Public Transport

I thought I might mention the city’s public transport system.  This will be brief as it’s almost non existent.  I’ve previously mentioned this isn’t a ‘pedestrian friendly’ city.  there is no metro rail system and very few buses.  Those buses you do see are usually full of what appear to be very poor workers and the buses also look very dilapidated.  Some companies use buses to move their workers between the accommodation and worksite.  These buses look very similar to the yellow American school buses you see on TV.  Almost a truck with a pot riveted box on the chassis.  This is a city built for cars… lots of them!

The authorities are going to invest in a major modern metro train network and when this occurs one assumes the vehicle traffic will stabilize.  I won’t say ‘reduce’ as the population is rapidly growing.  People who don’t have a car or can’t drive (females) use the taxis who roam far and wide.  In the past few years the authorities have compelled the taxi fleet to modernise and most of them are less than 5 years old.  They are all painted white and are normally Hyundai’s or Camry’s.

He wondered why I was taking his photo?

The majority of the drivers are not Saudi. Each taxi has a meter but the locals prefer to negotiate a price at the start of the journey.  This means they get to pay a cheaper fare.  Provided you know the price of the metered journey!

So if a female needs to go shopping she either has a car and driver, or she takes a taxi.  In this country a female cannot be found in the presence of a male who is not a direct close relative (father, husband, brother, son, etc).  However she can be in a taxi with a driver she has never met before.  Maybe you have to be a eunuch to be a taxi driver?

A similar segregation occurs at fast food outlets or a food court.  There will be a separate screened area for women and families.  The single males have their own area. At some food outlet counters there will be a separate men’s and ladies queuing areas at either end of the counter.  In other instances there are separate entrance doors.

I’ve been to other Islamic countries where this situation doesn’t exist and have come to the realization that we in the west sometimes confuse cultural and religion.  I suspect the segregation of the sexes here is more a ‘cultural norm’ rather than a religious requirement.  It’s their country and they are entitled to their culture.  I’m the visitor and should comply!