Get the ‘drift’: Follow hobby away from crowds

The Traffic Department’s proposal to make joy driving a criminal offense has been welcomed by Saudis and expatriates, saying it would help stop the deadly game played by many youths in various parts of the Kingdom.
Experts contacted by Arab News, however, urged authorities to create safe areas away from crowded streets for youths to follow their hobby called “drifting.”
They hoped young businessmen would take the initiative to set up racing grounds in major cities as a new business venture.
Al-Jazirah Arabic daily quoted a traffic official as saying that the department made the proposal to the Interior Ministry after finding that most joy driving cases had a criminal angle as the drivers used stolen vehicles.
“We welcome the move because it conforms with Islamic teachings that call for the protection of life, honor and wealth of the public,” Fuad Kawther of the World Assembly of Muslim Youth told Arab News. He blamed generation gap for the growing phenomenon. “Youths do not get proper care and guidance from their parents who are busy and do not meet the needs of their children and do not speak to them in the language they understand,” he said.
Many youth end up in this practice because of peer pressure without thinking about its consequences. “Such cases are increasing year after year endangering the lives of joy drivers and those living around them.” He said WAMY would be ready to support the government in addressing this vital issue.
Badr Almotawa, a Saudi journalist, emphasized the need for conducting an intensive awareness campaign for families to take care of their children properly. He said most Saudis like “drifting,” adding that there were reports of some security officers involved in the dangerous game. He called for setting up a committee of experts to discuss how to enable youths to practice this in a safe manner without causing trouble to others.
Ashraf Ali, an Indian business executive, said the traffic move would make the Kingdom’s streets safer. “Joy riding should have been made a crime long time ago in an Islamic country like Saudi Arabia,” he told Arab News.