NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) -A Nashville man says he’s failed his driver’s license test 14 times, but it’s not because he doesn’t know the material.
The written portion of the state’s driving test is offered in five languages: English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and German. Despite being a widely spoken language in our state, Arabic is not offered. That’s causing big issues for one Nashville man.
Traveling on foot is one of the few ways Nagi Abaza gets around, book and bag in tow.
Inside the bag is a driver’s manual. Abaza’s New Jersey license expired a few years ago, but he needs a Tennessee license now.
“The main reason, I got a good chance with Amazon. $31 an hour,” says Abaza.
To become a delivery driver, Abaza needs to pass a written test at a Drivers Services Center. He says he knows that place well.
“Everybody knows my name already,” he says. “You know why? Because there are more than 14 times, I’ve not passed the test.”
Abaza’s first language is Arabic, a language Tennessee doesn’t offer for the test.
“Believe me, I study very well,” Abaza says. “But believe me the questions come in like (throws punch). I want to explain but the language is not allowing me to explain what the problems are in the DM test.”
Nashville man fails drivers test 14 times due to no Arabic option (wsmv.com)
I got my first America DL in Nashville way back in the early 80s when I was still learning the language as an adult. I took the test in English and passed it the first time, why? because I studied both the language and the manual like the Holy Scriptures 2 minutes before meeting my Maker. You failed 14 time? It ain’t the language, habib, you are dumb as a frigging rock.
And a word of advice my dear friend: Translated tests tend to suck and make no sense in the language they allegedly are aimed to serve. If there was an offering in Arabic, you’d probably fail that too and then bitch because racism.
If he’s unable to read a test designed for the lowest common denominator in English, how is he able to read street/road/building signs and addresses?
By the 14th time, he should have the test memorized even if he didn’t understand the words.
I feel guilty when I’m a tourist in a country where I can’t speak the local language — I’ve come into someone else’s home and it’s rude to expect them to be able to speak to me.
As an immigrant? My job to learn to speak and read the local language — ESPECIALLY if I expect a job outside the immigrant enclave.
How long has he lived here? How much public assistance does he get?
The notion of a driver’s license test in any language other than English is moronic. Tantiv is right, if you can’t read English, you can’t read the signs — which means you’re not qualified to drive.
To get a driver’s license he needs to be a lawful resident alien. I thought you had to have spoken and written English ability to get that?
I suspect refugee status is involved.
I don’t know of a language requirement for resident alien status. There is, or at least was in 1987, a language requirement for naturalization.
I’m thinking y’all are missing the points of his failures. He doesn’t agree with the questions or the expected answers, he wants to tell them his, moronic, “this is how we do it back home in muslime lands”. He fails because he doesn’t agree with the tests, not because he doesn’t know the answers. Last line;
I want to explain but the language is not allowing me to explain what the problems are in the DM test.”
perhaps he could seek a driver license in Massatwoshits? He’d fit right in, on some levels….
Typical refugee/migrant. Moves to the US then demands the US alter their standards to suit them.
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Don’t like it? Find a place where Arabic is the predominant language. Germany perhaps? London maybe?
“I want to explain but the language is not allowing me to explain what the problems are in the DM test.”
He knows the answers wanted, he wants space on there to explain how the rules should be here, as they are in his home muslime country.
Having survived the New Jersey Combat Driving Practical Exercise several years ago I can sympathize with his difficulty passing a drivers license test in a relatively sane state.
If he does not want to learn English, he can learn Spanish, Korean, Japanese, or German to pass the test.
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Last (and every) driving test I took was multiple choice, A-B-C-D. Ain’t no space to explain the “Problems are in the Driving Manual Test.” Nobody in any DMV wants to grade a written essay answer test. They do not have the time or the desire to do it, much less the skills. They want to let the machine check for the A/B/C/D.
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Maybe Mr. Abazza should learn the laws in TN and answer the test questions using the laws, and stop complaining how the laws are wrong?
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Driving laws/ Rules are set by State Law. Laws can be right, laws can be wrong, laws can be smart or stupid; but THEY ARE THE LAWS! Don’t like them, change the State Laws. Until you change the laws, you have to know the laws and follow the laws.
How many of the highly credentialed and over-educated idiots say, “This is unfair discrimination?” How many of average people say, “14 Times? This guy is a freaking moron that should not be given a license.”
I wonder why he thinks he’s qualified for that Amazon job.
My uncle’s granddad could never get good enough in English to become an MD in the states even though he was an MD in Norway. So he became a gardener. Some people don’t do second languages well. OTOH I never heard that he didn’t do English well enough to pass a driver’s test.