NYC cabbies no longer required to speak English

[Derec]

More absurdity from the de Blasio administration:
New York's yellow-cab drivers no longer required to pass English test

A new law that streamlines licensing requirements for different kinds of drivers has done away with the longstanding English proficiency test for taxi drivers, which supporters say will eliminate a barrier to the profession for immigrants, who make up 96% of the 144,000 cabbies in the city.

The fact that 96% of cab drivers are immigrants makes the English requirements much more important, because you can usually assume English proficiency from natives. This is more faux "liberal" lunacy. There is nothing preventing immigrants from learning English well enough to communicate and pass a basic proficiency test. And this "barrier to a profession" nonsense is ridiculous too. If they really wanted to reduce barriers to entry, they'd charge less for medallions and increase their number. But being in a profession where you interact with customers (as well as police etc.) you should have to show English proficiency.

Why is requiring immigrants to learn English such an anathema to "liberals"?

 

[Ford]

This isn't some liberal conspiracy, Derec. This is government getting out of the way and letting "the market decide."

 

[Axulus]

This isn't some liberal conspiracy, Derec. This is government getting out of the way and letting "the market decide."

Does NYC allow unrestricted access to Lyft and Uber? The solution is if people don't like it to leave bad reviews and choose a different cab. +1 for NYC on this, but minus points for tons of other dumb rules.

 

[TV and credit cards]

Now where will I get my stock tips from?

Drivers must still pass tests on such details as driving rules and where they can pick up passengers.

Unless this test is done completely with pictures or available in umpteen different languages, I'll bet they have enough of a command of English to get me where I need to go.

Looking at it from the other side, the sooner we can get these damn dirty immigrants working, the less in social services they'll suck up.

 

[bleubird]

We all must have a great conversation with the cab driver.It is some kind of law or something.I take a cab a about once a year.Where to? Airport.Have a nice flight.Done.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

More absurdity from the de Blasio administration:
New York's yellow-cab drivers no longer required to pass English test

A new law that streamlines licensing requirements for different kinds of drivers has done away with the longstanding English proficiency test for taxi drivers, which supporters say will eliminate a barrier to the profession for immigrants, who make up 96% of the 144,000 cabbies in the city.

The fact that 96% of cab drivers are immigrants makes the English requirements much more important, because you can usually assume English proficiency from natives. This is more faux "liberal" lunacy.

Liberal?

There is nothing preventing immigrants from learning English well enough to communicate and pass a basic proficiency test.

You do know that a proficiency test is akin to a fluency test? And which one do they use? TOEFL? Who pays for it and how is it administered?

And this "barrier to a profession" nonsense is ridiculous too. If they really wanted to reduce barriers to entry, they'd charge less for medallions and increase their number. But being in a profession where you interact with customers (as well as police etc.) you should have to show English proficiency.

I can take you to many shops where people interact with the public and know little English. Somehow the transactions go smoothly.

Why is requiring immigrants to learn English such an anathema to "liberals"?

Well it is written into our constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Freedom of speech means any damn language you want. Yes, licensed cabbies should know English. Requiring all immigrants to learn a language is against our basis principles of freedom.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

"NYC cabbies no longer required to speak English" =? "New York's yellow-cab drivers no longer required to pass English test"

 

[Horatio Parker]

Drivers without English won't last a week. Hail a cab, get in, and the driver doesn't understand you? You get out and get another cab.

Livery cabs, Uber and others don't use an English test, and they have no problem.

 

[bleubird]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jaysoma...in-the-first-half-of-2016-alone/#4b1131641b77
Can you speak bull shit.

 

[aeebee50]

Seems like they would want to speak English.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Seems like they would want to speak English.

It would make their job easier.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

This is how the terrorists win.

 

[Bomb#20]

This isn't some liberal conspiracy, Derec. This is government getting out of the way and letting "the market decide."

Luckily, there's no longstanding English proficiency test for TFT posters. Go find a native English speaker and ask him to explain what the word "medallion" means.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

This isn't some liberal conspiracy, Derec. This is government getting out of the way and letting "the market decide."

Does NYC allow unrestricted access to Lyft and Uber? The solution is if people don't like it to leave bad reviews and choose a different cab. +1 for NYC on this, but minus points for tons of other dumb rules.

Around here you don't always have a meaningful choice as to cabs. If you're leaving the airport you stand in a long line and you're directed to a slot along the sidewalk, a cab pulls up to the slot. It can be a hassle getting them to give you a big taxi (even when they can see your luggage!), trying to avoid a company you don't like would mean going back to the back of the line hoping for a better choice.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I can take you to many shops where people interact with the public and know little English. Somehow the transactions go smoothly.

