Electric scooter safety
电动滑板车的安全
If you look around the streets of London, you’ll see the many methods people use to move around. Whether it’s on a commute to work, a trip to the shops, or a sightseeing excursion, there are people on buses, the Tube, cars, motorbikes, bicycles and even roller skates. The roads are already congested; and now there’s a new addition: electric, or 'e-scooters'.
如果你环顾伦敦的街道,你会发现人们出行的方式很多样。无论是上下班,购物,还是观光,乘客们都会选用公交车、地铁、汽车、摩托车、自行车,甚至是溜冰鞋。道路已经拥挤不堪了;而现在又有了一个新成员:电动滑板车。
This traditional children’s vehicle has become more sophisticated over the years. And now, with the addition of a small electric motor, it’s become a cheap and easy mode of transport. Scooting around town can be fun and doesn’t involve much effort, so it’s no wonder they’re becoming increasingly popular in cities around the world. But following what’s believed to be the first fatal accident involving an electric scooter in the UK, questions are being asked about their safety and whether traffic laws should be changed.
这些年来,这种传统的儿童交通工具变得越来越复杂。目前,加上了小型发动机之后,这已经成为一种便宜便利的交通工具。:在城市里骑滑板车很有趣,也不需要费多大力气,所以它在世界各地的城市里越来越受欢迎也就不足为奇了。但随着英国第一起涉及电动滑板车的致命事故,人们开始质疑其安全性,以及是否应该修改交通法规。
Some scooter riders have been seen on pavements; others on the road jumping red traffic lights, adding to the frustration of motorists stuck in jams. In the UK, the law states that riding one on the public highway or pavement is forbidden. Riders currently face a £300 fixed-penalty notice and six points on their driving licence for doing so. But, despite this, it seems the increasing popularity of e-scooters means they can be seen everywhere. And now users are calling on regulations to be changed.
一些骑滑板的人走在人行道上;有些则出现在马路上闯红灯,这让本就堵在路上的汽车司机更加不开心。英国法律目前规定,禁止在公共公路或人行道上骑电动滑板车,否则他们将面临300英镑的罚款以及驾照扣六分。但尽管如此,随着电动滑板车越来越受欢迎,骑行的人随处可见。目前越来越多的骑行者呼吁改变相关法规。
The UK government is looking at how safely they can be used on the road and is ‘reviewing’ the law. But its transport minister, Michael Ellis, has told the BBC that: "Micromobility products are appearing in countries across the globe and are an exciting innovation for which we know there is demand. However, safety must always be our top priority when considering their use on public highways in this country.”
英国政府正在寻求能让电动滑板车安全上路的方法,并正在“审查”这方面的法律。但该国交通部长迈克尔·埃利斯告诉英国广播公司(BBC):“微移动产品正在全球各国出现,这是一项令人兴奋的创新,我们知道有需求。但让它们行驶在国家的公共高速公路上时,安全必须始终是我们的首要任务。”
There’s no doubt there are dangers in riding a two-wheeled scooter. Despite the fact that some of them can exceed 30mph, they sometimes only have one brake and no lights. They also become unstable if the rider hits a pothole, and however confident the rider may be, larger vehicles on the road make them vulnerable. So it seems more work needs to be done to give e-scooters a safe and legal space to travel in.
毫无疑问,骑两轮滑板车是危险的。尽管有些时速能超过30英里,但有时只有一个刹车,没有车灯。行驶在坑坑洼洼的路段时车也会变得不稳定,不管车手有多自信,路上的大车都会让他们变得脆弱。因此,似乎需要做更多的工作来给电动滑板车一个安全、合法的行驶空间。
词汇表
commute
上下班,通勤
sightseeing excursion
观光游览
the Tube
伦敦地铁
congested
拥堵的
electric motor
电机
scoot
滑动
traffic laws
交通法规
rider
骑车的人
pavement
人行道
jump red traffic lights
闯红灯
motorist
开车的人
jam
堵车,交通堵塞
public highway
公路
fixed-penalty notice
固定罚单
micromobility
微行动技术
two-wheeled
两轮的
brake
刹车
pothole
坑洼
vehicle
车辆