One dead, several hurt because of "no speak english"!

[Chad Sheets]

As some of you know, I help my in-laws sometimes with their towing business. I see alot of stuff, that makes one angry, but todays situation takes the cake.



I left for work around 2pm. All the traffic on the CB was "slow up, bridge work ahead... 4 mile back up". Well, when I got home last night from work, my father in law told me there was a Cummins Ram he wanted me to look at in the morning involved in a wreck.



Heres what happened. The traffic is backed up on the interstate for a few miles, but slowly moving. A 72 year old man in his new Cummins truck is waiting like everyone else. Along comes a semi that plows into him at full 65 mph force (not an inch of skid mark anywhere from the semi), shoves him into another semi, and then hits 2 other cars. As from the title of the post, you guessed it, the truck driver couldnt speak a bit of English. Now, 4 vehicles are crashed, one old man is dead, and all this guy can do is shrug his shoulders.



How can these people get a CDL is beyond me. Thanks to our wonderful system, that we all have tolerated for years, innocent people are starting to pay a high price for it. I am so pi**ed now I cant even think right. Getting off here to go for a walk. POS non English speaking, non tax paying, freeloading aliens. The guy should be charged with murder as far as I am concerned. This BS has to stop.

 

[NVR FNSH]

Originally posted by Chad Sheets

. POS non English speaking, non tax paying, freeloading aliens. The guy should be charged with murder as far as I am concerned. This BS has to stop.

And you know for a fact that the guy is an illegal and doesn't pay taxes? Was the guy driving a farm truck that wouldn't require a CDL? Why would his language skills have any bearing on being charged/not charged with a crime?



Not trying to down play the situation but it appears that you are jumping to conclusions.



Let's see, I have driven in Mexico, Germany, Austria & England w/o speaking the language. I didn't have any problems.



CDL is a different situation though - I'm not sure I could pass the CDL tests w/o serious study.



Brian

 

[Straight6Jeff]

I agree with ya Chad... . If you can't READ the language, you shouldn't be able to get a license. Here in teh peoples republic of Mass, they have the written portion of the test in a few different languages. Wait a Da*& minute... . are the road signs in a few languages... . NO!!!! I don't care that road signs have the unique shapes. It's the message boards that carry important info also.

 

[Shovelhead]

I agree with Chad about requiring a command of the language to obtain a driver's license.

However, would they be any less dead if the driver knew perfect English?



There are too many drivers with/without CDLs on the road for too many hours all over the country.

(low pay= more windshield time to make $$)



Around the D. C. beltway (aka the suicide circle), there are numerious accidents each week caused by driver 's inattention to the task at hand, namely aiming 2+ tons of steel down a highway at 60+mph, 2 feet away from another 2+ton vehicle.

 

[Bad340fish]

I think he meant that the Dude could not understand the traffic warnings on the CB.



In Oklahoma a half drunk monkey could get a CDL(hell I have one lol). I have a Class B license and the test was a breeze. The written test was the hardest but it just takes common sense for that. The only wierd part about the drivers test in OK is you are not supposed to shift crossing Intersections. In a 35K battery truck with a 466 you have to take off in LOW meaning a snails pace of 5MPH accross the intersections. And the drivers test seemed to include the WIDEST intersections around.



A few months ago they had on the news that more than half of the Hispanic Population in Tulsa(which is growing) did not have a Drivers License. Wonderful Huh??

Clark

 

[illflem]

As far as aliens not having driver's licenses Calif had a good idea a few years back that they didn't follow though on. Bar code on the license would be read before you could pump gas, your driving record would be accessed and you would be charged for insurance added to the price of gas based on your driving record. No license, no gas. Of course there are ways around this but it seemed like a good idea to me.

 

[swamp rat]

Here in Tennesssee due in total to a new law passed a couple of months ago, illegal aliens are not only allowed to get a license but do not have to any English language skills whatsoever as our dear legislators have required all drivers licensing stations to have interpretors and all signage is in duplicate languages.



The ensuing debacle caused legal citizens to have to wait in lines for hours just to renew their license.



Passing the CDL written test is not really all that difficult, it just takes a long time if you seek multiple endorsements lke myself.

Class AM w/XTP endorsements. IOW, I can legally drive any size or type of commercial vehicle as well as a motorcycle. I originally got my CDL in Texas and had to answer over 450 questions. I failed two parts and had to come back the next day to retake those written tests, the Texas state A&B portion and the Motorcycle test. My boss never bothered to tell me about the state required tests so I couldn't study. Texas also has some rather wierd ideas on how to properly ride a motorcycle too, some of which are not necessarily the safest.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Every motorcycle written test I've ever taken has had answers to questions that were downright WRONG! I have ridden over 150,000 miles on the street and used to road race bikes. I nearly flunked the California motorcycle test because I got 4 questions wrong (the max at that time) and in every case THEY were wrong! Best one was if you are leaned over in a corner and you use your brakes the bike will a. slow down, b. fall over, c. stand up, (I forget what D was). Their "correct" answer was that it will b. fall over - of course the correct answer is c. stand up. I offered to take them for a ride on my bike and show them EXACTLY what happens when you brake while leaned over and explained that the prior weekend I was leaned over many times at speeds up to 160 mph and used the brakes leaned over every time - and EVERY time the bike stood up! Another one (can't remember which state this one was in) was where you should ride in the lane, they said you should ride right smack dab in the middle - right where all the oil that drips from cars drops!! It scares me at times what the DMV dept's teach fledling motorcycle riders - good thing we have the MSF and various riders schools out there!

