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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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 Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 11:03 am Post subject: |
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| I don't want to get into an argument, but I will repeat it is not a good idea for a woman to use a driver she doesn't know if she is alone. |
I'm sure the qualified professional women of Dave's, with their years of hands-on experience living in the region, are deeply touched by your repeated concern for their safety  |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 3:22 pm Post subject: |
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A simple Google search on Saudi taxis dangerous for women will come up with many items.
Obviously, not every driver is dangerous. But the very fact that so much stuff comes up would seem to indicate that there is a danger there.
Maybe in Jeddah things are very safe. My own personal experience of living in Riyadh for three years, and now Buraydah for one year, leads me to the conclusion that women's safety in taxis is definitely an issue.
I expect that most western women wouldn't have any issues, but like I said in a previous post, for women of other nationalities, especially asian, it is a lot more complicated.
For someone to say that they had no problems, so there is no problem is misleading.
Anyway, the thread is about having a car. Yes you can get by without having a car. But it's exactly that. You're just getting by. Anyone who says otherwise must have had to live right next to their place of work, with home delivery shopping! Not having a car is a PITA.
When I go to a restaurant, I want steak, I don't want to be eating a salad, watching everyone around me munching on sirloin.
Especially when some second hand jap Korean thing will only cost you 20-30k. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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| bigdurian wrote: |
Obviously, not every driver is dangerous. But the very fact that so much stuff comes up would seem to indicate that there is a danger there.
....
For someone to say that they had no problems, so there is no problem is misleading. |
You apparently didn't notice that I also said to use good judgment and that each solo expat teacher (i.e., those without a husband) can decide on her own how to get around in KSA based on her particular situation and with advice from her teaching colleagues.
It is what it is. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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| I expect that most western women wouldn't have any issues, but like I said in a previous post, for women of other nationalities, especially asian, |
I'm curious how Saudi taxi drivers can tell that women are 'western' by their appearance. Given that 'westerners' come in all colours of the rainbow.... |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
| I'm curious how Saudi taxi drivers can tell that women are 'western' by their appearance. Given that 'westerners' come in all colours of the rainbow.... |
So true. Aside from my American English, few folks in the Mid East correctly guessed my nationality because I'm multiracial. Ironically, there were several times I was asked if I was Filipino.
By the way, that would be taxi drivers in Saudi Arabia since the majority are from other countries. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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| By the way, that would be taxi drivers in Saudi Arabia since the majority are from other countries. |
Yes, it's interesting how few countries employ many of their own nationals to drive taxis. Perhaps there is some international law;-) |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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When I was in Oman... and it is likely still the case... all taxi drivers must be Omani.
VS |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Fri Jul 15, 2016 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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Exception that proves the rule? 
I know some smaller European countries where the taxi drivers are local also. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:00 am Post subject: |
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| RustyShackleford wrote: |
| Travels wrote: |
| Does it look like the law could change soon and women will be allowed to drive? |
Given that Saudi just invested truckfuls of money into Uber, it doesn't seem likely. Not anytime in the foreseeable future anyhow. |
Yep. Or maybe that should be nope...
Saudi Arabia bought a huge stake in Uber. What does that mean for female drivers?
By Adam Taylor, Washington Post | June 2, 2016
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/02/saudi-arabia-bought-a-huge-stake-in-uber-what-does-that-mean-for-female-drivers/on
(Excerpt)
This week the Silicon Valley-based ride-sharing app Uber announced it was getting a huge new injection of funding. But the money wasn't coming from any of the standard investors from the U.S. tech world. Instead, it was coming from Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi state's Public Investment Fund (PIF) was putting $3.5 billion into the company, the largest investment in Uber to date. The move has raised eyebrows, however, due to one of the kingdom's most notorious domestic policies: Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women cannot legally drive.
While the act of driving for women is not specifically banned, various religious edicts in the country have meant women are restricted from applying for a driving license, effectively making the act of driving illegal for Saudi women. While some women in rural areas do drive without licenses anyway and some women with foreign driving licenses occasionally get behind the wheel (a legal gray area used largely in protest), for the most part women in Saudi Arabia simply don't drive. Polls suggest that support for the policy within the country is mixed.
(End of excerpt) |
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teacherman73
Joined: 28 Apr 2016
Posts: 21
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:42 am Post subject: |
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| Go for a month without a car. Then rent a car for a month. Then return the car and see how you like getting around with taxis etc. I guarantee while you are walking to the curb outside the car rental shop to get a taxi to go home you will turn around and rent your car again for a year. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 9:36 am Post subject: |
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I managed without a car - in Jeddah and Dhahran. My spell in Jeddah was over a period of 6 years and I was accompanied by my family.
I refuse to accept that the dominant species on Planet Earth is now the Automobile. Resist The Tyranny of the Machine ! Ford is the enemy ! |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:01 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| bigdurian wrote: |
Obviously, not every driver is dangerous. But the very fact that so much stuff comes up would seem to indicate that there is a danger there.
....
For someone to say that they had no problems, so there is no problem is misleading. |
You apparently didn't notice that I also said to use good judgment and that each solo expat teacher (i.e., those without a husband) can decide on her own how to get around in KSA based on her particular situation and with advice from her teaching colleagues.
It is what it is. |
I did notice that, which obviously implies that there are issues to be aware of.
As you say, it is what it is, which is far from perfect. |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
| Quote: |
| I expect that most western women wouldn't have any issues, but like I said in a previous post, for women of other nationalities, especially asian, |
I'm curious how Saudi taxi drivers can tell that women are 'western' by their appearance. Given that 'westerners' come in all colours of the rainbow.... |
There's a couple of things here.
Firstly, in my experience, the vast majority of western women I've met in Saudi, over the years, have all been of the white variety. Not just talking about teachers here but all women, whether they're UK, U.S.A., French, German or whatever.
Maybe there is some major group of western women of non whitey people out there, but not my experience of numerous parties, get to gethers, walking round malls etc.
If they're there, I'd like to know where they hang out.
Secondly, in the big cities like Riyadh, Jeddah etc, hardly any western women cover their faces, so it is obvious to a taxi driver you're from the west.
The only place I've seen Western women cover is in Buraydah where I am now. The minivan turns up from Qassim university outside Carrefour and all the women pile out. And you can still tell that they're white American. |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
When I was in Oman... and it is likely still the case... all taxi drivers must be Omani.
VS |
Same in Bahrain, I believe. |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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| teacherman73 wrote: |
| Go for a month without a car. Then rent a car for a month. Then return the car and see how you like getting around with taxis etc. I guarantee while you are walking to the curb outside the car rental shop to get a taxi to go home you will turn around and rent your car again for a year. |
This. |
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