In a highly frustrating scene, a driving instructor in California stopped his class mid-way because his student could not understand English, sparking reactions from the internet. In a video posted on TikTok, the instructor walked up to another person and said, “I had to stop the test; she could not understand my instructions. Just tell her we will make another appointment. She couldn’t understand what I was telling her.”
As the instructor walked away, the student could be heard discussing in Spanish. The clip quickly sparked numerous reactions on TikTok. “Well, you gotta know how to read road signs,” a user wrote. “Our signs are in English; therefore, to drive safely, you need to know at least basic English. Period,” another chimed in. One user pointed out an irony, “Before she did the road test did she not have to do a written test? I am confused how she passed that.”
A few people brought up the issue of safety. “If you can’t read the signs, you can’t drive the car. Every time we bend standards for ‘inclusion’, regular people end up paying for it in blood,” one stated. Another added, “I mean it makes sense, if you’re planning on driving here, you should know the common language, be able to read the signs, and communicate with others in case of accidents or other stuff.”
Someone else wrote, “Thank you to the driving instructor for preventing an accident in the future.” Another praised, “Good for him. In our state, they allow a translator, which I don’t think is right because you won’t always have the translator with you.”
A netizen was not satisfied with the driving instructor’s conclusion. “But he says, ‘tell her to make another appointment’?? Why? So she can be placed with a Spanish-speaking instructor????? How does that fix anything?” they asked.
The fears and concerns the netizens pointed out were not unfounded. It would appear that the number of people who do not understand English in the United States is on the rise. The NerdStash reported the encounter a customer had at Walmart in Florida. The woman who needed some help asked a staff member wearing a “Happy to help” t-shirt, only to find out the employee could not offer any help at all, as she did not speak English.
The frustrated shopper lamented that she had met two other employees who also didn’t speak English. By the time the customer was leaving the store, she had spoken to five employees who could not help her because of the language barrier. “This is a problem, Walmart,” the shopper stated, sharing that she had to assist herself.
