Expat bikers criticized for riding with women passengers
Some members of the Qatari community, mostly elders, are taking offence to young expatriates riding motorcycles with women as pillion passengers, reports The Peninsula.
They say it is against their culture and traditions and fear that younger elements in their community may begin aping them and get spoilt. So Qataris want the authorities concerned to stop what they say is a growing menace in their midst, but a psychologist has advised caution.
She said an awareness campaign should be launched to convince motorcyclists what they are doing is offensive to the local culture and social sensitivities.
Ahmed Hilal, a Qatari, said young expatriate women riding pillion with male motorcyclists and holding them tightly from behind is not desirable in Qatar.
"This is immoral, but you see them openly moving in public places. Our society is conservative. We must maintain our traditions and culture," he said.
He told Al Sharq that it was strange watching young expatriate girls as pillion passengers and tightly holding men riding motorcycles.
"This we see daily not only in Doha but also outside, in Sealine, among other areas," Hilal said, adding authorities must clamp down on them. He said some women pillion riders use helmets so their faces can't be seen.
Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Al Buanain, said, "We are afraid this social disease may inflict our society as well.
"Our religion prevents us from doing such sinful acts," he said, adding the Traffic Department should intervene and stop this craze. "Men riding motorcycles are not allowed (by our religion) to even have their wives and sisters as pillion passengers. We feel socially threatened."
Mohamed Thiyab, another Qatari, said men riding motorcycles and carrying women passengers seated behind them and holding them tightly are from different nationalities. "Such a practice is not acceptable to us."
Sometimes women can be seen riding motorcycles and challenging men in competitions. "We can't tolerate such things."
Contacted by this newspaper, prominent psychologist, Dr Moza Al Malki, said people have no right to intercept expatriate motorcyclists this way.
"First, they are not doing what they are to offend locals or challenge Qatari social values. Doing that is normal in their countries. People should not react this way. Authorities should instead launch a campaign to make motorcyclists aware of local social sensitivities and convince them to stop the practice." [Photo: Rutavi Mehta]
from freedom comes elegance and the truth will set you free.......
instead of focusing on these issue, law enforcers should keep an eye on road bullying (flashing your lights, crazy maneuvering and honking your horns) like moe66221 said, law enforcers should educate these barbaric style of driving. These type of drivers have no right to do such act, we must keep on mind that how we drive reflects our personality.
Most of the commentors here with fake muslim QL id's so i can't believe them. Second thing is when you go to any country in the world, just follow & respect the rules of that country. And finally remember that Arabs don't go to any other country to change the rules. they are in their own country so if you don't like the rules here then you may move.
@moe6621 " Well man, that was a incredible speech. You are absolutely right. "Sheikh Ahmed Al Buanain, said "Our religion prevents us from doing such sinful acts," How come that back riding in a motorcycle is a sin? Some Qatari is hypocrite, judgmental and so much more. I urge them to tell to motorbike company like Harley Davidson, Ducatti, BMW that they should put 1 seater only so no one can ride at the back.#attentionseeker
MM, I personally believe you got more angry than me, if that's how you took it. My comment is a metaphor/ euphemism to point out that the comment is useless.
Read my comments again and try to derive a constructive understanding out of it. If you are challenged does not mean the other guy is angry. I am not.
Read my response @ elegy to know if am supporting it or opposing it. Please let me know what is your understanding.
Alpha, In any discussion anger has no place , you remember it. Your comments are so rounded that you are neither supporting & nor opposing ......... lol ..... you know how to keep a good balance ... ha ha ...
http://qatarride.qa/
@ Elegy, if the concern is for nudity, please tell me if the picture representing this article depicts it as such. Its nothing but a contribution from a very narrow minded individual, who probably has had the luxury of a car. All don't.
Sorry, MM. You lost your sleep over it. The article had nothing to do with people sleeping as pillion riders. Your statement just undermined the seriousness of the article. I believe, sometimes its better to be silent. It helps one to balance.
I have no heaps nor mountains anywhere around me. I am aware of what I write and it was not meant as an offence. Chill.
Alpha ... Go through the Elegy's comment , remain focused on the bikers .. don't prepare to offend others.
Alpha , The heap of hatredness you are carrying has become a mountain now ........ it is visible from far away .................. you may not be aware of that ..........................................
Alpha, What irritated you ? ............... ......... .............. you make wake up to discuss bikers .........
i think this might be wrongly reported..... i think the main issue is not pillion its actually the issue of nudity and the expose` which most of the female pillions & their male partners are advertising on heavy bikes all around the country which is not allowed and forbidden.. Hope u all got the correct view point of the post, locals, clerics & the psychologist as well.. Media is always master of creating chaos and misquoting but sadly its us who always fall into this trap...
MM, are you smoking something you shouldn't have...
Ran , Very good query , most difficult to answer ...................... ...............................
During old times, when people rode horses to go anywhere do they ride with the husband, alone orr they walk.
What will happen if the pillion falls asleep during a ride ? ................
OMG.. What will they say if they visit my country and see millions of male are riding their bikes with a female pillions? We even have a motorcycle taxi in our country.. FYI my country is the biggest Muslim country in the world, Indonesia, and in our capitol Jakarta we have more than 10,000,000 motorbike roaming in the street mostly with pillions.. And we have never heard about those rules above..
where are we taking Islam... why so called Prominent Islamic Clerics are looking at other's wives and sisters.. why would you look... next they will say you cant have your wife in car with you... man give me a break... if you are really concerned do something good for muslims dying all over. treat people equally.. IS THIS ISLAM (LAST Speech of Prophet???) .. such people give reasons to western countries to ask muslim women to remove Hijab as they say its against their culture.. so be like them when you are in their countries... but no, then it comes to freedom and personal choices..
as a muslim, i call BS.
Men riding motorcycles are not allowed (by our religion) to even have their wives and sisters as pillion passengers. We feel socially threatened." are you insane.. i'm muslim there no such rules in islam. dnt make islam hard for others. whats wrong if bring our wife, sisters in our bike or if carry on our head.
"Men riding motorcycles are not allowed (by our religion) to even have their wives and sisters as pillion passengers. We feel socially threatened" ? Excuse me but last thing I remembered; our religion did not talk about motorcycles so please give me a break, unless you are applying camel riding rules to motorcycles riding, WOMEN ARE NOT CONSIDERED LOIN (MOSTLY) IN ISLAM unless this is what all you need from her.
A muslim man cant take his wife for ride on motorcycle?, whoaaa.
Don't these hypocrites have any thing else to poke their noses into?? Bigots !
I am a Muslim and an Arab..... I would suggest that we look at the bigger picture at hand. Motorcyclists and their pillions don’t cause us any harm nor they offend us; that’s their right! If such thing offends us, I cannot find the right term to call what we see at the malls.
With all due respect to Dr. Moza, we need campaigns on how to drive safely. We need to educate expatriate (don’t consider myself as an expatriate) that driving insanely, the perception out there, is not part of our culture. We need to educate young drivers that flashing your lights, crazy maneuvering and honking your horns are not merits of Muslims.
I am a Muslim and those are my morals…….
Ya , there is solution for everything ............. ............... ................