 

[Chad Sheets]

Re: Re: One dead, several hurt because of "no speak english"!

Originally posted by NVR FNSH

Not trying to down play the situation but it appears that you are jumping to conclusions.

Brian

Nope. We have the Ram, the Semi, the other car he hit as well, and the trailer to the other semi hit. Along with that we have all the information on the drivers, companies driving for if any, insurance-if any, access to the police reports etc. No farm truck.



I see this about 3 times a year with non English speaking/reading beginner drivers killing people. The last time it happened in late spring, a car load of non English speaking Mexicans, illegal, pulled out in front of a family of 4 (Mom, Dad, two kids)... 2 Mexicans died, and the 4 other people died. The driver had a fake drivers lic, fake work permit etc. Last month a guy at work lost his wife because a non English speaking/reading driver ran a stop sign in the country and t-boned his wife. Once some one arrived who could understand the Mexican, she said she didn't know she had to stop.



The difference between you driving in a different country and doing O. K. , and them failing at it is because you had experience driving to begin with. Most of the people involved in the accidents I speak of are just getting behind the wheel for the first time in their life, and doing it in a strange place with no understanding what so ever of any road signs, traffic signals or anything else needed to comprehend while driving. Its complete BS.



One of the deputies told me that you can be illiterate, not able to read or spell or anything, and as long as you have someone read the test to you and you pass, you are good to go. I'm not just PO'd about the non English ones, but anyone who can get a drivers lic without the ability to understand and comprehend what a road sign says.

 

[Sled Puller]

This happened in Texas Canyon on I- 10 in Az a while back- Some idiot illegal mexican stopped in the middle of the highway at night.

Semi swerved, hit rock and some other stuff and burned.



The mexicans got there stolen car running again a drove off.

Nice.

 

[Shrimpy]

WARNING THIS IS LONG!!!!!!!!





This is not ment as a slam, but I am sure some will take it that way. The rest of the country is begining to see what we here along the south and southwest borders have know for a long time. You can't let people come to this country and just start driving. And yes I am speaking predominantly of Hispanics. Go to anywhere outside of the major cities in Mexico and NO ONE drives!!! Sure there are lots of cars in Mexico City and other large population centers, but most are to POOR to be able to afford vehicular transportation. Again, not ment to slam just a Bold Face Fact.

They come over here, get a job and save some money, and anyone will sell them a car. In Texas, we have licence (for cars and trucks) due yearly along with safety inspection. The license portion is fairly easy to hide for up to 2 years, and safety inspection stickers are easy to get on the black market. There is a very large market in the Houston area for used cars that have very recent safety inspections and license. So effectively a person could drive for upwards of 2 years and as long as they are not stopped for something, never see the inside of a motor vehicle office!!!!!

One of the main complaints here is the amount of Hispanics who have no insurance, nada, zip, nothing. Get into a fender bender with them and other than robbing them on the spot of the cash they have (if it is their fault), just plan on your insurance cost going thru the roof because yours will have to pay. And they, Hispanics and Asians, are famous for litterly STOPPING on the Freeway if they need to move over to exit. I don't mean slow down to a crawl, I mean S. T. O. P. , as in blinker on waiting to turn while traffic sails by at 65 to 75 mph. You have not lived until you come up on one of these or the ensuing swerving and screaching that comes. I have personally seen two different wrecks started initially by someone who was STOPPED on the freeway trying to exit. As soon as the wreck happened behind them and traffic slowed they simply proceeded on as if there was nothing going on. I was able to get the licence plate from the car that started the accident and gave it to the police. Turns out the car had been sold by the registered (plate trace) owner to someone who did not bother to re-register it with the state.

All of this comes down to a basic premise that if someone is going to come here and enjoy our way of life, they need to follow our laws to do things. Example, how much does Texas and California alone, spend on multi-language tests, signage, and translators. Why does my tax money have to be spent on this. I don't go to other countries and try to drive or become a licensed electrician or plumber or such and say give me the test in english!!!!! I would have to learn the language.

Since the tragedy of Sept. 11, I believe that folks are begining to understand that we as a nation, although a melting pot, have to have limits and place expectations on those who come here to live and prosper in our great country.

 

[Chad Sheets]

Amen to that.

 

[bigkid59]

We had a situation here in my county a while back that really shows the attitude of some of these aliens. I am trying to remember the exact details, but the general story is that there were 3 or 4 of them in a car that passed a stopped school bus and struck and killed a young girl on her way to board the bus.

