The Saudis living in the compounds of Saudi Aramco, Shaybah Oilfield and the Diplomatic Quarter follow a different lifestyle compared to those in Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Hail and Najran. Let me explain my point, giving some examples.

When Saudis visit Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain or Western countries, they strictly follow traffic regulations and drive their vehicles in a cultured manner. They also drive carefully in compounds inside the Kingdom. But when they return to the streets of their towns and villages they forget about traffic rules.

The Saudis when they go abroad throw rubbish in garbage bins and will not throw beverage cans or water bottles from cars onto the streets. They follow the same rules while living in the compounds inside the Kingdom but when they return to the streets of their native places they forget this civilized lifestyle.

Let me give another example. Many Saudis show a destructive attitude toward public gardens and other infrastructure facilities as if they are taking revenge on their own country. At the same time they will not leave even a tissue or remove a plant or pluck a flower from public gardens in foreign countries as well as those in compounds.

Saudi students in foreign countries follow the educational and security regulations of those countries. It is the same case when studying at compound schools. But when they go to government schools, their behavior changes as they develop a kind of destructive attitude and attack teachers and destroy their cars.

Running red lights, changing lanes without warning, making sudden turns from left to right and joyriding have become common practices in our streets and our traffic police deal with those violators kindly without taking strong punitive action.

But we’ll not see such irresponsible behavior from Saudis in compounds or in foreign countries.

Another important point I would like to note here is that women can drive anywhere in the world except in Saudi Arabia to fulfill their routine requirements. If there is any other country that bans women from driving please let me know.

Surprisingly, Saudi women living in compounds like Saudi Aramco and Shaybah can drive their cars to reach hospitals or supermarkets or schools. Nobody will stop them. At the same time they are not allowed to enjoy the same right in their own towns and villages where they are forced to sit behind a foreign driver.

How do these contradictions and double standards take place in our lives? Is it because of a lack of self-confidence and integrity or because of the failure of authorities in strictly applying laws? I hope the readers would find a suitable answer.