HAIL, 7 March 2004 — Some 50 joyriders who face fines and jail sentences here say they are undeterred. According to a report in Al-Madinah Arabic daily, most blame unemployment for their choice of pastime.
“I have been joyriding since I was young,” Abdul Aziz Al-Onaizi told the paper from the police holding cell.
“I do some dangerous moves like driving the car on two wheels. I have been arrested many times, but I do it far away from neighborhoods and I am not harming anyone.”
He says he is driven to joyriding because he is unemployed. “I have nothing to do. If I had a job, do you think I would have time to do this? Of course not. Until I secure a job, I won’t stop joyriding,” he said.
Fawzi Al-Jihani was arrested for driving on the wrong side of the road. “I do it all the time, even in front of police, because I have no job. Police are keeping me here for three days. I’ll be out soon; if I don’t find a job I’ll be back in here soon.”
Abdullah Al-Zabaidi enjoys harassing police.
“It’s fun keeping them busy arresting me. But instead of blaming us they should blame our situation and try to solve it,” he said.
Only Hamid Al-Shihri insists he is innocent. “I have done nothing. In fact, I’m not from Hail; I’m from Riyadh. When I came here they arrested me saying I was joyriding. It is not bad inside, but I’ll be out in two days.”
The Hail police chief said the families of joyriders often ask him to be extra severe with the offenders. Maj. Abdulrahman Al-Shanbari added the arrests came as part of an ongoing crackdown on joyriding in the region.
