Women Learning to Drive in Saudi Arabia
WikiIslam Archive,
Archives of the first iteration of WikiIslam, prior to acquisition and revamp by Ex-Muslims of North America
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It is noteworthy that some of the girls, who go to the "Airport Dunes" weekly, have surpassed the basic driving stage, and have reached the point where they are learning advanced techniques such as drifting.
The number of those interested in driving at the dunes has greatly increased recently, especially after the return of many female students who had been sent abroad for study. The circumstances of their daily life (outside Saudi) required them to learn to drive, which has led them to want to practice here, "Fearing that we would forget what we had learned, and also in preparation for us making the attempt, in the event that we are officially allowed to drive soon," according to 'Abir Musa, who returned a few months ago from the United States.
'Abir did not hesitate to insist on daily practice, convincing her husband of the need to "Drive the car any way possible." She stressed that she had learned to drive during her academic studies in the United States, with encouragement from her husband. However, he "was reluctant to agree to my driving in the Kingdom. He only agreed on condition that I drive in areas far away from the main roads, fearing that people he knows would see me and he would feel embarrassed, in addition to his fear that I would be stopped by security officials."Muhammad al-Dawud, Dar al-Hayat, April 8, 2011