Gear not the BBC. If the Argentinians cannot, or are unwilling to make that distinction then we should not be bending over backwards to explain it. The Argies are overly sensitive about such things. But that’s it, isn’t it? You said it: we’re aware that Argentina is extremely sensitive to any perceived slight or jingoistic reference to those islands/events, so for Clarkson to start one with them is just really not what the British public should be seen to be paying for. If you think someone’s oversensitive, you don’t go out of your way to offend them, and if you accidentally do then you apologise rather than accusing them of “foolishness” and sitting there in your privileged little tower of self-absorption accusing them of causing the trouble. His allegation that the whole thing was cooked up by the Argentinian government makes it seem less like he did it by accident and more like he’s trying to create an argument. With reference to the car - do we know when Top Gear bought it, and how long they’ve been planning to do a show from Argentina? ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/45 "2014-10-05T12:46:43Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > I doubt the state broadcaster issue is much of a problem. The BBC is not a state broadcaster in any real sense of the term. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/46 "2014-10-05T13:08:18Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Looking it up here [https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/](https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/) - seems like the plate is attached to the original vehicle > > Seems like a lot of work to find a Top Gear appropriate vehicle with a vaguely trolltastic plate. Didn’t they say that they replaced the plate on the car? How were they able to do that if the original plate is still listed on the car’s registration? Also, how do you know the plate was issued in 1991? It just says that’s when the car was originally registered, but I’ve never read a UK car record before. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/47 "2014-10-05T14:58:03Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > Given that a large part of Clarkson’s shtick is that he’s a culturally insensitive arrogant boor, I have a difficult time believing it’s just a coincidence. But one thing his isn’t is subtle. That plate would be way to subtle an insult for him or them. I would never make that leap. H982? What the hell does that mean? And FKL? That would not be how I would think to abbreviate Falklands. FLK seems to be more intuitive. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/48 "2014-10-05T14:59:24Z")
> [@Bozuit](#): > > I doubt it was deliberate because finding offence in this is very similar to finding Jesus in your food, and, as **Baron Greenback** pointed out, the plate has been on that car since 1991, not because I doubt Jeremy Clarkson would do it. I’m not sure why it would be particularly problematic for Top Gear to buy the car _because_ of the plate if they were aware of it. And as someone upthread mentioned its awfully close to I982 FLK. FaLKlands or FalKLands would both have the same effect. Although if it really was intentional why not just come out and say it, as this thread shows everyone knows Top Gear and Clarkson in particular are well known for pulling such stunts, just say, “Yeah, we didn’t expect quite the reaction we got, if we had known the depth of feeling we wouldn’t have done it, sorry, just a miscalculation.” Surely most people would accept that? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/49 "2014-10-05T16:10:08Z")
> [@Teacake](#): > > The trouble with this is that we (the UK) have a very sensitive relationship with Argentina, and now the state broadcaster is associated with a stunt allegedly designed to offend them. Clarkson’s public declarations that the whole thing was actually cooked up by the Argentinian government is hardly helpful to that delicate relationship. He’s a moron, and I’m personally sick of paying him. A couple of years ago, the big road trip was a jaunt through India, and before they started, they played a phone mail message from, I think, the Prime Minister instructing them not to go (because they’d offend people. And then they put [banners promoting British trade on the side of railway carriages](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7u6yYkTaZU) that were attached to two carriages, so that when the train detached some carriages, the banners tore in such a way as to make the wording offensive. (One said “Eat English Muffins” and tore in such a way as to remove the ins at the end. The other read “British IT for your company” and tore to remove the Briti at the front.) There was no protestation of innocence there, because it was obviously deliberate, as was the stunt in Alabama. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/50 "2014-10-05T16:16:26Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Although if it really was intentional why not just come out and say it, as this thread shows everyone knows Top Gear and Clarkson in particular are well known for pulling such stunts, just say, “Yeah, we didn’t expect quite the reaction we got, if we had known the depth of feeling we wouldn’t have done it, sorry, just a miscalculation.” You seem to be assuming that the Top Gear folks would want to handle such a situation like mature adults and smooth down ruffled feathers with common sense and consideration, instead of encouraging further dispute and basking in the attention. I’m not sure what evidence you’re basing that assumption on. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Downtown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Mr\_Downtown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Downtown)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/51 "2014-10-06T03:49:09Z")
Clarkson writes about the incident in the _Sunday Times_ today. The [actual article is behind a paywall,](http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/focus/article1467360.ece)but [here’s an unauthorized copy missing some initial letters.](http://www.reddit.com/r/TopGear/comments/2ic6oz/full_text_of_jeremy_clarksons_article_in_the/) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/52 "2014-10-06T04:39:28Z")
