The Toughest Drive - Anyone watch it

[Shox Dr]

Watched the program about 3 guys attempt to drive to the south pole in a modified pickup the other day. Interesting prog. Ali rims been repaired with MMA, cracked wishbones etc etc.

It did make me wonder though with all the knowledge the main guy had with working at Lotus, they didn't re-enforce any of the stock vehicle parts.

Discuss

 

[tigler]

It's just the usual TV nonsense. They want dramatic problems, so that they have their program. Of course the fact is they are NEVER in any danger because of all the hidden back up. Regardless of what happens they ARE going to be recovered. It's like Ice Road muppets, and the spin offs, the viewer is never going to see anything bad happen because they just can't show anyone dying in a horrible way. They just tantilise with the possibility of that happening. And anyway, it just aint that dangerous !
All hype.

 

[Shox Dr]

Did you watch it. It wasn't the normal dross

 

[rich r]

I read about this at the time they did it (last year), as I was planning a snow, ice and volcano driving trip to Iceland myself at the time. The TV programme really dumbs down a lot of the difficulties in the expedition.

The truck was prepared by Arctic Trucks of Iceland, who have decades of experience of this kind of thing. The suspension springs and dampers were uprated, but they've never had a problem with arms cracking like that - probably because the terrain they normally deal with is mainly snow and sheet ice, whereas in Antarctica they encountered a lot more in the way of big blocks of ice. It was effectively an unknown quantity.

There was no backup crew - the TV crews were dropped in by aircraft at camps a few hours before, and picked up afterwards. In case of total failure, the extraction plan was basically a case of using a satellite phone (three carried in case of failure!) to call for rescue, and camping in the truck in survival bags until a plane or snow mobile team could collect them.

But yeah - arc welding alloy in sub zero temperatures takes some nerve!

 

[tigler]

Did you watch it. It wasn't the normal dross

I confess I didn't but from the trailers I could just see how it was going to be.

The program model of some personality or celeb doing something pseudo dangerous or risky is just a big yawn, when we all know they are never at more risk than taking a dump

They could save a load of money and time by just showing actual footage of the Dakar, which is proper dangerous with real people in real peril.

 

[W4yne]

It's like the muppets on top gear! Give me half of what they earn and I'll drive a flipping Toyota hi lux through Afghanistan!

 

[mike os]

Did you watch it. It wasn't the normal dross

you are quite right, at least the first episode was worse by far.. i hate drama queens and I really hate when you have a commercial break & they then spend 10 minutes telling you about what happened 5 minutes ago

no one has ever done anything like this... erm yes they have

tough conditions... they are on a 'kin road

this could be the end of the expo.... erm you are 20 minutes into the first episode

its too heavy... so WTF have you got an extra body?

unsupported .............except for the cast of thousands that are the film & production crew

I may not bother with the rest of the series, really dissapointing, but i suppose I should have expected that.

 

[Shox Dr]

I surprised by everyone's reaction. I thought it wasn't that bad. Yes the guy who won a place soon gave in because he might not get home for xmas, ffs you're on a one off trip.

And at least the tech bits weren't BS. The ex F1 guy really did his bit.

My criticism was more about the lack of thought that went into the prep of the truck.

The truck was prepared by Arctic Trucks of Iceland, who have decades of experience of this kind of thing. The suspension springs and dampers were uprated, but they've never had a problem with arms cracking like that - probably because the terrain they normally deal with is mainly snow and sheet ice, whereas in Antarctica they encountered a lot more in the way of big blocks of ice. It was effectively an unknown quantity.

But it has been done before, besides there is plenty of data on the effects of extreme cold on metals, and weldments

 

[tigler]

It's like the muppets on top gear! Give me half of what they earn and I'll drive a flipping Toyota hi lux through Afghanistan!

I'd do it for 25% of what they get !!
Clarkson isn't even that big a petrol head, he's always dis'ing bikes, feigns going to sleep when May or anyone talks about tech stuff and falls for all the supercar nonsense.
The format of the show is a bit tired now, it should be changed at least every new series, for example, I'm REALLY ****** off with star in a reasonably priced car ! Just some jumped up celeb to55er being fawned over and thinking they've impressed everybody, perrrleeeeze !
As for Hammond, I'm the oldest teenager in town, do us all a favour and find your way off the edge of a cliff !
Oh for the Speed Channel !

 

[snowcat]

I watched about 5 minutes and decided it was pointless, I don't really consider driving endurance.

The Scott and Amundsen story still fascinates people a 100 years on (myself included), Its a tale of true heroism however misguided, The story of some Muppet's with a truck unlikely to stir the hearts of many for more than about 10 minutes.

 

[flash of light]

snowcat is your avatar DAVE

 

[J_K]

I watched it.
All of it.
I didn't like the lead guy. He was a bit of an upper class ****.
Lotus guy was good. Really knew his stuff and the fixes he came up with were pretty good.
Canadian guy.. Really??? I might not be home by xmas??
REALLLYY????? Are you having a Giraffe???

I liked it on the whole...

 

[hotrodder]

Didn't see it but going purely from the few clips* i found i think i'd prefer to watch the TopGear version that at least doesn't pretend to be anything other than childish comedy.

I'd do it for 25% of what they get !!
Clarkson isn't even that big a petrol head, he's always dis'ing bikes, feigns going to sleep when May or anyone talks about tech stuff and falls for all the supercar nonsense.
The format of the show is a bit tired now, it should be changed at least every new series, for example, I'm REALLY ****** off with star in a reasonably priced car ! Just some jumped up celeb to55er being fawned over and thinking they've impressed everybody, perrrleeeeze !
As for Hammond, I'm the oldest teenager in town, do us all a favour and find your way off the edge of a cliff !
Oh for the Speed Channel !

That's just the characters they play... Clarkson is the oafish lout, Hammond is the 'hanger on' that everyone wants to hit and May is the 'likeable nerd'. Hammond can't seem to play any other role but the other two are both capable of more in depth stuff while keeping it light and entertaining. Remember Clarkson's series called Speed? How about the show on Isambard Kingdom Brunel or the one about VC winners? What about this conversation with Eric Bana? (fairly obviously the language isn't particually clean or PC but it's a rare example of him being mostly serious while talking cars) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlKvsiAYpg0&feature=related

Yeah, TopGear has gotten a bit tired and they've taken the sillyness to the point where they've become caricatures but i suspect Clarkson does know how a diff works. He also knows that talking about that doesn't interest as many people as being daft/controversial and that going into proper tech detail would would not make a successful TV show.

* I'm probably being too harsh as it's based on a couple of 2min clips but the impression i was left with was of a 5th gear attempt- completely missing the point, failing to be intellectual or factual and really, really bad humour