Saudi woman arrested for flouting driving ban

From my experience, the Western women enjoy it.. Excellent compounds, good social life and no worries..

Spent six months there.. Work was OK.. Traffic hectic, but good fun.. Had a scottish buddy who wanted to leave , but she refused.. She loved the weather, not working, lying by the pool and socialising..

Cheers - interesting

I agree with you..

From reading the local papers and talking to some women - I only met about a dozen saudi women in all the time i was there... The majority would like to drive..Some said that they were more than happy with being driven everywhere.

I did three stints totalling 10 years. I prefer here now. Although i had a good time in Saudi. I liveed on a western compound most of the time wuth all facilities and no locals. the only interactions were at work.

my first stint was on a armed forces base. Three thousand people and ALL men.

Can't speak for all western women, but most of those I met, loved it there. as i said, we had our own compounds and pretty much did what we wanted. the social life was pretty good.

Who are we to say anything? Well I suppose I am not "I am who am" but I can make an objective call - regardless of cultural mores - and say this or that is silly.

Yes I understand your point that it is there country and who are we to question it. Ok granted its not my country but I have a view and I can say what I like. Will that count for anything - of course not lol.

Also I wonder how many Saudi women agree with the ban? Have they been asked?

10 years living in KSA? Interested to know which you prefer? I also wonder how western women cope there with these restrictions.

Cheers

I haven't met a Saudi woman who doesn't work. Perhaps I haven't met that many Saudi women.

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

I think you like to argue just for arguments sake..

You said "I've never met or even heard of Saudi woman who doesn't work. "..

therefore infering that most, if not all women work..

I bow to your better judgement. my apologies.. ofcourse there's lots of women who can afford cars.

I just saw another article that says they make up 5.4 % of the public sector, or over 1.2 million women. That's still a lot of women who can afford a car britexpat.

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

Just for you ..

Rise of the female factor

By Jane Kinninmont, Special to Financial Review

Published: August 27, 2007, 23:07

With so much cash at their disposal, women have received comparatively little attention in the financial field in the Gulf. But are the faces changing in regional banking?

A significant proportion of the privately-held financial assets in the Gulf is owned by women. Yet, despite the success of a few prominent women in Gulf banking, most women remain less likely than their male counterparts to actively invest their capital.

Bramdean, a London-based fund management firm, has recently estimated that about $40 billion (about Dh 146.9 billion) of personal wealth in the Gulf is owned by women — and that up to 60 per cent of this is held as cash.

This is an underexploited market, presenting a significant opportunity for the financial services industry (asset managers, private equity funds and banks) to tap into. Questions arise.

Where is the potential?

The biggest opportunity is in Saudi Arabia, the largest market in the GCC. Although women hold no political offices in the kingdom and make up less than two per cent of the private-sector workforce, they own about one-third of the money in the banking system, partly as a result of Sharia inheritance laws. According to local media reports, women also control 20 per cent of the capital in Saudi mutual funds. But much of the wealth owned by women is just sitting there, essentially as dead capital.

Of course there are exceptions, but as a general rule, Saudi Arabia's particularly tight restrictions on gender-mixing have acted as a barrier to women becoming more actively engaged in investing their capital in financial portfolios. Traditionally, Saudi women had to use a male agent (wakeel), often a relative, to conduct financial transactions on their behalf, and although the legal requirements for using an agent have been eased, it will take time for actual practice to catch up. But there is now increasing demand from Saudi women for direct access to financial services through female staff.

Yes, but you're a man, you don't see them working or work with them. I think there's a lot more then you think.

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

have you lived or worked in Saudi? I spent ten years there.

In the overall scheme of things, the numbers of females working is very small. probably doesn't even get into the 10% range..

I know lots of Saudi women who work, not just as teachers, I know interior designers, jewellry makers, accountants, entrepeneurs. I've never met or even heard of Saudi woman who doesn't work.

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

With all due respect.. the overall number is very small. The only real professions are school teacher and now banking..

Loads of females work in Saudi, what are you talking about?

