Frustrating Mena Men

[Aymsgirl 0]

I get what you are saying and I thought that would be true.. But now I am not so sure. I did drive in Tunis and I would say it's the worst place in the world to drive except Cairo... Now that said I have a lot of Egyptian friends here and love them as I might, I absolutely fear getting into the car with them. They learned to drive in Egypt and they drive here and it frightens me. It's because their driving style is adapted to Egypt - and although the roads might not be that way here, they are still driving aggressively and recklessly here... Which can cause, as Terrie said, someone feeling like they are driving with a crazy person.

I'm sure some people can adapt their driving style when they get here.. But not everyone is like that.. sometimes it's a matter of being taught to drive all over again! For instance said Egyptian friends can't understand why you can't pass someone on the right (not a multi lane highway) and why we have to pass on the left..Even though I've explained its' because they could be turning at any time and if someone is making a right hand turn and they fail to signal or you don't notice, and you pass them on the right.. well.. boom..

Yassmine2878...I want to tell you that baby is precious!!!!!!!! and i wanted to name our baby girl Mehdi someday

nice choice!

as for mrs. chauffer....i can see why his driving skills are so bad...you ever driven over there???

I have and believe me if you think driving in NY will kill you

if i could drive over there, esp in CASA i can drive anywhere

goodluck!

My husband's friend that he knew for years in Egypt now lives in PA. He took the written test 11 times! The people knew who he was and just automatically directed him to the seat at the computer by name when he came in. When the guy passed the test, the man working at the desk shouted out Yessssssssss!!!!!!!!!!! Well to make a long story short, when this dude went to take his drivers test, he failed, he was acting all cool and sat there with one hand on the steering wheel, no seat belt and never looked to his mirrors. When the man failed him, told him to just get out of the car, he was telling him he never glanced at the mirrors. The guy said, "Sir in Egypt, there are no mirrors, they are all torn off the cars!"

I know this is a corny story but it sooooooooooooo reminded me of my hubby's friend when you said you were scared to get in the car with Egyptian friends!

[caybee 21]

I guess I'm glad my husband had absolutely no driving experience before he came here. There were times in Morocco when I had to just close my eyes in the taxis, and there would have been a lot to unlearn. Even as it was, there are finger marks embedded in the dash from me clutching it frantically when he was learning. We never got around to professional lessons. He passed his test and now drives an hour a day on the interstate to and from work. The flip side is now if I pull out of a parking space without signaling, for example, even if nobody is around, or if I don't come to a complete stop at a stop sign, he gives me a gentle reminder.

[crazyinEgypt 0]

Why is it the MENA men think they can drive when they clearly cannot? My husband has been here over 2 years. He never drove in Egypt and didn't even know where the accelorator or brake was on the car! We started driving in parking lots which scared the he$$ out of me. I guess he thinks he's a nascar driver. He crashed my older car in the curb numerous times and crashed my new car into the curb too! He doesn't get it. When I tell him to slow down it's like his brain isn't processing the slow down part at all. Now he's been driving his MENA friends around whom all think he's an awesome driver! WTH? And now he says as soon as he gets his license he'll take my nieces and nephews to school in the morning! I don't think so! He even gets mad at me when I don't let him drive my newer car. I'm sorry Terrie. I can totally sympathize with you. It sucks.

I get what you are saying and I thought that would be true.. But now I am not so sure. I did drive in Tunis and I would say it's the worst place in the world to drive except Cairo... Now that said I have a lot of Egyptian friends here and love them as I might, I absolutely fear getting into the car with them. They learned to drive in Egypt and they drive here and it frightens me. It's because their driving style is adapted to Egypt - and although the roads might not be that way here, they are still driving aggressively and recklessly here... Which can cause, as Terrie said, someone feeling like they are driving with a crazy person.

I'm sure some people can adapt their driving style when they get here.. But not everyone is like that.. sometimes it's a matter of being taught to drive all over again! For instance said Egyptian friends can't understand why you can't pass someone on the right (not a multi lane highway) and why we have to pass on the left..Even though I've explained its' because they could be turning at any time and if someone is making a right hand turn and they fail to signal or you don't notice, and you pass them on the right.. well.. boom..

