Game Company Gives UK Drivers Free Ticket to Speed

　　A computer game company's offer to pay the speeding fines of all British drivers as part of an advertising promotion for a new motor racing game has been branded irresponsible and dangerous by the government. Acclaim Entertainment said it would refund the fines of any driver caught by speed camera on October 11, 2002 to mark the launch of a new PlayStation 2 driving game "Burnout 2: Point of Impact." Acclaim spokesman Shaun White said the company did not condone speeding but wanted to "ease the financial pain a bit." "Taking the side of people who enjoy driving fast, it therefore seemed quite logical to offer people caught by camera something that would make them feel OK about it," he said. But the Department of Transport said the campaign would be likely to promote speeding and encourage dangerous driving. "If they want to foot what is likely to be a hefty bill, that is their choice. But we cannot condone something that so obviously encourages people to break the law and do something dangerous," a spokesman said. "Basically they are encouraging people to speed and to break the law. I just hope for their sakes that none of these people ends up knocking down a child. "

　　一家电脑游戏公司允诺为英国所有的驾车者承担超速罚金，以此为一种新的赛车游戏进行广告宣传，英国政府认为该公司此举既不负责任又危险。喝彩娱乐公司宣称它将为所有在2002年10月11日这天被超速监视摄像机拿获的驾车者支付交通罚金，以此庆祝新的第二代游戏工作站赛车游戏“狂战赛车2：冲击时刻”的上市。喝彩娱乐公司发言人肖恩-怀特说，公司此举并不是纵容超速驾驶，只是想“稍微减轻一点(因超速被罚款者的)财政痛苦”。他说：“站在喜欢开快车的人立场上看，为被摄像机逮到的人做点让他们感觉好一些的事情显得非常合理。”但是，交通部认为，这种宣传活动可能会增多超速及危险驾驶行为。“如果他们想买一张可能相当大数额的单，那是他们的自由。但我们不能原谅这种显然是在鼓励人们违法和铤而走险的行为。”(交通部)一位发言人说。“基本上他们是在鼓励人们超速驾驶和违反法律。为他们着想，我只希望这些危险驾驶的人不要以撞倒儿童收场。”

　　Remarks：这家公司此举不仅不道德，而且不明智：如果在公路上就可以体验飙车的刺激，谁还要买赛车游戏呢？