Top Gear
1 HN recommender · recommended in 10 months, 2011–2021
7:33 · 35M views · Nov 26, 2010
In this Top Gear segment Jeremy Clarkson tries to roll a Reliant Robin three-wheeler through Barnsley, with celebrity helpers trying to keep it upright. The car keeps tipping over.
Mostly cited as a joke in threads on three-wheeled cars, and occasionally as a demonstration of the stability problem of a high center of gravity on three wheels.
10 comments from Hacker News
Jeremy Clarkson of BBC Top Gear had a lot of fun with a Reliant Robin. This is one of the single funnies videos I've ever watched. It never gets old. Clearly, a 3 wheeled vehicle needs 2 wheels in front, not the other way around. this video I think there's an even longer version around, but this one makes the point!
Top Gear is an entertainment show with cars as the backdrop. Just like Daily show is a comedy show with political clips. If you want a car review show, take a look at Motor Week. I think these claims of "faking" are ridiculous when you have episodes where cast members "die" (top gear apocalypse), and characteristics are emphasized for comedic effect ( this video ). This article claims because of Top Gear's antics, the public is being misinformed about the benefits of electric cars. It completely misses the point that 1. it is not a car review show, and 2. there is a major poetical component of the show that celebrates automotive history. They like exciting cars and bash boring uninspired ones (except if its remarkably boring). Their reviews emphasize a car's essence, not necessarily a list of facts. I think this view is coming from a place that has a vested interest in electric cars, and not anyone who really watches the show. Otherwise they'd be attacking all the claims ("Some Say") made about The Stig.
I looked up the point you are making. The data backs you up, 3 wheelers suffer from inherent instability on turns. this video "When the single wheel is in the front , the vehicle is inherently unstable in a braking turn, as the combined tipping forces at the center of gravity from turning and braking can rapidly extend beyond the triangle formed by the contact patches of the wheels. This type, if not tipped, also has a greater tendency to spin out ("swap ends") when handled roughly." What a pity. I was quite excited about the prospects.
Reminds me of the Robin Reliant, here's a video by a popular overseas motoring show that gives you a glimpse of the problems incurred when a high center of gravity is met with 3 wheels. this video
They are, the car is pushing "forward and to the outside" of turns. For some chuckles, here's Top Gear demonstrating the fact (over and over) this video As a sibling comment mentions, the two-front, one-back configuration is out there in sport-leisure type vehicles. I think it appeals to people who want motorcycle-ish sportiness but maybe are turned off by the appearance of complete exposure or the possibility of dropping the bike. Modern three-wheelers I'm aware of, on roughly the "car-ish <----> bike-ish" spectrum are the Campagna T-REX, the Polaris Slingshot, Can-Am Spyder, Piaggio MP3, and the Yamaha Niken. The first two are pretty "sporty car" vehicles, the latter two "complicated motorbikes", and the Spyder maybe a 40-60 mix, IMO.