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Unless the passenger is one of those people who enjoys conversing with the driver, the driver's fluency makes no difference.
What matters is if the driver understands your verbal or written destination and how to get there.
NYC is unlike any other city in the US.
More than 100 languages are spoken in NYC which is nothing new. The city receives more than 50 million foreign visitors a year from all over the world. About 25% of foreign visitors are from China. While most understand basic English, most are not fluent speakers.
It's a huge assumption that a passenger speaks English in NYC.
Yes, it is new. We're not talking about the fact that it's a huge melting pot where many languages are spoken--they have always had that--we're talking about no requirement for them to learn English at all. They may speak 100 languages but if they are a citizen then one of those languages is always English. Would you support every major city in America rolling back an English requirement? For instance, go to a restaurant and just point at a picture of the food to order, get on an international flight of an American airline and not all of the flight attendants speak English, get on a city bus with a driver you can't ask questions to, check into a hotel in an American city where the desk city doesn't speak English, or visit a national park or national monument where you have to communicate in faux sign language and stick figure drawings? And count me as one of those passengers who does like to converse with my driver if I'm exploring a new city.
There is no good defense for creating more confusion, cultural alienation (among the native population no less!) and less unity in the world, particularly in the US.
2 Years ago I was in Boston and jumped int a cab...destination a well know hotel..the cab driver had no idea...we needed to give him directions via smart phone gps.
Welcome to the new America.
Before I get in a cab, I ask all cab drivers, white, black, brown, purple, or green, if they know how to get to my destination. It's OK if they need to look it up, but if they look clueless or angry, I don't get in.
How do you tell the NYC taxi driver where you want to go if he doesn't speak English?
If he doesn't understand, then he doesn't get the fare. If this becomes a consistent pattern, then he won't make any money. The free market will take care of it.
Yes, it is new. We're not talking about the fact that it's a huge melting pot where many languages are spoken--they have always had that--we're talking about no requirement for them to learn English at all. They may speak 100 languages but if they are a citizen then one of those languages is always English. Would you support every major city in America rolling back an English requirement? For instance, go to a restaurant and just point at a picture of the food to order, get on an international flight of an American airline and not all of the flight attendants speak English, get on a city bus with a driver you can't ask questions to, check into a hotel in an American city where the desk city doesn't speak English, or visit a national park or national monument where you have to communicate in faux sign language and stick figure drawings? And count me as one of those passengers who does like to converse with my driver if I'm exploring a new city.
There is no good defense for creating more confusion, cultural alienation (among the native population no less!) and less unity in the world, particularly in the US.
This is a very good point, Kaphawoman. Will the next Progressive initiative require employers hire employees that are non-English speakers for jobs dealing with the public and subject employers to lawsuits by non-English speaking job applicants for discrimination? That scenario of such a government mandate doesn't sound farfetched to me.
2 Years ago I was in Boston and jumped int a cab...destination a well know hotel..the cab driver had no idea...we needed to give him directions via smart phone gps.
Welcome to the new America.
We-ll.......you could always use the international language.
As oppose to trying to get him to understand what you need, hold the dollar bill in front of his face and say "bye-bye" and find yourself a cabbie who does understand.
Uber can't make the taxi profession obsolete fast enough, IMO.
Uber does not require English either.
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