Comments on: Just How Bad Are Saudi Drivers? http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/ Informed comment and commentary about Saudi Arabia, reform, and its relations with the US Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:41:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: masoz http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-31312 masoz Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:38:06 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-31312 I am a saudi .. driving here is like very bad you see car accidents all the time. drivers have no idea about rules at all, roads and streets in saudi araiba are the worst in the world it is full of holes must of the roads are closed and you have to see if there is another way to take to the place you wanna go. I am a saudi .. driving here is like very bad you see car accidents all the time. drivers have no idea about rules at all, roads and streets in saudi araiba are the worst in the world it is full of holes must of the roads are closed and you have to see if there is another way to take to the place you wanna go.

]]> By: John Burgess http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-19567 John Burgess Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:08:19 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-19567 Stiff fines, equally distributed, might have an effect. Or, as in some of the Scandinavian countries, fines that go up according to your income... I recall reading of one wealthy driver whose speeding ticket cost him over $100,000.00, while it would have cost a laborer only around $200.00. Stiff fines, equally distributed, might have an effect. Or, as in some of the Scandinavian countries, fines that go up according to your income… I recall reading of one wealthy driver whose speeding ticket cost him over $100,000.00, while it would have cost a laborer only around $200.00.

]]> By: Grace http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-19562 Grace Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:40:05 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-19562 It is true that not all the bad drivers are Saudi. It seems to be equal opportunity for bad driving here. But I'm not sure what an under 14 population has to do with it! Maybe the under 12's aren't driving. Supposedly one is supposed to be 18 and take driving lessons to get a license. There are ways around the 18, and it seems-from what I've heard they are stricter about the lessons as well. I'm not sure what the lessons entail however. Then there's just driving without a license altogether. I sometimes see boys driving all their sisters and mothers around. It's sort of inevitable given the situation. There are certain places known for speeding however. Say Fri night from Abhur back into Jeddah. One of my kids commented people drive like it's a video game. They should just ticket everyone. It's a goldmine. Get them for that and littering. It is true that not all the bad drivers are Saudi. It seems to be equal opportunity for bad driving here. But I’m not sure what an under 14 population has to do with it! Maybe the under 12′s aren’t driving. Supposedly one is supposed to be 18 and take driving lessons to get a license. There are ways around the 18, and it seems-from what I’ve heard they are stricter about the lessons as well. I’m not sure what the lessons entail however.

Then there’s just driving without a license altogether. I sometimes see boys driving all their sisters and mothers around. It’s sort of inevitable given the situation. There are certain places known for speeding however. Say Fri night from Abhur back into Jeddah. One of my kids commented people drive like it’s a video game. They should just ticket everyone. It’s a goldmine. Get them for that and littering.

]]> By: John Burgess http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-19557 John Burgess Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:11:59 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-19557 I recall that in the 80s, the outskirts of the major cities used to look like tank battle grounds. There would be cars, buses, and trucks, nearly all burnt out, shoved to the sides of the roads. That's improved over the years, but driving in Saudi Arabia is not for the faint of heart. I've driven in close to 40 different countries and none is as hair raising as the Kingdom. I recall that in the 80s, the outskirts of the major cities used to look like tank battle grounds. There would be cars, buses, and trucks, nearly all burnt out, shoved to the sides of the roads. That’s improved over the years, but driving in Saudi Arabia is not for the faint of heart. I’ve driven in close to 40 different countries and none is as hair raising as the Kingdom.

]]> By: Dual Monitors http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-19555 Dual Monitors Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:27:22 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-19555 Man, they need to get some driver's education classes! Man, they need to get some driver’s education classes!

]]> By: Eman http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-19553 Eman Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:41:27 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-19553 I wouldn't say the people on the roads in Saudi Arabia are "Saudi" with the under 14 year olds making 38% of the Saudi population and half of the adult population banned from driving. The official count of non-nationals is 20% of the population, many of whom were brought in solely to chauffer. It's the mishmash of all these different people and lax regulations when it comes to issuing driving licenses. I wouldn’t say the people on the roads in Saudi Arabia are “Saudi” with the under 14 year olds making 38% of the Saudi population and half of the adult population banned from driving. The official count of non-nationals is 20% of the population, many of whom were brought in solely to chauffer. It’s the mishmash of all these different people and lax regulations when it comes to issuing driving licenses.

]]> By: Barkley Rosser http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-19551 Barkley Rosser Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:37:45 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-19551 The standard way to drive in Saudi Arabia is to pretend that one is riding on a camel. On a camel, when more than one gets together they growl at each other until one steps aside. With Saudi drivers they just honk at each other until one gives way, if he does. The worst driving I ever saw in KSA was on the evening before Ramadan started, six wrecks in Riyadh over a short distance, and really bad ones. A bit too much celebrating... The standard way to drive in Saudi Arabia is to pretend that one is riding on a camel. On a camel, when more than one gets together they growl at each other until one steps aside. With Saudi drivers they just honk at each other until one gives way, if he does.

The worst driving I ever saw in KSA was on the evening before Ramadan started, six wrecks in Riyadh over a short distance, and really bad ones. A bit too much celebrating…

]]> By: John Burgess http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-19458 John Burgess Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:46:06 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-19458 What? You mean those articles in the Saudi papers last year about how women caused all the accidents are incorrect??!! :-P What? You mean those articles in the Saudi papers last year about how women caused all the accidents are incorrect??!! :-P

]]> By: Grace http://xrdarabia.org/2009/02/26/just-how-bad-are-saudi-drivers/comment-page-1/#comment-19456 Grace Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:48:15 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/?p=6916#comment-19456 It is unbelievably bad. And it is 100% the fault of men! It is unbelievably bad. And it is 100% the fault of men!

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