From the article: > [@](#): > > Diario Popular, a Buenos Aires newspaper, said Top Gear had a record of offending foreign countries. While I condemn the violence directed at Top Gear visitors and I’m thankful nobody was worse hurt, I have to note that one of the hazards of being a celebrity professional asshole is that people are likely to assume you’re trying to be an asshole even when you’re not. ---
**Author:** ![RogueAOV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@RogueAOV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueAOV)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/53 "2014-10-06T06:54:21Z")
I am in the process of watching all of the Top Gear UK series on Amazon Prime this week, and i very clearly remember seeing the plate in question during one of the news segments. It was a story about how the British DMV was taking some personalized number plates out of circulation due to the fact they could cause offense to some people. That number plate was one of the ones they held up to see what the problems was and Clarkson made a joke about the Falklands conflict about that plate. I am going to skip through some of the episodes i have watched to see if i can find the exact episode etc, I have just finished watching episode 3 of season nine so it is before that one. Either way though, they had that plate in their office at some point and were aware of the reason it could cause offense. Hammond is a huge Porsche Fan boy which could well just be a coincidence about it being registered to one of his most loved cars. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/54 "2014-10-06T07:25:08Z")
> [@RogueAOV](#): > > That number plate was one of the ones they held up to see what the problems was and Clarkson made a joke about the Falklands conflict about that plate. You may mean [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B3gjuwvnAg). If so, not quite right, but does suggest they’re aware of these kinds of things. If anything it corroborates Clarkson’s side that they took it off as soon as they were made aware. ---
**Author:** ![RogueAOV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@RogueAOV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueAOV)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/55 "2014-10-06T07:27:21Z")
That did not take long but it seems i was mistaken, which is really weird because i have not been keeping up with the news so i have not heard of this story at all until reading this thread. In [episode 4 of series 8](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_%28series_8%29) they do the news segment about the plates, Hammond shows a few of them and says they was a few he did not get straight away indicating he was going to hold up several more but only holds up one more. So the fact i remember seeing the FLK plate and not really getting is bizarre. I assume i have flicked thru the news at some point in the last three days and mind melding the experience. Apologies for my mind melding. ---
**Author:** ![RogueAOV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecb155/32.png) [@RogueAOV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RogueAOV)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/56 "2014-10-06T07:28:23Z")
GuanoLad Yes exactly lol. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/57 "2014-10-06T12:48:31Z")
While I think it would be possible for TG to locate a suitable car with a vaguely Falklands-related plate, or another car and have the plate transferred, and then persuade the owner to sell it, it seems like a lot of effort for a joke that doesn’t even work. As others have said, the number doesn’t immediately scream Falklands War to you. It’s like if they had driven through Alabama with N5CR SK5 instead of “NASCAR sucks”. Nobody would have noticed. If you have to point out the joke, it has failed. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/58 "2014-10-06T17:21:46Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > While I think it would be possible for TG to locate a suitable car with a vaguely Falklands-related plate, or another car and have the plate transferred, and then persuade the owner to sell it, it seems like a lot of effort for a joke that doesn’t even work. As others have said, the number doesn’t immediately scream Falklands War to you. > It’s like if they had driven through Alabama with N5CR SK5 instead of “NASCAR sucks”. Nobody would have noticed. If you have to point out the joke, it has failed. Its probably a culturally/location specific thing, I don’t know where you personally are from but several American posters have said the same as you. I can’t think of an American equivalent because I’m not American but if someone, for example, drove up and down the Fall’s Road in Belfast with FTP 1690 on it he would be being rather disingenuous if he was surprised if he received a negative reaction. It would be utterly meaningless to the average American tourist but grossly offensive, obvious and provocative to somebody from Northern Ireland. I imagine H982 FLK would also have a pretty obvious second meaning to someone from Argentina, especially on the plate of a car driven by someone known for his propensity to offend. Although again it may indeed all be just an unfortunate coincedence, but if so its a pretty big one. > [@Kimstu](#): > > You seem to be assuming that the Top Gear folks would want to handle such a situation like mature adults and smooth down ruffled feathers with common sense and consideration, instead of encouraging further dispute and basking in the attention. > > I’m not sure what evidence you’re basing that assumption on. Again, you may have a point. ---
**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/59 "2014-10-06T21:17:13Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Its probably a culturally/location specific thing, I don’t know where you personally are from but several American posters have said the same as you. I can’t think of an American equivalent because I’m not American . Maybe getting a reputation for being a massive international twat and then driving a Porsche 911 through Manhattan with UBL on the plates? The “why is it H, that’s meaningless, it should be I982” is because I isn’t used on UK number plates. ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347/60 "2014-10-06T21:24:24Z")
> [@Teacake](#): > > Maybe getting a reputation for being a massive international twat and then driving a Porsche 911 through Manhattan with UBL on the plates? Ooofffff…yeah, that’d do it! :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-bad-stunt-or-misunderstanding/700347.md?page=4)