What really shows their sick attitude toward the laws of the country supporting them is that they fled the scene, took the car into a field and burned it in an obvious attempt to destroy any way to trace it back to one of them.

They got caught and now we the taxpayers are spending thousands of our dollars paying for attorneys and interpreters for a trial that will probably result in little punishment.

The driver said he did not know that you were to stop for a school bus while the bus was loading or unloading. I do not remember if they were legal or illegal at the time, but their lack of knowledge of a basic law is impossible to condone. The fact that they ran further indicates their self serving attitude and a lack of respect.

 

[illflem]

It's hard to say where to draw the line on speaking English, after all most of our population is built on folks that didn't speak it when they arrived. My grandparents, Inuit Eskimo, never learned much English and their ancestors were here long before English was ever heard of, but they didn't drive either. My feeling is to shut down our boarders 100% to new immigrants, we have enough people here already. Look where our immigration policies got us on 9/11.

 

[RichB59]

borders

We need to get alot tougher on or borders. I feel like a damn fool sometimes when I think how as an American my country is being taken advantage off. Why are we so damned afraid of offending everyone. I find it quite offensive to have people coming here and takeing a free ride on hard working Americans backs. If people are fed up with their own country do something about it at home. President Fox of Mexico needs to solve his own problems without quitely invadeing the USA to relieve his problems at home. The Chinese and other Asian countries are comeing here in droves to relieve over crowding conditions at home. What the hell is going on in our government? It couldn't be big business has our leaders on puppet strings $$$ could it?



I feel better!!! Rich

 

[illflem]

Our southern border is a joke. I've had legal Mexicans working for me that say it is easier for them to sneak across than to go though the paper work at a border crossing. In the border towns Mexicans routinely cross illegally just to go shopping for an hour in the US. I'm sure the terrorists know how easy the southern border is to sneak across and will start using it to come in. I have heard no mention of tightening up the Mexican border, only the Canadian one, must be some bribes going on somewhere.

 

[maint.man]

I am really trying to be fair here. I can honestly say that I don't blame them for wanting a better life . Also I can tollerate it pretty well if they can speak English and pay taxes like the rest of us . But one thing I can't stand is the fact that where I live the population is so cluttered with hispanics that the town up the road has been nicknamed "Little Mexico" . The majority around here don't have licsences, don't have insurance, don't have to pay taxes, don't speak the language , and to boot , one lady that my wife works with gets 600. 00 a month to live on , plus her tax free paychecks. THEN SHE HAS THE NERVE TO ASK MY WIFE FOR RIDES HOME ! I'm sorry but enough is enough. A company in Evansville has been trying to become 51% hispanic because their contracts are almost up with the workers and they know that the mexicans will cross the picket line's if there is no contract. It just makes me sick. All I want to know is where will the line be drawn at ?

Sorry to flame about it but Chad's post just struck a nerve.

 

[Kodiak]

The international language of aviation is English. I don't care if you make it Martian, there has to be a "lingua franca," a common language in each country you are in. Otherwise, operating a moving vehicle is just a video game--just a matter of time.

 

[MUDDY]

what gets me is their total lack of respect for our laws and supposed ignorance of them. 20 some years ago a mexican farm truck driverwas in the left lane and with no turn signal made a right turn onto another road running my dad off the road and my dad flaged him over totalk to him about the body damage and the as-h--e jumped out and tried to attack my dad who was in his late 60s with a beet knife and fortunately recieved a few hard blows to the face from my dad. 1 more reason for going armed. dad had to have a bunch of stitches in his arm but no serious damage, thank the good lord. then the mexican jumped in the truck and spedd off. witnesses called the s. o. and the mex tried to outrun the deputy with that farm truck. ignorant. anyway, he got deported but had very little jail time and didnt have to pay the doctor bills. he was probably up here the next season working illegally.



another guy who got his citizenship worked with me when i worked construction many years ago and made the same wages i did but bragged about getting free food from the govt, JUST BECAUSE HE WAS A MEXICAN. he also refused to get car insurance. he said if he hit someone the hell with it, let the other guy pay for his own car.



some mexican activist said it is discriminatory the way our laws target mexicans cause they dont know our laws, and their laws are different back home. well, is it legal to steal and do bad things in mexico?



they need an ignorance test before drivers liscenses are issued.

A TRUE STORY. 7 or 8 yrs ago, i look out to the dirt road in front of the place and see a chev chevette. go out to the road and 3 mex farmworkers by the car . LF tire flat. only 1 speaks english. they only have 1/2 mile to go to their friends house and no spare. they sit out there for 2 hours. i go out there and suggest they drive real slow to their destination. . the SMART 1 in the buch says- I KNOW, W-ELL JUST PUSH THE CAR. so they start pushing the car down the road with the flat tire.



now would you want to share the road with these intellectuals.



close the borders. no more foreigners.

#ad

 

[HDH]

Originally posted by illflem

My feeling is to shut down our boarders 100% to new immigrants, we have enough people here already. Look where our immigration policies got us on 9/11.

I agree with you Bill.

Doug.



Got some friends moving up by you in Stevensville (SP?)