Motorists who do not know how to read

[bandit957]

Apparently it used to be common for people to drive even if they did not know how to read.

A few years ago, I read a blog where the writer described growing up in the 1960s. They said they went on a family trip where their dad drove across the country even though he could not read. He was able to do this because he had driven that route many times before and recognized all the landmarks. Apparently he didn't take any new freeways. I'm sure he stopped at stop signs because everyone knows stop signs say stop. Even I knew that as a preschool child.

Around the time of the American Revolution, before they had cars, I'm sure most Americans could not read. Yet people had to make long trips to run various errands.

Do people still drive without knowing how to read?

[Rothman]

Yes.

[hotdogPi]

It's no different from one of us driving in a place where all signs are in Bengali or something similar.

[SectorZ]

I felt this way driving in Quebec with some of their verbose signage, and that was with taking years of French in school that I've mostly forgotten.

[NWI_Irish96]

With GPS, driving without being able to read would be even easier.

[kalvado]

I see your question and raise you to "road construction by those who cannot read"

If you ever take a respirator fit test, the first question in OSHA questionnaire is "Can you read?"
I giggled about it, and the nurse administering test explained that yes, once in a while there are such patients. Respirators are worn in many occupations, such as construction. So she saw, for example, some illiterate  DOT construction workers. I assume they meant DOT contractors, though.

[hbelkins]

The fact that the 11-foot-8+8 YouTube channel exists is a definitive, affirmative answer to your question.

[Scott5114]

The fact that the 11-foot-8+8 YouTube channel exists is a definitive, affirmative answer to your question.

There's a difference between not knowing how to read and just choosing not to do it. When I worked at the casino I had so many people who would try to get money (hundreds or thousands of dollars) off of their card without reading any of the text on the credit card pad. Then they'd get mad when flailing around with the pen and hitting random buttons didn't do what they expected and they'd yell at me for it. Whereas if they just stopped and took the two seconds to read what it says they would know exactly what to do.

And yet if you had a massive sign with fifteen lines of text they could pick out the one that made it sound like they'd get something for free, that's all they'd ask about. It's willful blindness.

Edit: Here's an example of the sort of thing these people would have such a problem with. It should be obvious what to do, but what does Marianne Dumbass do? Stand there and use the pen to stab where it says $200.00 on the screen over and over again and then call the cashier names because the pad isn't responding to that.

[paulthemapguy]

Try administering oversize-overweight vehicle permits to people.  We require trucking companies to submit applications for a permit. Until five years ago, when we transitioned to an online permitting process, we would often receive permit applications in completely illegible handwriting, with things spelled wrong, and the math would be all wrong when adding up the axle loadings to acquire the total weight.  I swear, when we would hand the approved permits and the seals to truckers who picked them up at our office, they would look at us as if they were taking us at our word that actual math and English language writing was on the pages.  The approved permits go into the trucks with an approved route, and the truckers deviate from the approved route and get pulled over for it all the time.  They don't even read what's on the page.

[hbelkins]

The fact that the 11-foot-8+8 YouTube channel exists is a definitive, affirmative answer to your question.

There's a difference between not knowing how to read and just choosing not to do it.

This is true. But it's the first example that popped into my mind.

A similar situation is when a commercial vehicle ignores the signs and hits a bridge on one of the NYC parkways. However, I've read a number of news reports that indicate that the driver of the vehicle is illiterate in English.

[kalvado]

The fact that the 11-foot-8+8 YouTube channel exists is a definitive, affirmative answer to your question.

There's a difference between not knowing how to read and just choosing not to do it.

This is true. But it's the first example that popped into my mind.

A similar situation is when a commercial vehicle ignores the signs and hits a bridge on one of the NYC parkways. However, I've read a number of news reports that indicate that the driver of the vehicle is illiterate in English.

I heard a story when someone tried to use that to talk out of running a stop sign.
They were asked, literally "which letter of S-T-O-P you didn't understand?"

