Makes Sense To Me

Tim Wakefield said:
Which leads me to an interesting point actually; What about the illiterate? What about the dyslexic? What about said elderly? Is this lynch mob taking their licenses away too?

I would hope that if I decided to go live in a non-English speaking country, I would still retain my permission to drive on the count that I can recognize basic shapes and symbols, but I wouldn't expect them to give my a driving test in my native language just because I was from another country.
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Actually, if you can't pass the written (ie, illiterate, dyslexic without accommodation) then you wouldn't have a license to have taken away, logically.

As for the elderly, it's no wonder why there is constantly talk of requiring them to take yearly, or every-other-year exams to retain their license, as they tend to be represented disproportionately in specific types of automobile accident. Specifically those types in which someone who is really too old be to be driving plows into a crowd of people.

As for using your US driver's license in other countries, it varies. Quite a number of them will either allow you to test immediately (language may vary), or will give you a grace period if you're just visiting or haven't had time to apply for a local license yet, typically not more than one year. There also international driving permits that fulfill the same function, again, temporary measures though.

Switzerland, for example, allows one year if you have a valid driver's license, but you must apply for a Swiss driver's license by the end of that period. Standard mix of tests, though with a first aid element thrown in, and written exam can be taking in a variety of languages. You get three shots at it; if you fail all three, then you have to go to a shrink who will determine if you're mentally competent to drive, and if so, will give you one more attempt.

Japan, on the other hand, is a bit more challenging. The same one year grace period applies, but at the end of that, depending on your nationality, you'll have to go through the whole testing process again from scratch. The written test is available in other languages... kinda. To the extent that apparently it's grotesquely badly translated, to the point of being very difficult to comprehend by many of the people who take the test, even though it's theoretically in their native language. There's also a portion of the exam where you drive a course with an instructor giving you, oddly enough, specific instructions.

From all accounts, the instructor will not speak anything other than Japanese. So if you don't speak at least some of the language, you'll fail, and the testing process is quite expensive.
 
Raesvelg said:
As for the elderly, it's no wonder why there is constantly talk of requiring them to take yearly, or every-other-year exams to retain their license, as they tend to be represented disproportionately in specific types of automobile accident. Specifically those types in which someone who is really too old be to be driving plows into a crowd of people.
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Seriously, they really do need to have these tests. My grandfather has been driving with macular degeneration for years now, and it's not like it's in early stages. He's more or less blind (he sees shadows, he says) if he looks directly at what he wants to see, so he needs to turn his head a little more than 45 degrees to see something directly in front of him.

Finally around 6 months ago he had his license taken away by the doctor or some such. Luckily I don't think he got into any kind of an accident in the time that he did drive but really, if there were tests in place this sort of thing would be prevented, and it would be for the better.

To those wondering how he got around without being able to read all the signs, he said that he'd just follow the car in front of him, so if they stopped, he'd stop, if they slowed, he'd slow, etc. He's got a really good sense of direction I guess, either that or he'd slow down a lot to check the road signs.
 
Tim Wakefield said:
Is this lynch mob taking their licenses away too?

I would hope that if I decided to go live in a non-English speaking country, I would still retain my permission to drive on the count that I can recognize basic shapes and symbols, but I wouldn't expect them to give my a driving test in my native language just because I was from another country.
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I'd like to know why you think its fair for another country to only give the test in their language, yet people trying to do the same here are a lynch mob.
 
If you are a citizen of the country in question, I say the test should only be provided and expected a pass in that countries primary/native/typical language as that is where you are most likely to come across written signage that can not be translated with a simple image. If you are visiting another country and have a valid drivers license from your country then yeah for the duration of your visit you should be allowed temporary driving privileges, as you can probably get by for the time being with some assistance.

It is not unreasonable to expect those sharing the roads day in and out to understand the road signs/rules as well as the next person. Obtaining a drivers license is SUPPOSED to have a set standard of qualifications, I think full understanding is not too much to ask.
 
Thelona said:
I'd like to know why you think its fair for another country to only give the test in their language, yet people trying to do the same here are a lynch mob.
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I didn't say I think it's fair, I said I wouldn't expect them to.
 
Thelona said:
I'd like to know why you think its fair for another country to only give the test in their language, yet people trying to do the same here are a lynch mob.
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Most other countries don't put their national pride in being multicultural.
 
Skaw said:
Most other countries don't put their national pride in being multicultural.
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A very good (and really the only irrefutable point) here.

This country has no national language. Put frankly, we don't need one. Yes, it bothers me when I hear people babbling in Spanish around me and Stine and I can make out the words "roja pelo muy caliente" but in all honesty, it's not any different from any other random asshole catcalling or so. Do I think those guys should be deported for thinking I have a hot wife? No, because she is :D
 
Skaw said:
Most other countries don't put their national pride in being multicultural.
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I agree with you here.

We have the same false pride here. We will never truly be multicultural however. There will never come a day where we'll honor laws upheld by other authorities simply based on the native background of an individual.

Think of the shit storm that would create.

It's a nice thought though, it just won't and shouldn't happen.
 
didn't bother reading the thread, but I'm torn.

First of, America does not have an official language. Yes, English is the largest one, but it does not have an official language, so according to the constitution, all official documents etc. has to be available in multiple languages. That includes driver license tests.
 
Uzor said:
So according to the constitution, all official documents etc. has to be available in multiple languages.
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There is no such statement in the U.S. constitution. The lack of an "official" language doesn't obligate you to be required to provide multiple language license exams.

The bottom line is there are people, as evidenced in this thread and else where, who would be more than happy to endanger peoples lives just to perpetuate some sort of perverse political correctness.
 
Uzor said:
didn't bother reading the thread, but I'm torn.

First of, America does not have an official language. Yes, English is the largest one, but it does not have an official language, so according to the constitution, all official documents etc. has to be available in multiple languages. That includes driver license tests.
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False. Driver's liceneses are issued by states, not the federal government.
 
Tomasello said:
There is no such statement in the U.S. constitution. The lack of an "official" language doesn't obligate you to be required to provide multiple language license exams.

The bottom line is there are people, as evidenced in this thread and else where, who would be more than happy to endanger peoples lives just to perpetuate some sort of perverse political correctness.
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wait...how did having drivers tests in multiple languages become endangering peoples lives?
 
Tok said:
wait...how did having drivers tests in multiple languages become endangering peoples lives?
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Read the original post and see if you can figure it out.

In fact, read through the thread, it might answer any other obvious questions you may have.
 
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