Author Topic: James May's Cars of the People  (Read 28943 times)

jean-do

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #30 on: September 03, 2014, 07:34:08 am »
hi friends, reading the post , i can see that the tv programm has been showed .
as BBC tv a replay possibility ??
we spend a lot of days to prepare cars , rent truck and wait for them to film  microcars .... we would be pleased to look at the final result ..
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DaveMiller

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #31 on: September 03, 2014, 08:08:04 am »
It's available on BBC iPlayer. Go to bbc.co.uk and search 'James May's cars of the people'.

It works for me - I hope it works in other countries, too!

Big Al

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #32 on: September 03, 2014, 08:55:20 am »
The motoring programme makers appear to have nurtured an audience of petrol heads that are more interested in blowing things up or dropping from helicopters than they are in learning some facts. Now, that's what they expect to see. Very sad!
Its still worth seeing on iplayer though Marcus for the interesting bits.
The biggest irony is that at the National I was totally against them having free range of the site and the cars to make the programme, guessing it was going to be another Top Gear type shame, and out of all the camera hungry crawlers there trying to get into the programme via offering there cars etc who's is the only recognizable face to appear in the whole sequence? Yours truly!  ::) ;D

An interesting observation. In such awe of the camera were some that the allowed May to talk rubbish to camera right in front of them without correcting him. ''Eer, 'scuse me that is incorrect, you are confusing the three wheeled Isetts with the Messerschmitt, which is normally a three wheeler not a four wheeler'', for instance.

So you now have a program on a topic you know well. Yet there is a consensus saying the other programed are better researched..... Some might be but I fear that given a proof you are making a terrible assumption. Television, in its rush to entertain and gain an audience has forgotten its Reithien moral to educate. I could offer a list but I will refrain. Yet often TV is at is best and most whimsical when it does entertain with education. Like The Great Egg Race, Adam Hart-Whatsit and so on. Even great comedy educates, smut becomes boring pretty quickly, so other topics are needed. However somewhere this horrible notion that being bright, or inventing things, is socially repugnant, where as ignorance is good. I can only put this down to a smoke screen laid down upon an appalling education system which is failing many potentially useful people rather spectacularly. Top Gear is at the fore front of this laddish rubbish setting itself up as arbiter of a range of engineering and design principles it does not even attempt to understand. One minute the BMW Quarkbottom is the best car - in the world. Next Jaguar make the Codpiece Coupe and the poor Beemer is ridiculed as total rubbish. If I did not know better I would suspect bunging.
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs

AndyL

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #33 on: September 03, 2014, 10:03:43 am »
Simple answer is- don't watch it.

I quite like 'Wheelerdealers' and also 'For the love of cars'. They tend to make things look a little too easy and straightforward when rebuilding the cars, but a least you get to learn a little something about the marque and the presenters egos don't outshine the subject matter.
1959 LHD 3-wheel Isetta.

Big Al

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #34 on: September 03, 2014, 10:47:46 am »
I don't, not even got a telly these days, but as a active classic car owner and general car driver I have to deal with the result of those that do!
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs

Bob Purton

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #35 on: September 03, 2014, 12:48:48 pm »
Simple answer is- don't watch it.

I quite like 'Wheelerdealers' and also 'For the love of cars'. They tend to make things look a little too easy and straightforward when rebuilding the cars, but a least you get to learn a little something about the marque and the presenters egos don't outshine the subject matter.

I have also been watching the Wheeler dealer programme since we recently got the Quest channel.
I find Mike Brewer a bit irritating but at least you see close up some proper restoring and Edd China does appear to be a good mechanic.
The first one I saw was recommended to me by a pal and I saw it on line, it was the Isetta episode and although they couldn't resist chrome plating the headlight shells Mr China did highlight the common things that need doing when restoring Isetta's such as the front wheel arch bottom edges, gear linkage rubbers amongst other things. I concluded that if he has got that right then chances are he may be talking sense about the other cars that I know nothing about.

AndrewG

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #36 on: September 03, 2014, 05:17:03 pm »
I concluded that if he has got that right then chances are he may be talking sense about the other cars that I know nothing about.
I conclude that he has excellent contacts with experts in all marques (or pays them to advise him) who actually provide all the specialist knowledge.

jean-do

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #37 on: September 12, 2014, 08:39:53 pm »
hhaaa just looked at the serie on ytube ...
second part with the KV we brought ... a quick view of " la ptite anne" and that's all !
 one week to prepare both microcars, rent truck, trailor ..... one day spent, on karting track , half an hour  in front of camera answering in english ! ( glups! ) ... for nothing .... that(s tv  ?? no??...
versus a quarter to gun the poor 2cv and 4L .... don't really understand ..
"Bubblecars & Scooters en Bourgogne" president
scooters & microcars addict since 1985
http://bubblecars.aero-jean-do.com
next edition : 28-30 august 2018 : ROLUX special edition !!

Bob Purton

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #38 on: September 13, 2014, 10:06:32 am »
Well, Mr President, we did try and warn you. When you offer to cooperate with the British motoring TV industry its like volunteering to be on the wrong side of a firing squad!
The fact that you don't understand it is a good sign, it means you are still sane.
Next time you are asked to help you will know what to say. ;)

marcus

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #39 on: September 13, 2014, 10:38:53 am »
Having done a fair bit of work for TV, including making props and reconstructions, I know that TV Land follows its own rules and is VERY status orientated. Your status depends on many factors, and the higher the status the more say you have.

People who actually know about the subject, or how to make a machine tend to get on and do their thing. They are Low Status.

Celebrities and people who know very little but have a super-abundance of self-esteem are High Status. TV Land orbits around them.
Just remember: as one door closes behind you, another slams in your face

Big Al

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Re: James May's Cars of the People
« Reply #40 on: September 13, 2014, 03:07:15 pm »
Or you become incredibly awkward but unique, forcing TV to orbit you. A hard act, but it can be done. After all that is what many celebs do.

Maybe the book will have more and better info. What book I hear you cry? Got to have a booky booky to make more money.
Here just hold this ladder while I climb up to heaven.
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs