Subject: RE: goin to CA soon, to be a CC tychoon

From: chris <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue Jun 10 14:07:01 2003

>It
>helps bunches if you actually speak (or, at least, understand)
>English, unlike several people from apparently Korea who demanded
>their gramma was given a drivers license.  Sadly, she didnt speak
>a word of English, couldnt read it either (so much for the YIELD
>sign..) and got into frantic-rage mode when made clear that she
>could not get a license, as she could not even be asked her
>name.

Here in NJ, the DMV drivers manuals are printed in English as well as 
Spanish, and I think Arabic (possibly others as well). The exam is also 
given in English or Spanish written, and with special reasons, English or 
Spanish oral for people with reading problems (I wonder if that's a valid 
excuse for ignoring speed limit signs? Sorry officer, I can't read, if 
you would read the sign to me I'll be happy to obey it).

Of course, currently, almost all street signs of any kind are only 
printed in English, so I guess once you pass the oral Spanish exam, you 
are on your own for knowing what a sign says. (There are some parts of 
some cities that post signs in Spanish, but they are not the norm).

And of course, when you NEED a drivers manual, the only ones the DMV ever 
seems to have in stock are the Spanish ones.

Oh, and nothing beats the speedyness of the Trenton No-Fee DMV (a special 
office for No-Fee registrations and plates). They had my reg and plates 
ready before I could finish writing out the check. Yes, this is NJ DMV... 
the only place you have to PAY for No-Fee registrations!!!

-chris
<http://www.mythtech.net>

---

From: "Fred N. van Kempen" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue Jun 10 14:19:01 2003

On Tue, 10 Jun 2003, chris wrote:

> Spanish, and I think Arabic (possibly others as well).
English and Spanish too, in CA.  Never seen Arabic, though. Sellam
would know :)

Still.. most Asians speak neither, so they're hosed.  What struck
my mom (also Dutch, with whom I was in line to get her through the
whole drivers license thingie) that the woman's family *demanded*
she get a license, and, later, made a big fuss when they denied
her one, based on language issues.  So, my mom, in her best
English, at the counter "I am sorry about my bad english, but it
is NOT as bad as that lady's.." :)

> you would read the sign to me I'll be happy to obey it).
I pulled that twice... third time failed, because the damn cop
noticed that it was kinda funny that some tourist from Holland
(I have two drivers licenses..) actually owned the car he was
driving in, which a San Jose-based address... damn me..)

> seems to have in stock are the Spanish ones.
Yup.

> the only place you have to PAY for No-Fee registrations!!!
:)

God, I wonder if our old house is still there in NJ... *sigh*

--f