又中又英 | Buckle up | 褚简宁

　　Seat belts save lives. Numerous studies have shown that. It is estimated that over one million lives have been saved globally since vehicle manufacturers began installing seat belts in 1959. Studies also show seat belts reduce the risk of death by about 50 percent. Seat belts have saved about 330000 lives in the US between 1960 and 2012. They save about 15000 lives in the US every year. I firmly believe in seat belts. That’s why I always buckle up. To buckle up means to fasten your seat belt.

　　Buckling up is a strict requirement when airplanes take off and land. But I keep my seat belt on all the time in case of turbulence. The word “turbulence” has several different meanings but used this way it means the irregular movement of air that causes a plane to shake while flying. A new Hong Kong law that requires bus passengers to buckle up has caused a stir. To cause a stir means to cause controversy or trouble in a group of people. Many Hong Kong people said the requirement to buckle up on buses was too troublesome.

　　They had many complaints, including faulty and unhygienic seat belts. It also turned out that the law did not make clear which buses would require passengers to buckle up. The government has suspended the buckling up requirement until it amends the law to make it clearer. I support buckling up in buses. I urge Hong Kong people to buckle up and not to oppose buckling up in buses when the government amends the law.

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　　安全带能救人一命，无数的研究均已证实。自从汽车生产商于1959年开始安装安全带以来，估算挽救了全球超过100万人的生命。研究也显示，安全带可以减低死亡风险约50%。在美国，于1960至2012年间，安全带就挽救了约33万人的生命，每年也救了1.5万人的生命。我坚定地相信安全带，因此我总是会buckle up－－to buckle up的意思是扣好安全带。

　　飞机起飞与降落时，扣上安全带（buckling up）是严格的规定。然而，我会全程佩戴安全带，慎防遇上turbulence。Turbulence有好几个不同的意思，但在这里是指空中的气流，会导致飞机飞行时摇晃不定。香港一条强制巴士乘客佩戴安全带（buckle up）的新法例，近日caused a stir－－to cause a stir意思是备受争议，或在一群人中引起了轰动。许多香港人说在巴士上强制扣安全带（buckle up）的规定是过于麻烦。

　　他们也有许多投诉，包括有缺陷和不衞生的安全带。及后发现原来法律条文并未清晰要求哪一些巴士需要乘客佩戴安全带（buckle up）。政府已经暂缓强制佩戴安全带（buckling up）的规定，直至法律条文修改清晰。我支持在巴士上扣安全带（buckling up）。我呼吁香港人搭巴士时扣好安全带（buckle up），而当政府修例后，亦不去反对在巴士上要扣上安全带（buckling up）。

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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