Dallas police chief: Dozens of tickets issued for not speaking English (Howe: credit, live)

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by fulltimemama

Totally agree. I was just recently in a collision - which was not my fault - with someone who could not speak ANY english! Getting insurance information and exchanging names and addresses became almost impossible. Totally compounded an already stressful situation to one of utter frustration. Don't mind immigrants. Everyone except Native Americans are products of immigration. But now that English is set as the national language DRIVERS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SPEAK MINIMAL ENGLISH in order to drive!!!!

Wow. Just wow. Where and what law set's English as the national language?

Should there be a proficiency test to get a pass to take the test? Simply amazing.

And not just Native Americans were here before immigration....just simply flabbergasted.

[txgolfer130]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

We should make it a law that English proficiency is required before you can get a driver's license.

We should make it a law that a common sense and sign identification be administered first and foremost! I'll back an English proficiency requirement when every single last person in the world speaks English only.

Until then there is the good old fashioned, 100% understand sign language 1-fingered salute.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Dallas native

Excellent point! I've driven in many European countries without knowing the various languages (except in Spain). Somehow I managed to drive safely and get where I needed to go. Had I been required to speak French, German, Italian, Czech or whatever, then I would have had to drastically change my plans. The two countries that I have been to that I refuse to drive in are England (because they drive on the other side of the road and the other side of the car) and Mexico (because of corrupt police).

There is a difference between being a tourist and renting a car, which I think is OK, and being a resident in this state with a state-issued driver's license and still not being able to speak enough English to make yourself understood, which is not OK (with me).

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

There is a difference between being a tourist and renting a car, which I think is OK, and being a resident in this state with a state-issued driver's license and still not being able to speak enough English to make yourself understood, which is not OK (with me).

Then what would you do about French-speaking Cajuns from neighboring Louisiana? It's not like they have the most intelligible of accents.

[smuboy86]

or even french speaking Quebecois from Canada? If you have the ability to passing the driving test, then you should be able to drive? Also, what if the driver is a mute and cannot communicate verbally they can't speak at all should they not be allowed to drive?

[aceplace]

The issuebof a drivers license is a privilege, not a right. The ability to communicate to others is a legitimAte expectaton on the part of the granting of same. Germany or France would probably expect proficiency in the local language before issuing a license, although they may allow holders of other country's licences to drive there on a temporary basis.

But... I don't see criminalizing an existing license holder for failure to communicate

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by south-to-west

Then what would you do about French-speaking Cajuns from neighboring Louisiana? It's not like they have the most intelligible of accents.

There are not many people in Louisiana who speak a French-based creole but who do not speak English. I think that is a false analogy. However, even English speakers from Louisiana with hard-to-understand accents could still communicate by writing.

Originally Posted by smuboy86

or even french speaking Quebecois from Canada? If you have the ability to passing the driving test, then you should be able to drive? Also, what if the driver is a mute and cannot communicate verbally they can't speak at all should they not be allowed to drive?

It is unusual for people from Quebec who do not speak English to end up down here. If they are a tourist they get a pass, but if they settle here and have a state-issued Texas driver's license then yes, I do expect them to speak English. As for mute people, see above. Mute people usually carry a pad and pen with them to aid in communication and deaf people often do as well. Even if they do not have a pad and pen with them, you should because you should always have something to write with/on in the car. That is common sense.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

There is a difference between being a tourist and renting a car, which I think is OK, and being a resident in this state with a state-issued driver's license and still not being able to speak enough English to make yourself understood, which is not OK (with me).

I understand that. I'm just responding to people saying one must speak English to drive here period. Something we have to remember also, we don't have an official language in this country. That makes it difficult to push the English only laws.
As I said, I was playing devil's advocate. I understand the frustration as I know many people, including my husband, who have been in accidents with non-English speakers. In one case that comes to mind, the driver had no license and no insurance at all and may not have been a citizen. Don't know what happened to that guy, but my friend was responsible for all her repairs and the accident was not her fault.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

It is unusual for people from Quebec who do not speak English to end up down here. If they are a tourist they get a pass, but if they settle here and have a state-issued Texas driver's license then yes, I do expect them to speak English. As for mute people, see above. Mute people usually carry a pad and pen with them to aid in communication and deaf people often do as well. Even if they do not have a pad and pen with them, you should because you should always have something to write with/on in the car. That is common sense.

Seriously, if someone wants to understand you, they will--regardless if they speak the same language as you. I've been to countries where I wasn't proficient enough in the local language, but I could still get the gist of what was being said. If you got into a wreck with someone and they pleaded that they don't speak English, then you were duped. Call a cop to mediate if the situation is so dire. Trust me, they can understand you. They know what an insurance police number is.

The only thing that annoys me is that folks somehow think that everyone has the same aptitude to learn a foreign language. Even more, a lot of folks here somehow think that foreigners or immigrants can learn English through osmosis. It takes a long, long time to learn a foreign language--especially a highly inefficient and counterintuitive language such as English--and some folks just have no ability to master a second language. People need to be a little more patient with each other.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by south-to-west

Seriously, if someone wants to understand you, they will--regardless if they speak the same language as you. I've been to countries where I wasn't proficient enough in the local language, but I could still get the gist of what was being said. If you got into a wreck with someone and they pleaded that they don't speak English, then you were duped. Call a cop to mediate if the situation is so dire. Trust me, they can understand you. They know what an insurance police number is.

The only thing that annoys me is that folks somehow think that everyone has the same aptitude to learn a foreign language. Even more, a lot of folks here somehow think that foreigners or immigrants can learn English through osmosis. It takes a long, long time to learn a foreign language--especially a highly inefficient and counterintuitive language such as English--and some folks just have no ability to master a second language. People need to be a little more patient with each other.

My grandparents all immigrated to the United States as adults, and they all managed it. The older you are the more difficult it is to master a foreign language, but there is a difference between speaking English fluently and being able to speak enough to communicate with those around you. Many permanent residents here, illegal or not, do not speak enough English to communicate effectively with Americans.