The practice is common due to negative experiences, according to Al-Watan newspaper. One such taxi driver is Abdul Ghafour Muhammad, who still remembers a bitter experience when he picked a woman in her 40s wanting to go to the city’s Al-Ghulail district.

“When we got to the location she refused to pay. We had a heated exchange but the woman was adamant not to pay,” Muhammad told Al-Watan.

As a result, Muhammad refuses to take anyone to Al-Ghulail without prior payment.

Many Al-Ghulail residents are foreigners of various nationalities, including overstayers and iqama violators.

Local resident Nidal said Shara Al-Falah (Success Street), which stretches from Mahjar to Iskan Square, has been nicknamed “Shara Shukran” (Thank You Street) and “Shara Wassilnee” (Drop Me Off Street) because of local residents who refuse to pay fares.

The drivers also risk being attacked by their fares in remote areas of the city.

About a year ago, police in Nuzlah district arrested a Saudi couple and their Yemeni accomplice on charges of running a scheme to rob taxi drivers. Police responded to a cab driver’s call claiming he was robbed after picking up a Saudi woman who made a phone call to signal her accomplices.

In a remote area, the Saudi and Yemeni men cut off the cab driver in their vehicle. When the driver got out to argue with the men, the woman snatched the driver’s mobile phone.

The driver managed to jot down vehicle’s license plate number, which helped the police to arrest the gang.

“Many foreign women who live in Al-Ghulail prey on taxi drivers on this street. Some cabbies might be unaware and fall into their trap. After getting out, they say thanks and walk off quickly … most cabbies just drive off as the area is rough and they feel scared of being attacked or beaten up,” said Nidal. “There have been instances of taxi drivers being either attacked or having their car windows smashed. It’s common for taxis to refuse to bring passengers here.”

Taxi driver Abdul Majeed Adam refuses to visit the area. “I fear being attacked and not being paid. I’ve had many women passengers who simply got out and left without paying. They say thank you and walk off,” he said.

Zamil Salama, the district mayor, said the majority of people who live in Al-Ghulail are foreigners of various African and Asian nationalities.

“I’m striving hard in cooperation with the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice and the police to put an end to the illegal acts of foreigners here,” he said.

Ali Muhammad Al-Ghamdi, the district mayor of Al-Ghulail West, said people who live in the neighborhood are poor and unable to pay taxi fares.

The city has about 280 companies that operate more than 30,000 taxis, with South Asians making the bulk of cab drivers.