[SEWIGuy]

Up to 20% of Americans are considered "functionally illiterate," which means they can't read or write at a basic level.  They don't understand how to write or read a basic sentence.

However that doesn't mean that they don't understand words like "Stop" or "Chicago" or "Exit."

[zachary_amaryllis]

what about not being able to read signs indicating an impending lane drop? at the risk of sounding crashitty...

you knew the lane was ending 1000 feet ago, yet you still zoom by me in what is now a right-turn lane to cut in front of me, even though there's no one but you behind me, and plenty of room to merge in like a sentient human.

i see this all night long when i'm working.

[kalvado]

Up to 20% of Americans are considered "functionally illiterate," which means they can't read or write at a basic level.  They don't understand how to write or read a basic sentence.

However that doesn't mean that they don't understand words like "Stop" or "Chicago" or "Exit."

Once upon a time we were talking about MUTCD (US) vs Vienna convention (EU) approach to signage
US signage relies on text to a much greater extent than EU. There were two sort-of-complimentary explanations for that:
First, Europe is more diverse in terms of languages than US, hence using verbal signs is more difficult.
The other possibility is Vienna convention is older, so possibly driver literacy couldn't be assumed to be universal - hence more pictorial approach.

[jeffandnicole]

what about not being able to read signs indicating an impending lane drop? at the risk of sounding crashitty...

you knew the lane was ending 1000 feet ago, yet you still zoom by me in what is now a right-turn lane to cut in front of me, even though there's no one but you behind me, and plenty of room to merge in like a sentient human.

i see this all night long when i'm working.

Because they risk getting behind a slower driver, so they get in front of them.

Besides...it says lane ending. Not lane ended. As long as the passing zone is there, it's legal. No different than not needing to stop at a stop ahead sign.

[Terry Shea]

I could swear I've seen people post here who couldn't read.

[zachary_amaryllis]

what about not being able to read signs indicating an impending lane drop? at the risk of sounding crashitty...

you knew the lane was ending 1000 feet ago, yet you still zoom by me in what is now a right-turn lane to cut in front of me, even though there's no one but you behind me, and plenty of room to merge in like a sentient human.

i see this all night long when i'm working.

Because they risk getting behind a slower driver, so they get in front of them.

Besides...it says lane ending. Not lane ended. As long as the passing zone is there, it's legal. No different than not needing to stop at a stop ahead sign.

i generally go 5-8 over in this area, so not sure how much faster these people want to go...

... but point taken nonetheless..

[Rothman]

what about not being able to read signs indicating an impending lane drop? at the risk of sounding crashitty...

you knew the lane was ending 1000 feet ago, yet you still zoom by me in what is now a right-turn lane to cut in front of me, even though there's no one but you behind me, and plenty of room to merge in like a sentient human.

i see this all night long when i'm working.

Because they risk getting behind a slower driver, so they get in front of them.

Besides...it says lane ending. Not lane ended. As long as the passing zone is there, it's legal. No different than not needing to stop at a stop ahead sign.

i generally go 5-8 over in this area, so not sure how much faster these people want to go...

... but point taken nonetheless..

The "traffic should only go as fast as I'm going" mentality is pretty arrogant.

[kalvado]

what about not being able to read signs indicating an impending lane drop? at the risk of sounding crashitty...

you knew the lane was ending 1000 feet ago, yet you still zoom by me in what is now a right-turn lane to cut in front of me, even though there's no one but you behind me, and plenty of room to merge in like a sentient human.

i see this all night long when i'm working.

Because they risk getting behind a slower driver, so they get in front of them.

Besides...it says lane ending. Not lane ended. As long as the passing zone is there, it's legal. No different than not needing to stop at a stop ahead sign.

i generally go 5-8 over in this area, so not sure how much faster these people want to go...

... but point taken nonetheless..

The "traffic should only go as fast as I'm going" mentality is pretty arrogant.