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

you're fortunate that you probably work to buy your own things..

in Saudi, most of the females do not work. They are dependent on their family for support.

Zenon ... Agree. In our eyes its not right. My point was that, who are we to say that its wrong.

Love the "BTW, 1950 called. They want their chauvanistic attitude back" call lol.

Yes it's their country but does that excuse really stick? I mean if you lodgically extend that argument it could be use to justify loads of otherwise obnoxious little laws all over the place.

Cultural reasons or otherwise doesn't make what is wrong right.

Britexpat, I'm sure if there are 3 ladies in the house, they do have 3 cars! And one more for the man!

Imagine if one wants to go to A shopping mall, second one wants to go to the jewelery shop in B shopping mall, and third one wants to go for a secret date at the hairdresser!!

They do need separate cars and I bet most of them do have it! :D

Kismet

say the I***** word

Ur living in their country :)

it's their tradition and as decreed by the King. Those who have been in Saudi will agree with me that that country is really weird in so many ways (not in all ways though)

"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"

Whats wrong with u guys? Why cant u leave us women alone? For Christ's sake! I mean this is the nth discussion thats started on something and ended on lady driven cars/driving -advantages/disadvantages- Me thinks its coz guys are insecure and think we women are going to take over the world! You just wait.... we'll make slaves outta you all...

I dream of a better tomorrow where Chickens can cross the Road without having their motives questioned - Unknown

actually the asians you are mentioning are the Indian national who are usually the driver of local residents. They were not trained (as no classroom training here), so they just know how to drive but no manners. This also applies to all those firstimer to drive here in Qatar (first time to handle wheels, I mean), since there is no classroom teaching here, you expect the worse scenario on the road here

"dgoodrebel will always be the rebellious good one"

Now yer gone and done it Shuai, yer said the A***** word again....

[img_assist|nid=103941|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

you dont even remember what you had in dinner last night forget about cars.

[img_assist|nid=73057|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

By the way, this is my observation,

Whenever i see a car which is not being driven recklessly per se but in a strange manner

I am usually right 90% of the time that its a female driver,

the rest of the 10% belongs to the asians,

The asian excuse is that they are trying to be extra cautious. (Its not the general behaviour but the most anticipated one)

Your sweet, how about all the families who all have an own car. This means that the infrastructure all over the world can't handle all the single people in cars. How many household do I know where there are at least 5 or six cars.

"However, if allowed to drive they'll all want cars..then of course there'll be competition amongst them for the most expensive or coolest car".

Gel lost with your chauvi advances lol lol lol

What is the deal, its the country law and if one breaks he gets punished as everywhere.

"He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah" prophet Muhammed (pbuh)

Da, I've totally lost track of how many cars I own.

I'm trying my best to make a really really big carbon footprint.

-------------------------------------

single married both buy their own car of their own choice pretty as them

[img_assist|nid=73057|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

oh yea you wana get it on fine tell me how many you sold and you bought that includes going and coming to traffic dept too :D

[img_assist|nid=73057|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

Why would I need a man to buy me a car? I bought my car myself thank you very much. I agree with D. The 1950's called boys.

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

Oh Da, so only single women buy their own cars. Helllooooo??????

-------------------------------------

Yea they cant buy always bugging their husbands to buy me one buy me that. Alright i know the single one they do buy and buy the one they like.

[img_assist|nid=73057|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

Oh, right, you're assuming that women can't buy their own cars. Wow...

BTW, 1950 called. They want their chauvanistic attitude back :)

-------------------------------------

Its a valid reason isn't it..

let's say there are three ladies in the house.. At the moment they are all sharing one car.. However, if allowed to drive they'll all want cars..then ofcourse there'll be competition amongst them for the most expensive or coolest car..

We men just can't afford things like that and the infrastructure wouldn't be able to handle it..

so it's best not to allow them to drive..:0)

Long time ago I read exactly the same reasons that britexpat gave.

