Camel Safari
Venugopal Menon - Driving in Saudi Arabia
22nd Feb 2000

Ever heard of being thrashed for not driving the proper way!! We may have seen these things happening in the bi lanes of Mumbai or Delhi when an errant rick guy scratches on to your polished car. Just got to catch up with the auto rickshaw, pull him out by the scruff of the collar ( I dint recommend this ) then start the vituperations and then history repeats. Nope, I am not talking about fistfights as a result of rash nick or a tussle from an even more brash Taxi man. I am talking about the cops doing this.

Welcome to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

It is pleasure to drive the neat four, six or eight liners or the motorways as it is fondly called. It's a drivers dream road with Systematic flyovers, no brake jamming signals, informative signboards to proceed and exit out of the motorways. The important thing is one could enjoy driving at a constant pace without the fear of something bumping head-on on the way.

Well!! Now check out these rules…

Break a signal! Get ready to pay a whopping one grand Saudi Riyal (an equivalent of Eleven thousand five hundred rupees only) No that's not all you ought to cool your heels for three days in the prison and it is made sure that you don't have a choice. If this ought to happen in the winter it would be a nightmare, as these prisons don't offer blankets or quilts for the night. The dessert cold digs into your bone.

Don't ever try to be the Rick man, remember the brash driver. Rash driving is punishable with a fine of fifteen hundred Saudi Riyals (SR) a weeks prison term, there is more to come, nine lashes (cant digest this eh!!). The lashes are for severe accidents and the funny part is an accomplice or a co-driver also gets the bashings!! Why the hell should he be punished?? Oh! That! for his part in not discouraging the driver (read offender) from getting into this mess!!

This is for all women liberators. Sorry maam you can't drive here

These were just a taste of the treatment meted out for the offences considered to be immaterial back home in India. Then there are rules for the wrong parking, honking and you name it rules. So much for the good motorways!!!

Consider these rules be applicable even for a day in our country. I couldn't imagine what would happen to the booming industry.

The other day my client asked if I could drive home? Eh!! What's driving mean? I know no driving!! I 'd prefer to ride a camel. Oh yes talking of Camels there is one rule.

If a Camel meets with an accident, the camel owner has the right to sue the Vehicle owner and has to be compensated what so ever the amount. No kidding!! This is Camel country maan!!

Note: The rules are subject to change without prior notice . Most of the views expressed are authors experience and thoughts. It has got no relevance to a country's laws and means no offence to a particular class, creed or race of people.

Venugopal Menon