There are few options if there's only one lane per direction

[TheHighwayMan3561]

The "traffic should only go as fast as I'm going" mentality is pretty arrogant.

And "traffic should go faster because I want to go faster" when it's already going a reasonable amount over isn't?

[jeffandnicole]

The "traffic should only go as fast as I'm going" mentality is pretty arrogant.

And "traffic should go faster because I want to go faster" when it's already going a reasonable amount over isn't?

What's a reasonable amount? 5? 10? 20?  That's opinion and some will say no amount over is reasonable; others may say it's as fast as they want to go (ie: Reasonable and Prudent). The cops have their own allowance depending on the roadway, and even then people will disagree with that allowance...on both sides of what they permit.

[roadman65]

Then some cops could give diddly squat too whether you speed 10 or even 30 mph over the limit. Hell, yesterday a Polk County Florida Sheriffs Deputy almost had hit an illegally parked car on a dark road at night.  Didn't even bother to pull over to investigate why the car was even parked there, or even see if somebody was inside needing medical assistance or something other. He just kept on driving like it was nothing.

I didn't even know that he was law enforcement until I caught up to him when a traffic signal turned red ahead.  I thought he was a driver who was fatigued or distracted and the car immediately woke him up as he first swerved onto the shoulder which is how he almost hit the parked car in the first place to immediately get back into the travel lane where he belonged in originally. In fact I was in awe to find out he was an officer of the law and had no reaction whatsoever to being in a collision with an illegally parked vehicle.

[SidS1045]

Try administering oversize-overweight vehicle permits to people.  We require trucking companies to submit applications for a permit. Until five years ago, when we transitioned to an online permitting process, we would often receive permit applications in completely illegible handwriting, with things spelled wrong, and the math would be all wrong when adding up the axle loadings to acquire the total weight.  I swear, when we would hand the approved permits and the seals to truckers who picked them up at our office, they would look at us as if they were taking us at our word that actual math and English language writing was on the pages.  The approved permits go into the trucks with an approved route, and the truckers deviate from the approved route and get pulled over for it all the time.  They don't even read what's on the page.

We had a spectacular example of this a few months ago on Boston's North Shore.  The trucker had permits for his load (improperly measured) and his route.  He deviated from the permitted route and his load was over its permitted height.  He hit and severely damaged an overpass on I-93 in Medford MA.  Thankfully no vehicles or pedestrians were on the overpass when he hit, and no other vehicles on I-93 were damaged.  The hit also damaged the trucker's load.  I think he can kiss his CDL goodbye.

[hbelkins]

Try administering oversize-overweight vehicle permits to people.  We require trucking companies to submit applications for a permit. Until five years ago, when we transitioned to an online permitting process, we would often receive permit applications in completely illegible handwriting, with things spelled wrong, and the math would be all wrong when adding up the axle loadings to acquire the total weight.  I swear, when we would hand the approved permits and the seals to truckers who picked them up at our office, they would look at us as if they were taking us at our word that actual math and English language writing was on the pages.  The approved permits go into the trucks with an approved route, and the truckers deviate from the approved route and get pulled over for it all the time.  They don't even read what's on the page.

We had a spectacular example of this a few months ago on Boston's North Shore.  The trucker had permits for his load (improperly measured) and his route.  He deviated from the permitted route and his load was over its permitted height.  He hit and severely damaged an overpass on I-93 in Medford MA.  Thankfully no vehicles or pedestrians were on the overpass when he hit, and no other vehicles on I-93 were damaged.  The hit also damaged the trucker's load.  I think he can kiss his CDL goodbye.

Are CDLs typically revoked or even suspended by the issuing agency for things like this? Or is a more likely outcome that the driver gets fired and has trouble finding work as a commercial driver in the future?

[SidS1045]

Are CDLs typically revoked or even suspended by the issuing agency for things like this? Or is a more likely outcome that the driver gets fired and has trouble finding work as a commercial driver in the future?

I would say the latter is very likely, although the permits he violated were issued by the state, so they could come down on him too.