Plus another reason was to ease the traffic - less cars on the roads. Which is probably the worst reasons of all as if every woman has her own car anyway (just with a driver inside) I don't see how the 'less cars on roads' can come into life :)

Kismet

I think it was brave of her to do such a thing in the first place.

research shows that in general women drive 'shorter' distances than men, so the likelihood of accidents is less for women.. QED!

As I said earlier, Its a cultural issue..

The reasoning you gave is what is being used by many of the women to over turn the ban. Personaly, i think the ban will be over turned in the near future.

to get anywhere safely, yer have to drive agressively sometimes to protect yerself. If ya drive in Saudi for example. If yer show ANY fear or Hesitation, you will be in trouble, cos they dont give ya an Inch !!

[img_assist|nid=103941|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

This is not about you personally, but male drivers here in the Gulf are the worst I have ever seen in the world and the death rate competes with America which is a whole lot larger and more poulation.

I do register now on the roads here in Qatar many Europeans (males) driving with he same attitude as the original inhabitants, they are losers in my opinion.

Brit..if the driver is a not a "mahram", its haram, hence the contradiction..Heard of many cases where eventually the "guardian and the women's relationships took on another level...Doesnt make sense to me, surely it would be better for the woman to drive herself places..

that women here do cause a lot of accidents. wether you agree or not is yer choice, im just saying it as i have seen it.

And yes, a lot of men do have big and often fatal accidents as well. No one is perfect.

[img_assist|nid=103941|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

yeh woman do have less ratio of accidents cz:

They are the main cause of accidents and men (angels) go through one, while saving them and then specifically hitting an other male driven car to ensure that ratio of women still stay less (ahhhhhhhhhhhhh great Men!!!!!!!!)

neany ways i m just kidding...so no offense

Not really.. Drivers usually act as 'guardians" for the ladies..there have been many cases of harrasment by young men, where the driver has acted to protect the woman.

Brit quote.."Secondly, that they do not want to risk the consequences of male / female interaction on the roads. Men will be ogling or following women etc."

Brit, i believe the above is one of the reasons but ironically most ladies there have "male drivers" at their service, seems to defeat the purpose..

far out of the window with that post.

Judging by how superior men think they are at driving, it seems to me to be quite funny that in most accidents it is men who are dying on the road, see your various quotes from the Bahrain Newspaper. You will find the majority of male drivers driving with kids on their lap and letthe kids leaning out of the windows of the car.

Just read your post from today 4 boys were in that accident not girls.

as well.

And before any of you lot start the "women have less accidents than men " sketch, a lot of women drivers here are worse than men, texting, no seatbelts, children on their laps and speeding and incorrect lane discipline. Not all granted, but a lot.

Imagine if Saudia allows women to start driving now, with the already very poor standard of driving that exists already, i can imagine the death toll doubling overnight.....

[img_assist|nid=103941|title=.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

Most of the society is very conservative..

Their rationale is that firstly, there is no real reason for women to drive..

Secondly, that they do not want to risk the consequences of male / female interaction on the roads. Men will be ogling or following women etc.

Thirdly .. They do not have mechanisms in place to deal with female drivers..ie.. no female police officers, what happens in the case of an accident etc etc,

Personaly, I am totally against it, however as i said earlier, its their country.

coz by extensive studies for traffic laws in various countries, they have concluded it would be in the best interest not to let women drive to ensure less accidents and consistent flow of traffic :) :) :)

*No offence*

behind it .. for my own sanity .. may be there is something we are missing or a reason ..

Do they see women not capable to drive or missing brains ...

With all due respect to their law, just seeking insight ..

"The best way to predict the future is to create it".

why do you need one?

its their country, they have such a law and people have to follow it.

Thank God we are in Qatar

[img_assist|nid=50852|title=hmm|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=|height=0]

for banning women from driving in KSA, so if you know of one please enlighten us ...

"The best way to predict the future is to create it".

Its a cultural thing..

many women drive in rural areas. I knew a guy whose wife drove regularly in the city. She used to wear a Gutra so as to disguise herself. She was caught once and the husband had to sign an undertaking that she wouldn't do it again.

explain to me why women are not allowed to drive?? What is the rational with that?