The opportunity to fill up with gas for free caused gridlock after hundreds of drivers lined up for up to an hour to get £40 (NT$2,300) of free fuel.
Computer games publisher Electronic Arts took over a gas station in north London, intending to give away £20,000 (NT$1.1 million) of gas on a first come, first served basis during a stunt to promote Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, a game in which Venezuelan mercenaries fight for control of oil supplies.
PHOTO: AP
But the operation, which started at 6.30am, had to be abandoned at around 11am after police decided the jam was blocking a major junction. Electronic Arts said it had managed to give away around £13,000-worth (NT$732,000) of gas before the promotion was closed down.
Word of mouth and radio coverage had much to do with a queue of more than 100 cars developing, causing tailbacks during rush hour and leading to complaints from local residents.
“I just want to get to work,” said one commuter after waiting for 10 minutes to get out of his drive.
The company decorated the garage forecourt with oil barrels, camouflage netting and an army Jeep. Gas pumps were manned by attendants dressed in flak jackets and ammunition belts and carrying plastic machine guns.
Some onlookers were bemused. Eustachius George, a street cleaner, said: “It’s really never this busy. Of all the places to pick. Weird.”
Despite the long queues, some motorists were happy to wait. Bobby Weatherly, an electrician who had been queuing for an hour by 10am, said: “Anything for £40 (NT$2,300). It should last me about a week. I’m late for work but I just phoned the boss. He seems to be OK with it. It’s worth it.”(The GUARDIAN)
數百名駕駛大排長龍達一個小時，就為了可以免費加油四十英鎊（新台幣兩千三百元），結果這個免費好康的機會造成附近交通癱瘓。
電腦遊戲公司「美商藝電」為了宣傳新遊戲「傭兵紀元二：熾熱戰區」，包下倫敦北部一座加油站，打出免費放送兩萬英鎊（新台幣一百一十萬元）汽油給民眾先到先加的噱頭；這款遊戲的內容是敘述委內瑞拉的傭兵為了爭奪油田控制權而戰。
但這場早上六點半開始的宣傳活動到了上午十一點左右，就因癱瘓了附近一個主要道路交會處而被警方勒令中止。藝電表示，活動終止前，共送出約價值一萬三千英鎊（新台幣七十三萬兩千元）的汽油。
民眾口耳相傳和廣播報導為該活動吸引來一百多輛汽車，尖峰時段路上大排長龍，引發當地居民抱怨。
一個通勤族等了十分鐘才得以把車開離自家車道，他說：「我只想出門去上班。」
該遊戲廠商在加油站前擺放油桶、迷彩網和一輛軍用吉普車作為裝飾；加油站員工也穿上防彈外套、腰間配掛彈藥帶，手持玩具塑膠機槍。
有些旁觀民眾感到很困惑。清道夫尤斯達丘斯．喬治說：「這裡的交通從沒這麼繁忙過，地方那麼多，他們偏偏要挑這裡，真怪。」
儘管大排長龍，部份汽車駕駛還是樂於排隊等候。從九點等到十點的電工巴比．威瑟禮說；「為了這四十英鎊（新台幣兩千三百元）的汽油，做什麼都可以，那應該夠我開一個星期。雖然上班遲到了，但我剛剛有打電話給我老闆，他似乎覺得沒什麼關係，所以我覺得很值得。」
（衛報�翻譯：袁星塵）
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