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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 12:19 pm Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
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 ! |
I notice you say managed, wouldn't life have been easier with a car though? |
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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 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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| bigdurian wrote: |
| 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. |
Yep. No different than using good judgment even when on our home soil. |
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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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.
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Hmm. I personally know five or six non-white western women who have worked in Saudi in the past. Clearly they aren't hanging with car-driving, steak-munching white dudes, though somehow they all managed to enjoy their time in the region to a reasonable degree.
Anyway, I agree with scot47 (as usual): cars are unnecessary most of the time - as they should be. I haven't had to drive one regularly for over 20 years now and have no wish to take up the habit again. Not going to Saudi, but if I had to, I'd do everything possible to set up my life/work so that a car was unnecessary. |
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2buckets
Joined: 14 Dec 2010
Posts: 515
Location: Middle East
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:15 pm Post subject: |
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Something that used to bother me were members of the SR500.00 a month club always seeming to show up at closing time to try to glom a ride from you. God forbid they should make the gesture to offer some gas money.
I had my own car most of the time, and then moved on to leasing. No maintenance, insurance, registration hassles, and a new model whenever I wanted. Yes, maybe a little more money, but just made having a car easier. When going on summer holidays, just drive to airport and leave the car with rental agency. Nice!
If you live on a compound with bus service to work, and maybe access to a car pool, then you can make do and get by. Family with school age children, better off with your own car. |
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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 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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| bigdurian wrote: |
| 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. |
Seriously? I suppose you wear those special comic book "X-ray glasses" to see women's faces behind the niqab. 
Anyway, you may be an expert in terms of your wife, but in no way are you "The Source" for any and everything about other women --- what you assume them to be and to do in KSA.
Back to the topic of the pros/cons of having a car in KSA... |
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RedLightning
Joined: 08 Aug 2015
Posts: 137
Location: United States
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
Seriously? I suppose you wear those special comic book "X-ray glasses" to see women's faces behind the niqab.
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Amongst the local women, I found an even split between those who sported the niqab and those who didn't. |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2016 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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| I managed without a car in the same way that I got by without Nubian slaves or Filipina concubines. |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:29 am Post subject: |
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| spiral78 wrote: |
| Quote: |
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.
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Hmm. I personally know five or six non-white western women who have worked in Saudi in the past. Clearly they aren't hanging with car-driving, steak-munching white dudes, though somehow they all managed to enjoy their time in the region to a reasonable degree.
Anyway, I agree with scot47 (as usual): cars are unnecessary most of the time - as they should be. I haven't had to drive one regularly for over 20 years now and have no wish to take up the habit again. Not going to Saudi, but if I had to, I'd do everything possible to set up my life/work so that a car was unnecessary. |
Think you'll find those women are in the minority though. Guess we move in different circles though. But in my experience of three years in Riyadh, at different parties, events, bazaars etc. The vast majority of western women were white.
I don't think it's about being necessary as such, but it makes life so much easier. If we want to drive off into the desert camping for the night, or go to Bahrain at the last minute, on the spur of the moment, we just do it. No worrying about buses, trains, taxis, pick up times, no hanging around waiting.
But hey, different strokes for different folks.
Don't recall saying I was white anywhere btw. Do you have to be white to drive a car and eat meat, LOL. |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:34 am Post subject: |
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| nomad soul wrote: |
| bigdurian wrote: |
| 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. |
Seriously? I suppose you wear those special comic book "X-ray glasses" to see women's faces behind the niqab.
Anyway, you may be an expert in terms of your wife, but in no way are you "The Source" for any and everything about other women --- what you assume them to be and to do in KSA.
Back to the topic of the pros/cons of having a car in KSA... |
I'll rephrase that then.
In the circles I was in, and I did get out and about quite a bit because I had a car, amongst the many western women I knew, came across, was friends with, still know now, hardly any of them covered their faces, ever.
You obviously know different kinds of people to me.
The Saudi I know is not the Saudi you know. |
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bigdurian
Joined: 05 Feb 2014
Posts: 401
Location: Flashing my lights right behind you!
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:35 am Post subject: |
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| scot47 wrote: |
| I managed without a car in the same way that I got by without Nubian slaves or Filipina concubines. |
Everybody should have slaves and concubines.  |
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EnglishLanguageOne
Joined: 02 Feb 2016
Posts: 28
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| Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:30 pm Post subject: Re: Life in Saudi without a car? Is it feasible? |
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| Paris teacher wrote: |
So, I am thinking about working in KSA starting in August or September of 2017. I am a male, so I am permitted to drive in Saudi, but the thought frightens me, and I really don't want the expense of a car.
Would you say that it is easy to work for a school without a car, or is public transport truly non existent in KSA? I have heard stories of cities with neither pavement nor public transport and housing for teachers located many, many kilometers from the institution. |
Public transport is non existent.
Taxis are a pain. You must haggle for every transaction (see Life of Brian).
Car costs about 2000sar plus fuel per month. If you're sharing its not too bad. Be warned though our western idea of sharing a car can be very different to an Egyptians idea of sharing a car.
depending on where you work and live it will be the deciding factor in having a car. |
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indirect.object
Joined: 26 May 2008
Posts: 64
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| Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 9:35 am Post subject: Re: Life in Saudi without a car? Is it feasible? |
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Re: Life in Saudi without a car? Is it feasible?
I did it for years while living there on my own, but when I lived there with my wife found the experience of being encased in a contemporary, air-conditioned Corolla with CD player, zooming across Tariq Madina or the smooth asphalt of certain neighborhoods to be a lot more satisfying than the quaintly enjoyable morning rumble to work in the tin can-like two-riyaal bus. |
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Shookran
Joined: 07 Aug 2016
Posts: 42
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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I have deleted my original post because it has aparently caused upset. This was not my intention and I apologise for any upset that may have been caused.
Last edited by Shookran on Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:32 am; edited 3 times in total |
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scot47
Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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Sounds like you had a ball driving around in your automobile. I found better things to do when I Jeddah !
Never have understood this fascination with car ownership and car use.
Where I live now I am quite happy with no car !
As for the statement "There is no public transport in Saudi" I have heard that from others. Simply not true.
Your obsessions with the smell of Pakistani drivers sounds a bit racist to me,
Apart from the Shopping ,malls, where did you find to GO in Saudi ? The mosque ? The beach ?
Last edited by scot47 on Sun Sep 04, 2016 4:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Shookran
Joined: 07 Aug 2016
Posts: 42
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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I have deleted my own post because it has aparently caused upset. This was not my intention and I apologise for any upset that may have been caused.
Last edited by Shookran on Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:33 am; edited 1 time in total |
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