This sounds harsh but it is true, some foreigners who are nationals of any given country DO speak english but only when it suits them to do so.
I was with a friend who had an accident with an asian fellow - basically the asian guy ran into the back of my friends car at a roundabout, both my friend and I got out as did the other guy and he started yabbering at us in another language speaking no english just shouting in this foreign language. Obviously trying to confuse the issue, luckily for my friend he must have been going to pick up his wife/sister or something as she came out of a building across the road and shouted at him what has happened here ?
It was at that point he started speaking english to us when he realised the game was up.
Some of these people do speak english perfectly well, but will make out they cant speak any if the situation calls for it.