The Question still exists, “Can women drive in Saudi Arabia”. Folks, Say Yes 2 Women Driving in Saudi Arabia!! Women in Saudi have been banned from driving for a very long period. Well according to the government, it wasn’t a legal or religious mandate that kept women from driving, but they believed the society and custom weren’t quite ready for a drastic change.
Women staying in compounds were provided bus services to go to the schools and shops and their employment contracts usually included the cost of a driver.
Well seems like that scenario will be history very soon, as the ban has been lifted and it’s just a matter of months for the new rule to be implemented! 3 Cheers for this positive step.
Again with the government’s public acknowledgement that women will be given their rights to drive, there are still hurdles to be overcome. Currently, there is no proper channel for women to get driving licenses as the government insists on having separate offices for men and women.
Well, it’s worth the wait.
So Ladies, Get ready to set the wheels on the road :)
Women staying in compounds were provided bus services to go to the schools and shops and their employment contracts usually included the cost of a driver.
Well seems like that scenario will be history very soon, as the ban has been lifted and it’s just a matter of months for the new rule to be implemented! 3 Cheers for this positive step.
Again with the government’s public acknowledgement that women will be given their rights to drive, there are still hurdles to be overcome. Currently, there is no proper channel for women to get driving licenses as the government insists on having separate offices for men and women.
Well, it’s worth the wait.
So Ladies, Get ready to set the wheels on the road :)
i admire your optimistic approach but belive me its not going to be that easy.
ReplyDeleteyes its easy for rich ladies living in compounds but women like me who can not afford to live here are going to be deprived from driving facility:(
yeah but i can only wish for it..i been dieng to drive :(
ReplyDeletenonz[riyadh]
Though the ban on driving has been officially lifted, I’ve heard that there are a few restrictions coming up as well such as:
ReplyDelete• Age: 30 or above.
• Guardian’s approval is required.
• Hours limited to 7AM – 8PM on weekdays and noon to 8PM on weekends.
• One has to follow the Islamic dress code.
• One should pass the test held by the women’s driving school.
• Should carry a cell-phone at all times wherever you go.
I’m not so happy with the age limit, looks like I’ll have to wait for another two years to be eligible to drive :(
ReplyDelete- Mariam
Mariam, I guess it will take two years any how for this new rule to be implemented. So by the time things are put in action, you sure would be eligible :)
ReplyDelete- Sarah
wow KUDOS..
ReplyDeletei think it will take 2 decades if not forever, for saudis to decide!
ReplyDeleteWhy not min age of 25 f all ? The 17-24 age-grp is more accident-prone & more reckless.
ReplyDeleteThe over 60s are less safe than the 30-50 age-group.
Never happen ..here. But if happend the it is going to be mess for road, All highways and road will be jam for hours
ReplyDeleteThis is out of topic but do you have a phone number of a taxi driver you trust? & travel around Riyadh with?
ReplyDeleteSee for good decision with good hopes....
ReplyDeletenow it is 2010, women' luck will not turn up in Saudi
ReplyDeletei have been hearing this for 20 years and still here we are not driving.i will never see it in my life time, im sure :(
ReplyDeleteits better to let the 30 and up women to drive rather then letting teenage boy driving rudely even on the street. i dont get the idea why the parents let under age boy to drive. perhaps to cover the female person in the house to go somewhere? i bet the boys dont have any license.
ReplyDeletelimited the time for women to drive is ok, but it supposed to be before school hours, not starting 7am. the kids will be late because the mother can't drove them to school yet, its the hours yet... so silly..
it will be disaster at first, but it'll get normal by the time. especially it is now more strick on the traffic, really minimize the accident. although still un-brain driver all over the street, and the police just sit and do nothing, even it happend in front of him. shamed..!
As predicted, it never happened, will never happen...
ReplyDeleteAnd the funny part: the author when she wrote this article back in july 2008 finished it saying " So ladies get ready to set the wheels on road "
Let me give you girls & guys a paradigm shift here, which (I wonder) why no one have mentioned. Have you thought of other disaster which will follow when women will put there feet on clutch. Noooo I'm not talking about those blonde stupid driver pictures that we've all seen. I'm talking about the mentality of youth here in Saudia. Saying they'll go out of there brains will be a thing of present I cant even imagine what will happen to them who are so suppressed by the society that they will either get mad or start rapping on the roads... I bet. Sorry to say but I really feel pathetic how the youth is been spoiled a big time... I'm not against women driving, but here in this society I dont want this to happen... The shabab will simply make an serious accident to get the attention no matter if the women stops breathing...