Dyslexia

[Mycroft]

Like what?

It's not very common for road signs to be completely arbitrary. If there is a “no left turn” sign, it’s normally because a left hand turn would either put you the wrong way into a one way street, or because the traffic on the street is too heavy to allow people to stop and wait for a break in the oncoming traffic. These are things that can be observed if it takes more than a moment or two to translate what “left” means.

Also, when you think about it, “no right turn” signs are relatively uncommon as there is rarely a safety issue in making a right turn because you don’t have to cross the lanes of oncoming traffic.

What’s described by Shanek, JJ and others isn’t the inability to distinguish left from right, but just a moment of confusion while they sort it out. This doesn’t translate into unsafe driving, as you claim, as road signs are normally placed so you have plenty of time to consider their meaning before you need to react.

Also, let’s not forget most of these signs look like this:

 

[Jeff Corey]

A guy in town had a used record shop, back in the days when there were record shops, called One Way Records, the sign looked like this:
<- ONE WAY ->
this has nothing to do with dyslexia, either.

 

[CFLarsen]

It's not very common for road signs to be completely arbitrary. If there is a “no left turn” sign, it’s normally because a left hand turn would either put you the wrong way into a one way street, or because the traffic on the street is too heavy to allow people to stop and wait for a break in the oncoming traffic. These are things that can be observed if it takes more than a moment or two to translate what “left” means.

Also, when you think about it, “no right turn” signs are relatively uncommon as there is rarely a safety issue in making a right turn because you don’t have to cross the lanes of oncoming traffic.

What’s described by Shanek, JJ and others isn’t the inability to distinguish left from right, but just a moment of confusion while they sort it out. This doesn’t translate into unsafe driving, as you claim, as road signs are normally placed so you have plenty of time to consider their meaning before you need to react.

Also, let’s not forget most of these signs look like this:

I'm not talking about those signs. I'm talking about the sign I posted.

Where are those other visual cues? Yes, in the picture I posted.

 

[Zep]

OK, you don't have it.

OK, enuff funnin'. I'll try to dig out some stuff I saw a few years ago on this, and bring it to Vegas in January. OK?

 

[Zep]

OK, Claus. Let me use the examples we have at hand.

This one is a problem for me as a mild dyslexic, and I think for a few others here. It involves having to READ IT in WORDS, then "figure out", perhaps instantly, where "left' and "right" are. Therefore it MAY be a problem.

As a personal example, if I happened to be driving in the USA, I would be travelling on the right side of the road, i.e. the opposite side of the road to which I usually drive (we are the same as the UK). So I would be concentrating on that situation fairly hard for a start, to not have an accident! Then it is likely this sign will be on the right side of the roadway, and I will therefore be looking right to see it. So chances are I will "read" that sign as the equivalent of a No RIGHT Turn - the exact opposite of its intent!

However this sign is fine for me. The reason is that it has a visual "pointer" in some direction and shows that a turn in that direction is forbidden. This direction could be labelled "left" or "right", (or hot, cold, up, down, Friday, cabbage, Claus, whatever), and the effect is no different. What is quite clear in my mind instantly is that a turn in THAT direction is forbidden. Instant recognition and understanding, no problem.

 

[CFLarsen]

OK, enuff funnin'. I'll try to dig out some stuff I saw a few years ago on this, and bring it to Vegas in January. OK?

Fine(ally). Or post it here.

See? It works being persistent....

 

[Zep]

Fine(ally). Or post it here.

See? It works being persistent....

Can't. I think it's in a book somewhere in a box in storage on the other side of this city (I own a LOT of crap!). Or at my father-in-law's place in the country (he's a GP). What with all the other pressing problems I'm dealing with just now, like unemployment, it gets to be priority 238 in my list of 20 things I must do now. But I'll try to get to it before I get on the plane in January, OK?

 

[Mycroft]

I'm not talking about those signs. I'm talking about the sign I posted.

You're claim was that these people are dangerous drivers, yet you fail to address the reasons I claimed they were not.

Where are those other visual cues? Yes, in the picture I posted.

The picture you posted showed only the sign and not the road it was on. If a real driver were to have such severe tunnel-vision that they could only see a road sign, then they should not be driving and it would have nothing to do with momentary left/right confusion.

Other visual cues were commented on previously, if you wish to review.

 

[kittynh]

You're claim



QUOTE]
OK, if a person's inability to write and read correctly is a sign of their not being safe drivers...."You are claim"? "Your claim"?

Really, talking on a cell phone or just being darn old is a much greater danger.

 

[Diamond]

My girlfriend is dyslexic and it gives her trouble with math. She has no trouble performing operations with numbers, but she tends to transcribe the numbers or just read them incorrectly (like mistakes a 5 for a 9). She says she used to have special math books where each numbers was highlighted a different color (like all 5's might be brown), kind of like reading a resistor. She said this seemed to help.