I have been in many foreign countries, I've dealt with many a shop where there wasn't a lick of English to be found. Most transactions go fine.

I've also taken taxis where the driver had little English--and that's asking for trouble. You might end up somewhere other than what you intended.

 

[whichphilosophy]

More absurdity from the de Blasio administration:
New York's yellow-cab drivers no longer required to pass English test

The fact that 96% of cab drivers are immigrants makes the English requirements much more important, because you can usually assume English proficiency from natives. This is more faux "liberal" lunacy.

Liberal?

There is nothing preventing immigrants from learning English well enough to communicate and pass a basic proficiency test.

You do know that a proficiency test is akin to a fluency test? And which one do they use? TOEFL? Who pays for it and how is it administered?

And this "barrier to a profession" nonsense is ridiculous too. If they really wanted to reduce barriers to entry, they'd charge less for medallions and increase their number. But being in a profession where you interact with customers (as well as police etc.) you should have to show English proficiency.

I can take you to many shops where people interact with the public and know little English. Somehow the transactions go smoothly.

Why is requiring immigrants to learn English such an anathema to "liberals"?

Well it is written into our constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Freedom of speech means any damn language you want. Yes, licensed cabbies should know English. Requiring all immigrants to learn a language is against our basis principles of freedom.

For traders who use more than 8 fingers and a 2 thumbs they use calculators. In Asia they traders need only point at the goods you refer to and show the price. Sometimes they can lower it if you haggle. For this English is not required.

As long as the Cabbie understands where you want to go, not speaking English should not be a problem. I suppose there are special numbers in case they call the police. However I think English should be compulsory and really it should be a mandatory for foreign people to migrate to work in a country except for specialist jobs which are on a fixed term (renewable) contract.

 

[Derec]

This isn't some liberal conspiracy, Derec.

Who is in charge in NYC again?

This is government getting out of the way and letting "the market decide."

If they were getting "out of the way" they'd do something about the $500,000 medallions they require. The English requirement is just a common sense regulation. Do you oppose common sense regulation now?

 

[Derec]

Unless this test is done completely with pictures or available in umpteen different languages, I'll bet they have enough of a command of English to get me where I need to go.

The test was used to be given in English, now it will be given in several languages, Spanish and several central Asian languages.

Looking at it from the other side, the sooner we can get these damn dirty immigrants working, the less in social services they'll suck up.

Learning English is rather important for integration of immigrants, including getting them working. As to dirty, soap usually helps.

- - - Updated - - -

We all must have a great conversation with the cab driver.It is some kind of law or something.I take a cab a about once a year.Where to? Airport.Have a nice flight.Done.

And what about people whose destination is more complicated than the airport? What if it requires a follow-up question on their part, but they are unable to formulate it?
And most importantly, why is learning English considered such an onerous requirement?

 

[Derec]

Liberal?

Yes.

You do know that a proficiency test is akin to a fluency test?

Not necessarily.

And which one do they use? TOEFL? Who pays for it and how is it administered?

You do realize that there had been an English requirement in NYC up until now. So while I do not know these details, they have all been figured out. The test was probably a job-specific one and administered by the city's taxi/transportation authorities.
And given that 94% of can driver have been immigrants, having to learn English has not really a "barrier to entry" for immigrant taxi drivers.

I can take you to many shops where people interact with the public and know little English. Somehow the transactions go smoothly.

How little is "little English"?

Well it is written into our constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Freedom of speech means any damn language you want.

None of this is in any way pertinent to a language requirement for a professional licence. And not even supporters of the change said that there was a constitutional issue with requiring English.

Yes, licensed cabbies should know English.

You wrote a lot just to end up agreeing with me.

Requiring all immigrants to learn a language is against our basis principles of freedom.

I think you should have to learn English to become a citizen. Multilingual ballot forms should be scrapped.

But that is an issue for another thread. This one deals primarily with cabbies not having to know any English now.

 

[Nice Squirrel]

Requiring all immigrants to learn a language is against our basis principles of freedom.

I think you should have to learn English to become a citizen. Multilingual ballot forms should be scrapped.

But that is an issue for another thread. This one deals primarily with cabbies not having to know any English now.

The Constitution allows for freedom of speech. Over our history we have had many communities that did not speak English and it did not cause a problem. It has never caused a problem for me.