MAKKAH, 9 March 2007 — Washing cars is a job many Saudis, especially the youth, simply do not want to do. Just to see what life with a bucket of soapy water on the other side of the screen is like, I decided to wash cars for a day.
Surprisingly, many Saudis found the idea of a fellow citizen washing their cars unbearable. In fact, many lack confidence in their fellow citizens and feel Saudis are simply unable to diligently wash cars in the manner that illegal African overstayers do.
Meanwhile, African car-washers were fuming that a Saudi had invaded their “patch” and was trying to take their customers away.
I was attracted to the car-washing industry when it was drawn to my attention by local municipal authorities that there was an upsurge in the number of illegal overstayers washing cars in Makkah. I was curious to see what it felt like being a car-washer. And so I dumbed down my clothing and headed for an area of Makkah where people bring their cars to be washed.
“Get lost,” shouted one African car-washer when I turned up with my bucket and rags. “You are a Saudi, find yourself a proper job,” advised a gentle-looking Saudi man who wanted his Crown Victoria washed.
I initially thought it would be easy washing cars but the illegal overstayers — who have monopolized this line of work — were very unwelcoming. In fact, many laughed when they realized I was Saudi.
“I’m just out to make a living,” I told the Crown Victoria owner, who began lecturing me on how a Saudi should live, work and dress.
Through my experience of working as a car-washer for a day, I found that the average overstayer washes over 20 cars a day for SR15 per car. This means that a single individual can earn SR350 a day which adds up to over SR10,000 a month — much more than what the average Saudi earns.
The problem of illegal car-washers blocking roads and overusing public water from mosques is a widespread one. A special committee — consisting of the Makkah municipality, the Traffic Department and the Passport Department — was formed to prevent overstayers from washing cars in public streets. Hence many car-washers set up shop at isolated locations. These locations are known to local people and are also, shockingly, frequented by officials in government vehicles.
One of these locations is the car park near the Prince Ahmad Mosque. I wrapped my head in a turban, dumbed down my clothing and altered my style of speech and movement to look like a laborer. With my rags and bucket in hand, I sat down on a pavement waiting for a customer. Meanwhile, African overstayers curiously looked on wondering who I was and why I was invading their territory.
As we sat waiting, a car came and parked nearby. Quickly one of the African workers jumped up and approached the driver before me. I trodded behind him at which point the car owner asked how much I would charge. Before I could reply, the overstayer replied: “SR15.”
“I’ll charge you SR10,” I said, to which the African overstayer became extremely angry.
“Are you Saudi?” asked the car owner calmly. When I told him I was, he laughed and told me to get another job. “Go away, I don’t think you could do it. It is insulting for a Saudi to do a job like this. I think you should look for a real job,” he said.
So I stood by and watched the car-washer fill his bucket with water from a nearby tank and then rinse the car. He then used soapy water to scrub the car followed by a rinse and then began to dry the car down. The whole operation took only six minutes and the car was spanking clean.
While the overstayer was still drying, a small car came nearby. I rushed to it and offered to wash it for SR5. The owner — who was in a hurry — accepted the offer. It was then that the African man — who had finished drying the first car — came and grabbed me by my shirt. He insulted me and threw water on my face.
“Get lost or we’ll give you a good beating,” he shouted.
I was left confused and feeling helpless threatened to call the police at which point the man backed off. The man, however, continued to threaten and curse me.
It was then that I felt uneasy staying on and so went to another car-washing location in Gishleh where a host of African car-washers had gathered to wash cars. They were all charging SR15 and so I decided to break their monopoly by announcing I was ready to wash for SR6.
I was dubbed the “Crazy Saudi” by the other car-washers who laughed at me and made jokes of how the car-washing industry was now being Saudized by the local authorities. Every time I washed a car, they gathered around me and tried to convince the owner that I was crazy and that I was unable to do the job.
A Saudi, who had come to get his car washed, felt pity and asked: “Why do you work in this job, brother? Please tell me your problem and I’ll help you. This job is unsuitable for Saudis.”
I then revealed my real identity and asked him why he thought the job was unfit for Saudis and asked whether it was better to be unemployed or wash cars and earn an honest living. The man did not answer and quickly left.
Later I moved to another car-washing location in the Al-Zaher district of Makkah, which was teeming with cars. No matter how hard I tried, none of the Saudi car owners would let me wash his car.
I soon left and returned home. My day as a car-washer taught me some valuable lessons. Saudis wanting to wash cars find themselves strangers in their own land in this line of trade.
