Top Gear in trouble as they park in disabled bay

Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson and James May have driven into trouble yet again…this time for parking in disabled bays during filming of the hit show.

In a feature in the new series showed on Channel 9, the pair tried out electric cars by driving them to Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, where they pulled into a car park to discuss the merits of the motors.

But rather than parking in normal parking bays, they parked in spaces reserved for disabled people…causing a storm of protest from disabled motoring groups who said it was ‘typical’ of Clarkson.

To add fuel to the fire, just after the slot about electric cars, Richard Hammond met a team of disabled soldiers who had been severely injured in Afghanistan.

The soldiers..some who had lost three limbs…were shown laughing and joking with Hammond as they took part in a cross-country racing in 4×4 cars as they prepare for the grueling Dakar Rally.

During the slot about electric cars, Jeremy Clarkson…driving a $50,000 Nissan Leaf…and James May…driving a $50,000 Peugeot iOn…discussed the merits of non-petrol cars, asking ‘should you buy an electric car?’

After parking up in the disabled bays the pair laughed and joked about the costs of the cars and the electric motors…which are capable of a top speed of up to 90mph.

They also joked about the luggage space and how electric cars had to be fitted with special windscreen wipers which make barely any noise.

But it was as they stepped out of their cars…with Clarkson and May even standing on top of a disabled road marking…that shocked viewers realised they had parked in disabled bays.

Jim Rawlings, of Disabled Motoring UK, said he was sure that Clarkson ‘wouldn’t have cared’ about parking up in a disabled bay.

He said, ‘I’m sure the last thing on Jeremy Clarkson’s mind was that he was parked in a disabled bay.

‘The abuse of non-disabled people parking in disabled bays is rife, and with people like Jeremy Clarkson and James May doing this other motorists will just think they can just park wherever they like.

‘People who are patently not disabled, like Clarkson and May, obviously didn’t have a passing care that a disabled person might have needed those spaces.

‘I’m sure Jeremy Clarkson especially would not feel contrite about parking in a disabled bay – it shows a lack of feeling and care and a total lack of compassion.’

Peter Lyne, of the Disabled Motorists Foundation, said it was ‘extremely frustrating’ watching non-disabled people park in disabled parking bays.

He said: ‘It’s an immense problem and is an extremely frustrating issue which is not helped by the likes of Jeremy Clarkson and James May.’

And viewer Adam Sullivan, 32, added, ‘I was disgusted to see them parking up in a disabled bays. The pair of them were even standing about on the disability road markings and they didn’t even notice it.

‘For them to be so casual about it is disgusting and they should be hauled over the coals…along with the entire production team – for doing something which in the end, will encourage viewers to think there is nothing wrong with parking in disabled bays.’

Both presenters expressed deep concern to the film crew and I about using the disabled bays prior to filming, because of the disrespectful impression it would convey.

They only capitulated when we assured them the parking had been approved by the owner, and that the disabled bay markings would not appear on television.

This was our fault, not theirs, and we unreservedly apologise to all the viewers we have upset as a consequence.’

The furore comes eight months after the pair, alongside Richard Hammond, were slammed for poking fun at Mexicans.

Hammond said Mexican cars reflected national characteristics, saying they were ‘just going to be lazy, feckless, flatulent’.

James described Mexican food as ‘like sick with cheese on it’, while Jeremy predicted they would not get any complaints about the show because ‘at the Mexican embassy, the ambassador is going to be sitting there with a remote control like this (snores)’.

 by Robbo Green

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