Yassmine2878...I want to tell you that baby is precious!!!!!!!! and i wanted to name our baby girl Mehdi someday

nice choice!

as for mrs. chauffer....i can see why his driving skills are so bad...you ever driven over there???

I have and believe me if you think driving in NY will kill you

if i could drive over there, esp in CASA i can drive anywhere

goodluck!

My husband's friend that he knew for years in Egypt now lives in PA. He took the written test 11 times! The people knew who he was and just automatically directed him to the seat at the computer by name when he came in. When the guy passed the test, the man working at the desk shouted out Yessssssssss!!!!!!!!!!! Well to make a long story short, when this dude went to take his drivers test, he failed, he was acting all cool and sat there with one hand on the steering wheel, no seat belt and never looked to his mirrors. When the man failed him, told him to just get out of the car, he was telling him he never glanced at the mirrors. The guy said, "Sir in Egypt, there are no mirrors, they are all torn off the cars!"

I know this is a corny story but it sooooooooooooo reminded me of my hubby's friend when you said you were scared to get in the car with Egyptian friends!

Ha! That's when I say "sweetie, you're not in Egypt anymore"

[Tunisia216 2]

I thought I was the only one that saw things like that.... I swear in a taxi in Tunis, riding down the "highway" I see two cars pulled off to the side of the road and two guys fist fighting on the 'shoulder of the road' (not really a shoulder, more like dirt but still) I was like OMG :wacko: And Jihed goes, it's common, really it is.

Ammar is actually a very good and careful driver. He was a good driver over there as well-- never once scared me. He wasn't interested in much of the racing and craziness. He doesn't suffer from road rage either, although he did admit to one time having road rage-- which ended up not so good for the other person (it was a hand-to hand combat thing). After that coupled with a death in his family from speed-related causes, he said he decided to give it up (the speeding and the road rage). He likes to drive under the speed limit now, and likes to take his time where ever he goes. He was like that over there as well.

[Jenn! 918]

Wadi can totally admit now that he wasn't a great driver when he first got here, even though he got his license in Morocco. He passed the road test on the first try, but it took him a few tries to pass the written.

Now he drives a sedan service, so he is an excellent driver. He's very conscientious about his customers' comfort and safety. I'd rather him drive than me, which is really saying something considering I'm pretty much perfect at everything I do.

Not sure I have any advice. I just pretty much bit my tongue as much as I could in the beginning and trusted that he would come around. It helped remembering how much it sucked to have my mother teaching me how to drive screaming at me the whole time, so I had to have my dad teach me - he's always cool as a cucumber.

[Tunisia216 2]

Wow.. I'm perfect in everything too!!!

And same here.. My Mom was a nutter.. My Step dad had to teach me because she did nothing but pump the floor for the invisible break she had on the right side hehe

Wadi can totally admit now that he wasn't a great driver when he first got here, even though he got his license in Morocco. He passed the road test on the first try, but it took him a few tries to pass the written.

Now he drives a sedan service, so he is an excellent driver. He's very conscientious about his customers' comfort and safety. I'd rather him drive than me, which is really saying something considering I'm pretty much perfect at everything I do.

Not sure I have any advice. I just pretty much bit my tongue as much as I could in the beginning and trusted that he would come around. It helped remembering how much it sucked to have my mother teaching me how to drive screaming at me the whole time, so I had to have my dad teach me - he's always cool as a cucumber.

[sweet_peach 0]

This is also my biggest fear and my habibi isn't here yet.

I literally have nightmares about it.

I feel for you girl. I hope things get better.

[Tunisia216 2]

I'm thinking of getting myself a helmet and some charmin the next time we go out to learn anything

And this is my driving test for him : (Easier than the DMV I think )

He will be checking the NO box if he values his life

This is also my biggest fear and my habibi isn't here yet.

I literally have nightmares about it.

I feel for you girl. I hope things get better.

[Nothing1234 2]

I'm thinking of getting myself a helmet and some charmin the next time we go out to learn anything

And this is my driving test for him : (Easier than the DMV I think )

He will be checking the NO box if he values his life

This is also my biggest fear and my habibi isn't here yet.

