Did Technology Almost Kill Him?
The world must know of the tragic accident which almost cost Richard Hammond his life.
I can鈥檛 imagine what his wife and children must have felt, knowing that he was performing a feat which could have destroyed him and them.
The thing is, how far should anyone go to prove a point
We all know speed can kill, but in this day and age, it would seem to be the norm to take enormous risks. Progress is an important part of our lives, and, I appreciate the fact, but I鈥檓 sometimes anxious not only about the dare devil stunts which are performed on television, but the people who could be left behind, should a fatality occur.
At first, I thought to myself, Yes, this is what progress is all about.
As time went on though, I began to change my mind. If I am honest, when I was younger, one of my ambitions was to be driven at high speed around a formula one race track. Now, however, I realise that life is too precious to throw away.
Breaking the land speed record may be important historically, and if it brings satisfaction to those who are foolhardy enough to participate in such adventures, good luck to them.
Through the ages, many valuable lessons have been learned through tragedies of one kind or another, and technology improves almost daily, but in the case of Richard Hammond and his family, at what cost?
The cost of this life can be measured by our view of what it is worth?
If we consider that this is the only life we have then it is certainly absolutely precious. It is the only one we have and we must treasure it not only for ourselves but for others.
But what if it is just one of many other lives?
Sure it still means something to us now and to those near and dear. But if it is not the only one and there any others to come, do we, can we view it differently.
The buddhists and certainly the early Christians believed in reincarnation - we get a second chance to do it all again and do it differently - better even.
So the value we put on this life must be compared with whether we consider it the only one we have or just one of many. It does make a difference to the life holder if not the rest of the family
Better to go slow, than fast.
Surely without the 'risk-takers' progress wouldn't be possible?
Da Vinci dug up bodies and dissected them in order to learn how they 'worked'.
He had to write his notes in code for fear of reprisals by the Church.
All the great explorers/chemists/biologists/activists....
....experimentors of the 'norms' if you like,
put themselves in danger in the name
of 'progress'?
I wouldn't like to have been the mother of Sir Edmund Hilary,
Emily Pankhurst or one of the first space travellers
(or indeed one of the later ones)
but I'm grateful that the spirit of pioneering
exists.
How are we to progress if we live in fear of
upsetting those people who are attached to us?
Richard Hammond is a very lucky man, albeit a very fool hardy one.
You get the impression that the attempt on the land speed record was also an ego trip.
A man small in stature working alongside six foot presenters on a macho power car show, the inference is there.
He must also have a high profile guardian angel (And I believe they are there) because not many drivers survive a crash at 300 mph where the car somersaults.
At his age and having a family I should think he will take on board the fact that he was very very fortunate.
If I was in his boots at his age in the career he is pursuing and making a good living, I would not cross a busy road without using an underpass.
Get well soon Richard and while doing so, ponder, life is fickle and what it gives it can very soon take back.
Esther,
The spirit of pioneering was and still is an admirable quality. But I think the defining word here is was.
In olden days those people truly went into the unknown, your Shackletons, Stanleys and further back Drake, Captain cdook - went into virgin territories.
Pilots flight testing the first planes and later jet planes really put their lives on the line. Deep sea diving in its origins. Brave people every one.
But Richard Hammond, had he succeeded would actually have proved nothing to humanity. What he was attempting had been done on numerous occasions often with fatal results - Donald Campbell being one such.
The internal combustion engine cannot be improved much further as with jet propulsion.
The next pioneers will be in space, travelling at light speeds going to the likes of Mars for the first time and not knowing if they will come back. True pioneering.