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Road signs are really just a matter of general road safety - they have little to do with national pride. Thus, wouldn't it serve everybody if signs were bilingual in those areas that tend to see a lot of foreign traffic?
Even better, how about getting of our high oh-we-are-so-individual horse and completely convert to international standards - that way, none of that would really be an issue.
I say a big NO!!! Then what do you do when you have other communities wanting their language on signage?
Tourists rarely drive, so road signs aren't an issue for them. If they go to big cities should street signs and transporation signs be multi-lingual as well? Tourists who can't speak English seem to get around quite well. In NYC they show you were they want to go, pointing to their travel map or a picture and you point, wave your hand in a direction, hold up fingers and then hope they get there.
Here is a sample of how a "No Parking" would look like, taking some of the foreign languages widely spoken in the US.
ningún aparcamiento
ممنوع الوقوف
不准停车
कोई पार्किंग
никакая стоянка
پارکنگ نہیں
aucun parking
garaj pa
no parking
There would be absolutely no need to have signs in Spanish close to the border on the U.S. side because these days the people that would benefit the most from that are only going one direction, and it ain't towards Mexico.
I don't think it really works that way. The vast majority of cross-border traffic has nothing to do with illegal immigration.
Case in point - a few years back (when it was safe,) I was part of a mission trip to build houses in the Juarez, Mexico area. Being Americans, we stayed across the borders in El Paso. Well, we had construction help from some Mexicans who lived in the area, but they would cross the border to the U.S. to buy construction supplies and bring them back to Mexico.
Still, I don't really think it's necessary to have road signs in another language, since I'm not really sure it serves any purpose. If I see a stop sign that says "Alto," I know it's a stop sign. It works the other way too.
I say a big NO!!! Then what do you do when you have other communities wanting their language on signage?
Tourists rarely drive, so road signs aren't an issue for them. If they go to big cities should street signs and transporation signs be multi-lingual as well? Tourists who can't speak English seem to get around quite well. In NYC they show you were they want to go, pointing to their travel map or a picture and you point, wave your hand in a direction, hold up fingers and then hope they get there.
Here is a sample of how a "No Parking" would look like, taking some of the foreign languages widely spoken in the US.
ningún aparcamiento
ممنوع الوقوف
不准停车
कोई पार्किंग
никакая стоянка
پارکنگ نہیں
aucun parking
garaj pa
no parking
Is there something wrong with the sign with a large "P" and a cross over it? It is the international "no parking" sign.
I don't think it really works that way. The vast majority of cross-border traffic has nothing to do with illegal immigration.
Case in point - a few years back (when it was safe,) I was part of a mission trip to build houses in the Juarez, Mexico area. Being Americans, we stayed across the borders in El Paso. Well, we had construction help from some Mexicans who lived in the area, but they would cross the border to the U.S. to buy construction supplies and bring them back to Mexico.
Still, I don't really think it's necessary to have road signs in another language, since I'm not really sure it serves any purpose. If I see a stop sign that says "Alto," I know it's a stop sign. It works the other way too.
What's weird is "Stop" signs in France and Spain use the word "Stop", NOT French of Spanish words.
For everyone who is saying no, if the new signs don't cost any more, what logical reason do you have to not want a bilingual sign?
I am not trying to start a fight, I just honestly don't see a good reason not to throw a few more languages on a sign.
Because it's an inroad to additional changes in that direction which I would find repugnant. If they want to get along they can do what I did in the three other coutries in which I've lived, learn OUR language. It's a matter of respect for our sovreignty.
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