Saudi Women don’t Want to Drive

Saudi women are breaking their heads over whether they should support a government intention to allow them to drive or not. That is true. On a top female online discussion forum that draws almost 2.2 million Saudi women, a long discussion has been taking place, intitated by a “reasonably objective” lady who has stated the pros and cons of being allowed to drive, concluding that the law would not be welcome should the government decide to pass it soon.

The writer said she feared that having women drive would cause more vices, such as men following women who are driving their cars around. Another problem would be to have a policeman stop a woman driver for a ticket or fine and have a chance to “check her out” or risk her being seen talking to a strange man in the middle of the road. She cited that three Saudi female pedestrians had been recently killed by a male driver whose intention was to stalk them, before he lost control over his vehicle.

The comments were divided between support and condemnation of such a law. Most women participating in the forum went against the law drawing a comparison between driving the earleir law which allowed satellite receivers to enter the kingdom, consequently opening the air for Saudis to watch “vice” and indecency and to entertain devilish thoughts.

Those who refused the law said that it was the making of liberal secular non-believers, who sought freedom (here an extremely negative connotation).

It should be noted that 30 per cent of all Saudi internet users (a total of 8 to 9 million) are women. Their presence online is very strong. Their discussions revolve around cooking, marital problems, children, health, and religion. They are the advertisers’ dream.