I literally have nightmares about it.

I feel for you girl. I hope things get better.

[Nasturtium 500]

I thought I was the only one that saw things like that.... I swear in a taxi in Tunis, riding down the "highway" I see two cars pulled off to the side of the road and two guys fist fighting on the 'shoulder of the road' (not really a shoulder, more like dirt but still) I was like OMG :wacko: And Jihed goes, it's common, really it is.

Ammar is actually a very good and careful driver. He was a good driver over there as well-- never once scared me. He wasn't interested in much of the racing and craziness. He doesn't suffer from road rage either, although he did admit to one time having road rage-- which ended up not so good for the other person (it was a hand-to hand combat thing). After that coupled with a death in his family from speed-related causes, he said he decided to give it up (the speeding and the road rage). He likes to drive under the speed limit now, and likes to take his time where ever he goes. He was like that over there as well.

LOL, he only did it once. He said there was this taxi driver who had pulled diagonally to the curb in such a way as to block both lanes of that direction's trafiic. he was behind him. Soon enough, everyone is honking, and then they waited... over 10 minutes. Meanwhile, the guy is honking his horn back at all of them and flipping them off, yelling curses and basically saying he can do whatever he wants because his brother is a police officer, insulting their mothers, the whole deal. My husband needed to take his father to chemo and was blocked in. So he said he got out of his car, walked over to the guy, took him out of his car (dragged), punched him in the face a few times and the people basically cheered and he moved the taxi to the side after putting the guy on the curb. He then walked back to his car and moved. He said you had never seen a happier bunch of people lol.

[lion_lioness 0]

I haven't read all the posts here as I'm at work. However, sometimes the old habits don't die and they are in denial. My husband has had 3 accidents since Nov of 2007. The latest being last week friday. Still he fights and argues with me when I talk about his driving and it's never his fault. I used to own a beautiful 2005 Highlander....

Maybe it's better that he doesn't drive if he's not going to take it seriously.

[Muh and me 18]

I'm thinking of getting myself a helmet and some charmin the next time we go out to learn anything

And this is my driving test for him : (Easier than the DMV I think )

He will be checking the NO box if he values his life

This is also my biggest fear and my habibi isn't here yet.

I literally have nightmares about it.

I feel for you girl. I hope things get better.

OMG Ashley-that looks like the inside of my car and my dog!!!!! i'm not kidding.

But seriously, when it comes to Kamal driving, he had his license in Morocco so he knows how to drive. And we bought him a bike cause he was gonna bike to work, but that sits cause he doesn't know how to ride it. And he refuses to take the bus, and the hours he works, it don't run. Or at least when he gets on third shift in a week or two. And he said he would walk, but now the excuse is, my steel toe shoes are too heavy and i can't be tired for work. We only live a mile or so from his job. So now that i'm getting laid off, I guess i got nothing better to do than be his taxi!!! grrrrrrrrrrrr.

[Staashi 371]

I'm thinking of getting myself a helmet and some charmin the next time we go out to learn anything

And this is my driving test for him : (Easier than the DMV I think )

He will be checking the NO box if he values his life

Ash, I almost peed myself with those two.

[Nutty 2]

My husband, luckily, knows how to drive. In fact, he was the Qaulity Control Director in a tire production company. So he had to "test the tires" on different tarmacs. One German company even flew in a professional test driver from Germany to teach my husband how to do specific manuevers to test the tires.

[Tunisia216 2]

How close are you to the rest of us Nutty?? Any chance your husband wants to give out driving lessons? Your MENA posse would keep a lot more of our hair hehehhe

My husband, luckily, knows how to drive. In fact, he was the Qaulity Control Director in a tire production company. So he had to "test the tires" on different tarmacs. One German company even flew in a professional test driver from Germany to teach my husband how to do specific manuevers to test the tires.

I know!! Your little Tinkerbell yelling at Kamal .. that's what I thought of!!! Just even crazier that it looks like the inside of your car!! lol

OMG Ashley-that looks like the inside of my car and my dog!!!!! i'm not kidding.