Pick a lane, any lane....

If you've ever spent anytime in NYC you know what driving in the city is like. Driving is ridiculous! There are so many cars, traffic is always backed up, and drivers are very aggressive. They weave, they yell, they beep at every car around them. Sometimes you wonder if you will make it to your destination in one piece.


Well, I want you to take the memory of the worst cab ride you've ever been on in NYC and multiple it by 100. Then, my friends, you will know what being in a taxi (or any car for that matter) in the KSA is like. Wow, is all I can say. It's been such an experience. It is like when you first got your license and your parents let you drive alone for the first time, except that you're the passenger.


Cars flying at you from all sides, roads with no lane markers, horns blaring at you! Most roads have no lane markers, so drivers are deciding where the lanes are, oh and yes, their lane is different than the cars on either side of you. People crossing the street with no care about the cars coming at them. Cars making left hand turns with out a car that another car is speeding at them. Children in backseats jumping up and down or worse yet sticking their heads (or half their bodies) out of the windows. Cars weaving in and out and passing police cars. Cars just decide to make their own parking spots even if it's blocking the road.


It's actually quite comical (well, not when you are in the car) to read about. It In Jeddah, we went through an intersection that has traffic from 8 directions (multiple lanes each) merging and crossing each other and there is NO traffic signal. Most cars have dents and dings on them, I saw a Bently yesterday that was dinged all over the side fenders! (sorry to my friends that love cars, I know that you just cringed).


So far, my experience has been insane. We had one driver that drove in the middle of two marked lanes and beeped at everyone that he felt was in his way. His car had trouble accelerating when he "merged" into traffic. (Merging is basically, going as fast as you can and cutting off another car, usually a gas truck). The car started to buck and the engine was going "put put". The three of us looked at each other because we figured that we'd soon be pushing the car off the highway at rush hour.


Besides putting my life in the hand of a driver that speaks very little English, we also have to haggle with them over price! Meters are a rare commodity here. Even if a car has one - no one uses them. Last night when we were leaving work we got a taxi and they tried to charge us 70SAR to go to the hotel, which is really no more than 50SAR. My friend Jason was negotiating with him, and some how got him down to 60SAR. I'm thinking that we probably could have gotten him down to 50SAR.


Josh was telling us that before we arrived there was much talk about how Jason and I would get to work each day. Would we be able to find a flexible driver that would be available when we needed, we would use the hotel taxi or take local taxis. Someone also suggested that we rent a car and drive ourselves. Could you imagine if Jason and I were trying to drive around in KSA? I mean, we barely watch the road while we are the passengers! I can see it now, "Two Americans hurt in car crash in the KSA. Driver of car says, 'I had to drive with my eyes closed.". It would be quite amusing to see!!


On another note, yesterday was a good day! Yes, I did go the gym! I know, two days in a row!!!!! We observed at PBK in the Red Sea Mall. So many associates in the store all the time with not a lot of customers. The team is very excited to get some time with us. I think we get a great result from this team and it won't require a lot of effort from us....which means we can focus on some of the other stores. The Sales Manager, Abdul is pretty amazing. He has been promoted and transferred several times with the Middle East, so I see him as being a great help to us when it comes to accomplishing things.

Today's agenda: Gym (it's Monday- the day I weigh myself, eek), Visual Walk-Thru at PB in Red Sea Mall, then off to meet with both the GMs at the Mall of Arabia. We've decided that tonight we will be going out to dinner versus eating at the hotel.


I'm so glad to hear from people. I know that blogspot requires you to create a profile to comment, and if you don't want to create one please feel free to email me. The best email is jayliffejessup@wsgc.com. Shoot me message and let me know how your Sunday Funday was! Xoxoxo


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad