Having had beer bottles thrown at me and obscenities shouted at me by Southern rednecks for doing things that were not at all geared at tweaking anyone in any way at any time, the Top Gear guys were clearly suicidal.

(And when I have done exactly the same things up North, funny thing, nary an obscenity or beer bottle. Baffled looks, maybe. Violence, no.)

I'm with you 100%.