I have no car these days. Considerate friends give me frequent lifts, and I sometimes borrow a friend’s Daewoo. Most of the time, however, I depend on taxis or, as they are locally known, “limousines.” The majority of the drivers are from India and Pakistan; they speak my language, ask about my family and job and eventually get round to how much I “get.” That is where our conversations generally end. I dread questions about my economic status as much as I hate people asking my age or voluntarily advising what is to be done about my thinning hair.
On one of my recent errands, I hailed a taxi and was a bit uneasy when I realized that the driver was a Saudi. I seldom meet Saudis outside my workplace. All the bad ideas which expatriates voice about their Saudi counterparts flooded my mind in a fraction of a second. “Saudis are profit maximizers.” “They are unsafe drivers.” “They are harsh, stubborn and disrespectful to expatriates.” I braced myself for some fleecing and humiliation.
Trying to sound confident, I asked: “How much to Bawadi?” “Ten Riyals,” came the firm reply. This particular Saudi was certainly not interested in “profit maximization.” During the entire ride, Majed was respectful and friendly and glad for an opportunity to practice his English. I too was glad to meet such a good-natured and pleasant Saudi.
When I finished my business in Bawadi, I tried two taxis driven by Indians who were definitely out to maximize profits. My third attempt was successful. It was yet another Saudi driver who agreed to transport me for what I felt was an appropriate fare. Polite as he was, Khaled lacked Majed’s ability in English, but I was able to practice my Arabic. In neither case was I subjected to unsafe driving or any prying questions about my monthly income.
When I reached my destination, I found that I did not have the right change to pay the fare, but Khaled dismissed the problem and said he would forget about the Five Riyals I was short of. I doubt whether many expatriate taxi drivers would have been so understanding.
Most Jeddah taxi drivers, as well as their passengers, are not Saudi and thus have their own reasons for not being enthusiastic about plans for Saudization. My own experience with the two Saudi drivers dispelled many apprehensions which, I must confess, had been subjected to far too little critical thinking. Instead of being worried about the Saudization of taxis, I think it may work as a means of increasing social interaction between expatriates and Saudis. Each group will learn about the other, and reducing distances will surely reduce misconceptions and benefit everybody.
