It is very common to see someone opening a car door in the middle of the street and then spitting. It is such disgusting behavior and, of course, you don’t have the chance to stop the driver and scold him for the filth he has left in the street. I sometimes wonder which public body is responsible for stopping people doing things like this. Is it the police department or local citizens?
The main group which spits — or more politely, expectorates — on the streets are thoughtless and inconsiderate people of all nationalities. The solution is a small box of tissues and some thought for one’s own self-dignity and some respect for others. I doubt that merely hoping people will stop this repulsive and offensive practice will lead to its eradication. In Singapore, people who spit in the street are fined by the government and now Singapore has become a country known for being free of people spitting in the streets.
In Saudi Arabia, you see people — expectorating all over the place. Even as people walk to the mosque, you find them spitting. I wish imams would reprimand those guilty of what is a grossly unhealthy practice.
The problem is police officers — they are barely able to catch drivers who run red lights; they certainly do not chase people who spit from their cars. I believe, however, that chasing them is something that needs to be done. At the very least, we could institute and implement some penalties for those who so thoughtlessly expectorate in our streets and on our sidewalks and pavements. Perhaps a few penalties would frighten people and convince them to stop their disgusting behavior.
You never see people spitting from their cars in Dubai or Bahrain. This means that the problem could easily be eliminated with a little attention by the police department, imams and perhaps a media campaign.
Spitting is something that harms every single person living in the country and spoils the country’s reputation. The police department should issue a law obliging spitters to pay a fine. Recruitment offices should distribute leaflets in foreign languages informing foreigners that spitting is a filthy and disgusting practice.
And everybody who drives should buy himself a box of tissues — which after all cost only a riyal or two. Both pedestrians and drivers should be educated about this problem. In addition, cooperation by everyone living in the country is necessary if we are serious about ending this shameful practice.