It's kind of funny getting directions from her. She will say, "turn left at the next light", but point to the right (I've found it is best to follow her arms instead of what she says).

LLH

That's called dyscalculia, not dyslexia

 

[Diamond]

I am not dyslexic. Having met some dyslexics, I think we can all thank scientists and the scientific method for demonstrating that dyslexia is a disfunction of the brain, that it is congenital, and that dyslexic people are not stupid, infectious or suffering from a behavioral disorder or some form of parental abuse. The dyslexics I've met have been rather creative and thoughtful, in comparison to a lot of non-dyslexics I've known.

 

[kittynh]

yeah, we need them. The one lesson I learned from Temple Grandin is that the world is better for ALL of us because of people that do "think differently". It's not "abnormal", as it actually works as a plus for all humanity.

 

[Zep]

Like pillory, for example.

 

[jj]

How disparaging it may seem, you do not want to meet someone in traffic who has any difficulties with the concepts of "left" and "right".

Bull. Complete and absolute. You'd never know, and never see any ill effects, either.

 

[CFLarsen]

You're claim was that these people are dangerous drivers, yet you fail to address the reasons I claimed they were not.

Liar.

Jeebus creebus, Mycroft, why do you lie so blatantly? Because you believe that the greater lie, the easier it is for people to swallow it?

That will work, unless someone points it out.

The picture you posted showed only the sign and not the road it was on. If a real driver were to have such severe tunnel-vision that they could only see a road sign, then they should not be driving and it would have nothing to do with momentary left/right confusion.

Other visual cues were commented on previously, if you wish to review.

If, if, if. I asked you where those other visual clues were, and you come up with imaginary visual clues?

Do you really have such disdain for your audience? You really think they will gobble up this crap of yours?

 

[CFLarsen]

Can't. I think it's in a book somewhere in a box in storage on the other side of this city (I own a LOT of crap!). Or at my father-in-law's place in the country (he's a GP). What with all the other pressing problems I'm dealing with just now, like unemployment, it gets to be priority 238 in my list of 20 things I must do now. But I'll try to get to it before I get on the plane in January, OK?

It better be there. Or you get the comfy chair.

 

[CFLarsen]

Bull. Complete and absolute. You'd never know, and never see any ill effects, either.

Shirley, you gest(ate).

 

[Zep]

Claus, I DID explain to you in this post how the left/right thing actually works for us dyslexics most of the time. Please understand that this is from the point of view of someone who actually experiences this as a daily occurrence - we know of which we speak.

It is NO HAZARD for me to drive, and I doubt it is for people like jj who also have this issue to deal with. In fact I have been complemented many times on my driving skill. If you wish, ask Truthseeker - I drove her around for two days, and I didn't hear a lot of panicky squeals during that time. I also taught Zeplette to drive, she only ever had two "professional" lessons with other people, but preferred my teaching instead. I think I did a good job - she passed her driving test first go with flying colours...

 

[CFLarsen]

Claus, I DID explain to you in this post how the left/right thing actually works for us dyslexics most of the time. Please understand that this is from the point of view of someone who actually experiences this as a daily occurrence - we know of which we speak.

I am fully aware of the shortcomings of directional clues that consist of only words, and not pictograms. The latter are far more efficient than the written words.

I have never understood the penchant for writing "WALK" and "STOP" at a crosswalk. Use icons, dimwits....

It is NO HAZARD for me to drive, and I doubt it is for people like jj who also have this issue to deal with. In fact I have been complemented many times on my driving skill. If you wish, ask Truthseeker - I drove her around for two days, and I didn't hear a lot of panicky squeals during that time. I also taught Zeplette to drive, she only ever had two "professional" lessons with other people, but preferred my teaching instead. I think I did a good job - she passed her driving test first go with flying colours...

Anecdotal evidence, I'm afraid. If you have problems differentiating between left and right, then you will have problems driving safely. Such a fundamental skill is an absolute necessity.

You will probably get along just fine in most situations. But in a dangerous situation, where you don't have time to mull it over, even for a second or two, your lack of ability will pose a threat.

The concept of "left" and "right" is so fundamental that we often forget just how important they are. We should never dismiss the problems involved with not being fully aware, at any time, at any given moment.

 

[LostAngeles]

So why aren't there dyslexia tests along with the vision tests when driving licenses are issued and/or renewed?

What kind of dangerous situation could arise while driving where the inability to differentiate "right" and "left" is there? Having to swerve away from something? You simply swerve away from it, which ever way is best. You don't think, "Oh my God! I must swerve left! Wait, which way is left? *smash*" It goes, "[rule 8]! *swerve away*" Passing on the right? With a bit of common sense, it's not too hard to know that's not the side to pass on. (In the U.S.)

Claus, m'dear, you made the intial claim, you know the rules. I don't need to spell them out for you.