the second time I'm posting here but ... It's common there, my brother traveled there and was lost in Riyadh and was asking many of the local Saudi guys about directions but none of them were helping. He knows for a fact that they know, but this strange thing was happening and they were not willing to say anything ...

What push some people sometimes to do so that their bad experience with SOME locals. You give them a chance and talk, then you will end up in a bad situation. So better to keep quiet from the beginning and never get yourself involved where you know that trouble would be there.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment. (Gautama Buddha)