Perils of commuting

MOST workingwomen rely on drivers of private cars instead of taxicabs to get them to work. The easiest way to find one such help is to search on social media websites and check the recommendations given by women who already used the service. However, most women prefer drivers who come from countries like India and Pakistan. The only problem they face currently is the high rates these drivers charge. Al-Jazirah newspaper met with a number of workingwomen and discussed in detail the new service and why they use it. While some women blamed their husbands for forcing them to ride in cars driven by absolute strangers, others complained about the high prices of the service, which is getting popular day after day. They argued that allowing Saudi women to drive will put an end to most of the problems associated with women’s transportation. Hana Al-Muhammad, a workingwoman, said most women like herself cannot afford to have their own private driver. As a result, they resort to use this service. “Some expatriate drivers have their own cars and want to make an additional income to support their families. They post their names and phone numbers on social media websites and offer their services. I wonder why this service is not regulated. We ride with people based on recommendations given by other women. Some of them could be dangerous,” she said. Dr. Samar Al-Saggaf, director of medical programs and health sciences department at the Saudi Embassy in Washington, said this type of service is regulated in most countries and operated by registered companies. She called for a similar approach in the Kingdom. Hussam Al-Hadidi, who works in a private company in Riyadh, agrees that this service poses several dangers to women because they ride with strangers who might abuse their need for this service. He wondered why there is no government-run transportation company that provides similar service to all workingwomen against a monthly fee. Maher Al-Luqman, a Saudi athlete, blames husbands for failing to shoulder the responsibility for transporting workingwomen. “Men should drive their wives to work instead of asking them ride with strangers who drop them off to work or drive them around to run errands. As far as I know, some drivers charge SR50 for a short errand. This is pure greed,” he said. Al-Jazirah spoke with an expatriate driver who offers the service about why and when he ventured into the business. The driver, who requested not to use his name, claimed that he was a God-fearing person and started transporting workingwomen to supplement his income. “I give rides only to wives of people I know. Most of the time, I take my wife with me in the car to make women passengers feel comfortable,” he said. He agreed that some drivers take advantage of the fact that women cannot drive in the country and need someone to take them to work and back home. He warned workingwomen against riding in cars with drivers who look suspicious. He urged them to ask the driver to stop and quickly get off if any of the driver’s actions arouses their suspicion.