Presenter Jeremy Clarkson says he drove at 186mph on public road

[Honey]

The BBC faced calls to sack Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson yesterday after he claimed to have driven at 186mph on a public road.
Clarkson, who has been accused of glamourising speed, boasted of driving almost 120mph over the national speed limit in an interview at the Hay Festival in Powys, Wales.

Speed chaser: Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has admitted driving at 186mph on public roads

During the interview by Daily Mail columnist Rosie Boycott, the 48-year-old was asked what was the fastest he had ever driven. Mr Clarkson replied: 'On the public roads. . . 186.'
Last night road safety campaigners called for him to be sacked.
Mary Williams, chief executive of Brake, said: 'Jeremy Clarkson is extremely offensive and irresponsible. His comments are very upsetting to loved ones who have suffered a bereavement through a road crash because of a speeding driver. He is the most appalling role model for our next generation of drivers. The BBC should sack him - he is totally out of control.'
Mr Clarkson made the comment on Tuesday at the literary festival where he was talking about his life and cars.
The married father of three said he drove at 186mph on the Limehouse Link tunnel between Central London and Docklands in the world's fastest roadlegal car, a Bugatti Veyron, which has a top speed of 253mph.
He added: 'I haven't been pulled over for speed for 20 years and I have never been pulled over for speed while working on Top Gear. I don't drive very fast.

Clarkson is snapped allegedly talking on the phone as he drives his green Mercedes earlier this year

'I don't have any influence over what people do, I really don't. It makes no difference what I say. Top Gear is just fluff. It's just entertainment - people don't listen to me.'
Kevin Clinton, head of Road Safety at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said: 'Obviously driving at such speed is illegal, dangerous and irresponsible, but Jeremy Clarkson's views on speed are well known and he often says outrageous things.

'We don't take what he says too seriously and hopefully other people don't either.'
While Clarkson may not have been pulled over for speeding the 48-year-old was hauled before court on speeding charges last year.
The Top Gear host had been accused of failing to name the driver on a speeding ticket but after an intervention from his lawyer Nick Freeman, better known as 'Mr Loophole', the case was dropped before it even began.
Mr Freeman, who has made his name acting for a string of celebrity clients, said the case was 'fatally flawed'.
Car firm Alfa Romeo had sent Mr Clarkson a speeding infringement notice, saying a car caught on a speed camera had been loaned to him.
The V6 Alfa Romeo Brera was snapped travelling at 82mph in a 50mph zone on the A40 in Ruislip, West London, on October 16 last year.
The case was dropped because although Alfa Romeo had loaned the car to Clarkson they had no information as who the driver was.

BBC urged to sack Jeremy Clarkson after he boasts over speeding at 186mph on public road | Mail Online

[A*O]

Oh please. This guy is ratings Gold and there's no way he will be sacked. In fact this admission will probably earn him even more adoring fans. I think he's very funny and although I know absolutely nothing about cars I enjoy Top Gear.

[Honey]

Ditto, he is a great presenter, and was probably just being silly when answering anyway. He loves to cause trouble

[Rondette]

I think the guy is a pompous, arrogant, self opinionated twerp, but he is hilarious.

I love Top Gear. It seems to be on infinite repeat on 'Dave', I'll happily pass a spare hour watching it. I've actually tried booking tickets for it, so I may go and see it! Woo!

[Sarzy]

I can't stand this guy, he's such a knob. He acts like a silly schoolboy.

[buttmunch]

He's a silly public school boy and although I think he's a great presenter and I do love Top Gear, I get really bored with his 'I hate AMericans' crap.

[A*O]

I saw him tonite on a show (no idea when it went out in the UK) and I'm sure he has a lot more hair. It was looking very moth eaten a while back. Didn't look like a rug so hair plugs perhaps? He's a vain bugger.

[Honey]

I quite fancy Hamster (Hammond)

[A*O]

Oh yes, Hamster is hot. I just wish he was at least a foot taller. And I like James May too - personality wise - he's got the kind of dry, low key humour I like in a man.

[buttmunch]

James and Hammond are both great and I'm not sure just how short the Hamster is. I think he's not terribly tall but only looks like a midget because Clarkson and James are both over 6 feet. I'll say he's taller than TinyTomThumb.

[Rondette]

IMDB puts the Hamster at 5 foot 7 inches.

I think I like Clarkson the least out of the 3 presenters, but there's a fantastic dynamic between them all, if any of them quit the show it would be a very different program, I think.

eta- regarding the speeding-very reckless and dangerous, I thouroughly disapprove....but he was driving a Bugatti Veyron! You'd only have to nudge the accelerator to get to 90mph!

The fastest I've ever driven was 120mph on a motorway in a rather sexy 1.9 Seat Leon. I didn't even realise I was going so fast until my husband made a strange noise and I looked at the speedometer. I'm not proud of this fact and I was lucky not to get caught, but boy- was it fun!

[A*O]

I've done 140mph on the M3 near Basingstoke in a Porsche 911 and didn't get killed or caught so I'm happy. The rest of that day is a blurr

[qwerty]

He's a silly public school boy and although I think he's a great presenter and I do love Top Gear, I get really bored with his 'I hate AMericans' crap.

I've only seen one episode of Top Gear and he was indeed slamming us Americans.

[Folieadeux]

I know very little about cars, but I'm limited with channels here (only have four) and occasionally I tune into Top Gear - and I must say I like the guy.

Don't think he should be sacked! The show wouldn't be as good without him.

[Novice]

Oh please, Jeremy Clarkson is a bore, he's merely plumping his migetly small penis by boasting about his speed. The man is a dick.