Women Drivers




Saudi Arabia continues to make a fool of itself over its ban on women driving which is unique throughout the world as far as I know.

I often wonder why stories like this one don't appear on the TV news because who in their right mind would defend the arrest of a woman, Al Farid, for driving herself to hospital.

I presume the religious rulers of Saudi Arabia would be forced to explain this bizarre practice if it began to receive worldwide publicity, so why not run a campaign which challenges the logic behind women being banned from driving cars while allowing the use of other modern inventions such as washing machines, air conditioning and fridges? 

Saudi businesswoman and member of a human rights group fined for driving herself to hospital

In Saudi Arabia, it is not illegal for women to drive but, rather illegal for them to be granted a driver’s license


By KASHMIRA GANDER - The Independent

A female member of a Saudi human rights organisation was reportedly fined by police after she drove herself to hospital.

Aliyah Al Farid, a businesswoman and member of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR), suffers from a chronic condition which means she is occasionally forced to visit hospital.

In Saudi Arabia, it is not illegal for women to drive on the road, but it is illegal for them to be granted a driver’s license – effectively making the former law meaningless.

Worried by her condition and unable to find a chaperon, Al Farid, who has reportedly been caught driving twice before, set off in her husband’s car, but was caught by police during her journey, Al-Hayat daily reported, according to the Saudi Gazette.

When Al Farid explained to police that she was very ill and did not have anyone to help her, officers agreed that she could drive to hospital on the condition that they would wait for her outside.

Leaving the facility in an undisclosed location, she found four traffic police vehicles and she was taken to the local Traffic Department.

Al-Farid told reporters: "I told the traffic officers that I had to drive because it was an emergency case.

"I didn’t do it on purpose and I’m not after fame or media hype. I was very sick and that was it."

Al-Farid, who learned how to drive in Bahrain does not have a Saudi driver’s license.

"There are no laws here that ban women from driving cars on the road," she said, adding she had refused to agree to a police request to never drive again.

Al-Farid owns a centre caring for people with special needs and on occasion must rush her patients to hospital.

"We can’t leave an epileptic patient convulsing on the ground while waiting for our male driver to come and transport him to hospital.

"I have to get behind the steering wheel and do it," she told the newspaper.

And as the area where she lives is remote, taxi drivers often refuse to drive her for fear that their cars might get damaged, she added.



Hairy v Wary Bikers (4 January 2014)



I notice that the blog site had some visitors from Saudi Arabia the other day, so I thought I'd re-publish this post about Wary Bikers in the Kingdom of Saud. 

The nearest thing we have in the UK to Wary Bikers are the Hairy Bikers - David Myers and Simon King - the two celebrated TV chefs from the north east of England, but I don't suppose they need to be escorted and chaperoned wherever they go, being men.

Wary Bikers (6 April 2013)


Allah be praised!

A miraculous event has occurred in Saudi Arabia where religious authorities have seen the light - to an extent at least - and granted women the right to ride bicycles for the very first time.

Now this new 'freedom' is not without practical problems because - at the same time - the same religious authorities have decreed that women riding bikes in Saudi Arabia must be conservatively dressed at all times.

Which means wearing a long black cloak similar to the burka being - and woe betide anyone who disobeys the rules - which are many and bewildering in equal measure.

Not only does the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice  (CPVPV) lay down a dress code for women cyclists - the CPVPV states that cycling is only permitted in parks, beach fronts and deserted rural areas.

The reason for such precautions, according to a CPVPV spokesman, is that - “Women wishing to drive motorbikes and bicycles should choose places where there are no gatherings of young men to harass them or steal their belongings.” 

But it doesn't stop there because women must be accompanied by a male guardian “in case of falls or accidents” - who can presumably also double up as a minder, if there are groups of potential thieves or harassers in the area.

Now whether this new, much qualified, right to cycle should be seen a breakthrough depends on your point of view - but one Saudi woman reacted on Twitter with the wry comment:

“Great. We have been granted the same rights as children.”

But the fight for women's rights continues and will focus soon on Saudi Arabia's ban on women driving cars - the only country in the world to operate such a policy.

The existing ban is due to be debated live on TV by the kingdom’s top advisory body - the Shura Council - which can recommend to the monarchy that the ban be overturned.

For the first time ever Saudi women will take an active part in the debate - following King Abdullah’s decision to appoint 30 women to the 150-member Shura Council - which had previously been an all-male affair. 

So let see what happens - should be an interesting discussion.

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