Saudi Arabia driving ban on women to be lifted

[misskit]

Saudi Arabia's King Salman has issued a decree allowing women to drive for the first time, state media say.


Government ministries are to prepare reports within 30 days and the order will be implemented by June 2018, the Saudi Press Agency reported.


Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world to forbid women from driving.


Under the current system, only men are allowed driving licences and women who drive in public risk being arrested and fined.


Because of the law, many families have had to employ private drivers to help transport female relatives.


Rights groups in the kingdom have campaigned for years to allow women to drive, and some women have been imprisoned for defying the rule.


"The royal decree will implement the provisions of traffic regulations, including the issuance of driving licences for men and women alike," the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.


The country's US ambassador, Prince Khaled bin Salman, said it was "an historic and big day" and "the right decision at the right time".


He confirmed that women will not have to get permission from their male guardians to take driving lessons, and would be able to drive anywhere they liked.



What was the reaction?


The move was welcomed by the US state department, which called it "a great step in the right direction".


Saudi activist Loujain al-Hathloul, who was detained for 73 days in 2017 for flouting the ban, tweeted "thank God" following the announcement.


Manal al-Sharif, an organiser of the Women2Drive campaign who has also been imprisoned for driving, said on Twitter that Saudi Arabia would "never be the same again".


Activist Sahar Nassif in Jeddah told the BBC she was "very, very excited - jumping up and down and laughing".


"I'm going to buy my dream car, a convertible Mustang, and it's going to be black and yellow," she said.


Not everyone reacted positively, however, with conservative voices accusing the government of "bending the verses of Sharia".


"As far as I remember, Sharia scholars have said it was haram (forbidden) for women to drive. How come it has suddenly become halal (permissible)?" one critic tweeted.



Saudi Arabia driving ban on women to be lifted - BBC News

[bobo746]

Look out more women drivers.

[tomcat]

Saudi Arabia rushes into the 1920s...

[harrybarracuda]

So accidents are going to go through the roof as women fumble their way around in cars for the first time while trying to evade convoys of panting youths stalking their every move.

Should be fun.

[hick]

So accidents are going to go through the roof as women fumble their way around in cars for the first time

WITH blinders on...



Peripherals be damned!

[misskit]

I am happy for those gals.

^ Wouldn't some heavy window tint do the trick? They could take off the veil inside the car.

[Luigi]

God/Allah help them.

[TizMe]

I bet that they still need their father's/husband permission to apply for a licence.

[Luigi]

The problem is that the men are legally allowed to kill them for causing a collision.

[jabir]

deleted

[redhaze]

What an assbackward country.

[tomcat]

assbackward

indeed, quite a social life for the right person...

[hick]

Wouldn't some heavy window tint do the trick?

Could add up to a lot of tickets. That is, technically the 3rd grade (2nd in some provinces) is illegal and ya' gotta pay.

Enchilada

One of my students asked me today, (no joke): "How will they be able to see when they're driving?"


Me: <in my best NYC accent> You askin' me!?

[Carnwadrick]

I bet that they still need their father's/husband permission to apply for a licence.

Will their license have their photo?

[tomcat]

so many unanswered questions...almost as if Saudi authorities had trained in Thailand...

[Thai3]

will 10 year old wife's be allowed to drive as well?

[Luigi]

women drivers.

[Maanaam]

There'll probably be a traffic regulation change which states that women need to give way to men in all situations.

[harrybarracuda]

No doubt the police will suddenly start issuing tickets for such offences as:

- Driving on the right side of the road
- Driving the right way on a one-way street
- Failing to go through a red light

etc. etc.

[hick]

Woman's car breaks down = highway line up of commuters offering "assistance."

[tomcat]

^that was one of the popular rationales against women driving frequently mentioned in Saudi media: what happens if her car has a flat? Only a man can change a tire...

[wasabi]

It's all thanks to that revolutionary Donald Trump, he's got the Saudis a deal where they buy American cars for their women. Trump the women's liberator, and Detroit saviour.
Jokes aside, I believe it's the automatic industry that's pushed this, sales = Profit

[tomcat]

...more likely it's the constant pressure from the world on the Saudi royals: even the most thick-skinned must grow weary of being laughed at...

[Dragonfly]

that's really good for our ME resident Harry, he can finally drive in SA

[wasabi]

Don't they have women Uber drivers ? It's creating jobs init.