Auto License in the U.S.: If you are a citizen, should...

[Ripsnort]

Auto License in the U.S.: If you are a citizen, should you be required to speak english if you are going to be licensed in the U.S.?

Opinions?

A friend just got hit by an oriental woman (mong?) in Minneapolis (autos). She's a citizen, but couldn't speak a lick of english.  The cops had to send for a linguist (sp?) and the whole fiasco took over 2 hours to clear up.

[Wolfala]

On the application for a pilots license, the first question is:

1.  Can you read, speak and understand english?  Yes/No

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Wolfala
On the application for a pilots license, the first question is:

1.  Can you read, speak and understand english?  Yes/No

What happens if you check no?

I understand that pilots say "NINER" rather than "NINE" due to some "ooops" when Germany started entering US Airspace in commercial airliners after WW2.

[Mickey1992]

I think licensed drivers should have to be able to read road signs written in English.

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by Mickey1992
I think licensed drivers should have to be able to read road signs written in English.

What about accidents? How do you speak about exchanging insurance papers if the accident is minor in nature and no police are involved?

[moot]

Isn't being a non-english speaking citizen sort of far-fetched?

[Carrel]

Originally posted by Mickey1992
I think licensed drivers should have to be able to read road signs written in English.

Thre reason roadsigns are colored and shaped different is so people can understand what they mean without having to speak English. Nobody, in the past, has suggested a requirement of driving be that one spaeks English, leading me to believe the reason it's being suggested now is anti immigration hysteria.

[Viking]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Auto License in the U.S.: If you are a citizen, should you be required to speak english if you are going to be licensed in the U.S.?

A better question given your constitution would be: Should US citizens need a license at all?

[Mickey1992]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
What about accidents? How do you speak about exchanging insurance papers if the accident is minor in nature and no police are involved?

I see your point.  But I don't think you need to speak the language to exchange name, address and vehicle info.  Although I understand that it would make the process a lot easier.

How old was the woman that hit your friend?  How rare is it to come across a US citizen with a valid driver's license that doesn't speak a lick of English?  Could she have been playing dumb?

In Ohio:

§ 4549.02. Stopping after accident; exchange of identity and vehicle registration.
   
(A)  In case of accident to or collision with persons or property upon any of the public roads or highways, due to the driving or operation thereon of any motor vehicle, the person driving or operating the motor vehicle, having knowledge of the accident or collision, immediately shall stop the driver's or operator's motor vehicle at the scene of the accident or collision and shall remain at the scene of the accident or collision until the driver or operator has given the driver's or operator's name and address and, if the driver or operator is not the owner, the name and address of the owner of that motor vehicle, together with the registered number of that motor vehicle, to any person injured in the accident or collision or to the operator, occupant, owner, or attendant of any motor vehicle damaged in the accident or collision, or to any police officer at the scene of the accident or collision.

[john9001]

me no speky angrish.

to be a citizen you need a "working knowledge of English", whatever that means. I don't think you need to be a citizen to get a drivers license, example, legal alien, etc.

[BadJasper]

I think you should be able to read and write whatever countrys language that you are applying for a license in:aok

[Flatbar]

Some states still have the option of taking an oral exam for a drivers license.

You must prove that you can recognize traffic signs and have knowledge of traffic laws.

What some may not know is that there are quite a few people, American citizens, that still don't know how to read and write. The functionaly illiterate should not be discriminated against for their lack of education. My own father had a 3rd grade education and took the California DL test oraly and passed many times.


So, whether you can read and write in english is a non issue for getting a DL in most states. I just don't see that a non english speaker is more or less dangerious on the road if that person has passed the test for his/her DL.

Now, for whipping up the ire of the racists and bigiots and those that are but are in the closet about it, this arguement most likely will work.

IMO

[namvet]

The Hmong paid a much higher price for freedom than 99% of the lardasses around here.  I say we give her a pass.

[Xargos]

If you've been in a country for five or more years, you should be able to speak the language of that land no matter what country it is.  If you haven't learned within that period of time you should have NO rights at all except to die.

[Ripsnort]

Here is an interesting scenario that happened to us in the mid-90's:

My wife got hit by two Russians. Both were citizens, and both couldn't speak a word of english. That is, until the insurance companies had them on the phone with my wife to settle the insurance papers, then both were speaking perfect (yet accented) english.