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Arabia

Saudi Arabia to lift ban on women drivers

2008-01-21

Saudi Arabia is to lift its ban on women drivers in an attempt to stem a rising suffragette-style movement in the deeply conservative state. Government officials have confirmed the landmark decision and plan to issue a decree by the end of the year.

The move is designed to forestall campaigns for greater freedom by women, which have recently included protesters driving cars through the Islamic state in defiance of a threat of detention and loss of livelihoods.

The royal family has previously balked at granting women driving permits, claiming the step did not have full public support. The driving ban dates back to the establishment of the state in 1932, although recently the government line has weakened.

"There has been a decision to move on this by the Royal Court because it is recognised that if girls have been in schools since the 1960s, they have a capability to function behind the wheel when they grow up," a government official told The Daily Telegraph. "We will make an announcement soon."

Mohammad al-Zulfa, a reformist member of the Saudi consultative Shura Council, which scrutinises official policies in the oil-rich state, said reversing the ban was part of King Abdullah's "clever" strategy of incremental reform. "When it was first raised, the extremists were really mad," he said. "Now they just complain. It is diminishing into a form of consent."

Posted by:Steve White

#22 Interesting,how this consideration is now being brought forward, seeing that the Saudis are so keen on the US elections and the very real possibility of a 'woman' that could take the top seat of Government. That same woman who said that OPEC would fall oil prices by half upon her inauguration. Smelling fear I should guess!!

Posted by: smn 2008-01-21 18:31

#21 Caramba!!!

Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-01-21 15:56

#20 Nyet

Posted by: Thomas Woof 2008-01-21 15:44

#19 The big bad wolf is gone?

Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-01-21 15:31

#18 The bomb will have to be tuned by 12 experts grom...

Posted by: Shipman 2008-01-21 15:14

#17 The real test will be

Lamborghini car bomb?

Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-01-21 13:55

#16 The real test will be

Lamborghini car bomb?

Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-01-21 13:55

#15 The real test will be when the massive younger generation of peripheral royals thinks there is a teensy chance they can wield power (most likely individually, but perhaps via some movement as they are more influenced than they realize by the Net etc.).

Posted by: lotp 2008-01-21 13:08

#14 When it is said that KSA is "intensely conservative", it doesn't necessarily mean from a political or even religious slant, but in the truest sense of the word: resistant to change.

Not just the government, but the typical Saudi on the street are as conservative, or more conservative, than the Swiss, when it comes to change. (Who finally gave women the vote not too long ago.)

I remember back when the Saudis had their first toe-dipping experiment with tightly controlled democracy, allowing a vote on what amounted to a planning and zoning board. They were scared half to death that it would cause chaos and anarchy, with rioting in the streets. The police and military were on alert.

As you might expect, it was boring. Dull. Not a particularly good turn-out. And most of all, the public who voted showed themselves to be just a tad *more* conservative than the government.

The government was thrilled. Overnight most of their reservations about democracy disappeared, and it was no longer seen as a risky, dangerous, revolutionary doctrine that could destroy them all. But something pleasantly boring and conservative. Their consensus was that "maybe this democracy stuff isn't so bad after all."

No doubt that giving women the right to drive has them all scared out of their wits right now. The police will be everywhere, and emergency services will be on full alert in case the kingdom is threatened by a legion of women drivers.

Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-01-21 13:03

#13 LOL @ GK

When I lived there we used to joke that an experiment was set up to measure the smallest increment of time, that being the time from when the traffic light turned green and the waiting Saudi's started honking. The experiment failed, as no one would stop for the red light.

Posted by: Cowboy is a compliment 2008-01-21 12:09

#12 The good news: the KSA will lift ban on women drivers.

The bad news: Shari'a Traffic Laws are being amended for the benefit of women drivers. For example:

First offense speeding citation: right foot cut off at ankle. Second offense speeding citation: left foot cut off at ankle. Third offense: head chop (albeit rarely imposed).

First offense ACD (assured clear distance/rear ender accident): Right eye gouged out. Second offense: left eye gouged out plus lifetime license suspension.

Failure to drive in marked lanes: head chop.

Improper parking: 100 lashes.

Failure to signal right turn: Loss of right arm up to the elbow. Failure to signal left turn: Loss of left arm up to the elbow. Third offense (in theory, rare): head chop.

Expired registration or driving without male permission: 200 lashes plus 6 months incarceration.

Driving without license: head chop.

Posted by: Mark Z 2008-01-21 11:55

#11 Soo Sorry --- Try again for the graphic -

Posted by: Ebbolulet Dark Lord of the Swedes9659 2008-01-21 10:20

#10 Per Request Graphic Attached ->

Posted by: Ebbolulet Dark Lord of the Swedes9659 2008-01-21 10:17

#9 Relieves the looming shortage of [male] car-bombers.

Posted by: Mullah Lodabullah 2008-01-21 08:46

#8 One can only hope that this follows the rule of revolutions.

Total oppression works because it eliminates all expectaions of improvement. Once that totality is broken expectations rise faster than reforms can or will go. This leads to an increasing dissatisfaction with the ever widening gap between expectations and reality.

It is not the true oppressors that have fallen, but the more moderate types whose reforms triggered this phenomena. See Czarist Russia and the fall of the USSR under Gorby for two examples.

As Angie said, they think this will quell the problem when it will probably be like dousing a fire with gasoline. (At least I certainly hope so)

Posted by: AlanC 2008-01-21 08:38

#7 How could they be any worse drivers than Saudi men?

Posted by: Rob Crawford 2008-01-21 08:19

#6 Here goes the neighborhood.

Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-01-21 05:21

#5 allowed, but they have to have their entire head covered, including their eyes

Posted by: Frank G 2008-01-21 05:08

#4 Saudi Arabia is to lift its ban on women drivers in an attempt to stem a rising suffragette-style movement

Hey, this kind of thing worked well for the Taliban! Might as well use it as a force for good for a change.

Posted by: gorb 2008-01-21 02:32

#3 The move is designed to forestall campaigns for greater freedom by women...

Yeah, like that's going to work.

Posted by: Large Whusolet7458 2008-01-21 01:18

#2 It's about time. The main aptitude that one must demonstrate to acquire a driving permit in the KSA is to be able to honk the horn. Women should be able to toot the vehicle's horn as well as any Saudi man. BTW there's no right or wrong time to honk. Just get behind the wheel and beep, beep, beep to your heart's content.

Posted by: GK 2008-01-21 00:20

#1 Do we not have a Hell Freezes Over graphic?

"There has been a decision to move on this by the Royal Court because it is recognised that if girls have been in schools since the 1960s, they have a capability to function behind the wheel when they grow up"

How about Master of the Obvious?

The Saudis think that dynamiting this little stretch of the fault will relieve the tectonic stresses on their society, and the rumblings will cease.

But they're wrong.

Posted by: Angie Schultz 2008-01-21 00:11

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