The traffic in London, as those of us who live here know only too well, is at an almost permanent standstill, so last night s episode of the BBC TV motoring programme Top Gear organized a race to discover the fastest way of getting across the city: from West London to City Airport in the east. Each of the four presenters was given a different means of transport. James, the posh one, opted for a car though quite why he chose a giant Mercedes GL500 remains a mystery. Richard, the cute one, who survived that horrific high-speed accident on a car-testing circuit, wisely went for a bicycle this time. Jeremy, true to form, decided on a powerful speedboat to use on the Thames; while the show s pet racing driver, The Stig , who turned up for the event in full Formula 1 gear, was given an Oyster card. The result must have been a shock for many of the petrol-head viewers of Top Gear. By the time Jeremy came charging into the airport, Richard was already sitting comfortably in the first-class lounge. The Stig, after receiving some curious looks on the Underground, was third. And James s luxury, gas-guzzling car came in a thoroughly deserved last.