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I have been driving in Kuwait since 1990. Involved in minor accidents, bumper to bumper, and my opponents have been women. I have not singled out women in my reply to Cecil's post on driving traits of women. On a larger and wider base I have included Taxi and Pickup drivers, all males, who are reckless, who don't respect safety and who don't care about defensive driving. The bias against women is not my intention. There are women drivers in Kuwait who cover themselves from head to toe. These are the drivers, look more like stealth bombers, who are a worrisome lot to all drivers including ladies. Moreover the instructors, in driving schools, point out how to be cautious to capricious, impetuous and arrogant drivers; Taxi drivers, Pickup drivers and women drivers. Avelino Bastora/Kuwait Reply To -/- Reply To -/- Reply To -/- Frederick Noronha(FN)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> On Sun, 17 Oct 2004, D'Souza, Avelino wrote: > In Kuwait we have to keep extra safe distance and be on the LOOKOUT for > WOMEN drivers, TAXI drivers and VANETTE (Pickup) drivers. My friend Avelino and good friend Cecil's responses just reflect part of the Goa male chauvinism that dominates our debates. Women may have been late learners (in some parts of the globe) when it came to drive, but aren't they more careful and cautious? Weren't we reading a story recently on insurance premia rates (and why these should have been lower in the case of women) or something like that? A deliberately provocative FN (who means it!) ------------- RESPONSE: The premium rates that women have to pay on their car insurance in the U.K. is sizeably lower than what men have to pay. Now a spanner has been thrown into the works - in the guise of equality the E.U. Commissioner has ruled this discrimatory. The bottom line is that women will end up paying more for their insurance; to the delight I am sure of the Insurance Cos. I think women are wonderful drivers - I frequently ask my wife to drive, to to avail. So I have to restrict my drinking when out for socials! Cheers, Gabe. -------------- Joel's News Clips WOMEN ON TOP IN GOA'S ROAD SHOW: Hundreds of men and women have been killed during the last few decades in road accidents in Goa, specially two-wheeler mishaps, but the number of victims among women riders has been very negligible, according to traffic police sources.While 203 men and 24 women lost their lives so far this year in road accidents, none of them was a female two-wheeler rider. The 24 women victims were either pillion riders or pedestrians..It may be argued that the number of female scooterists is less. And many argue that they also disobey rules. But the fact is they ride safe. (Paul Fernandes in GT) ------------ At the risk of being labelled as prejudiced I can say with confidence that most women riders (and drivers) in Goa have very poor road sense. There are the few who can take any man for a ride but those are the exception rather than the rule. In Goa women riders will: - Park wrongly - Reverse without looking - Turn without signalling etc. True in general they drive slower then men (which is not necessarily a good thing, specially on a highway) but they more than make up for it with their total lack of knowledge about the rules of civic driving. At any time if I see a bike hesitantly weaving in front of me on the road I know that the chances are good that its either somebody whose tyre just got punctured, or more probably, a woman rider. The tight skirted variety are and even bigger danger because they can't easily place a foot on the road to stabilise their bike. And if ever you see a woman driving a car ahead of you please Keep Safe Distance if you value your life. They will brake in the middle of the road or suddenly swerve to one side or do something totally nonsensical like trying to park in an impossible place or take a wide turn where a sharp one was required (and then reverse and cause a traffic jam). My advice to any vehicle owner is to go ahead of (overtake - but keep a wide berth) a woman driver/rider who is dithering on the road unsure of where to park/ turn/ stop, or else by driving/ riding behind her you are placing your vehicle/ life/ limb at grave risk. No wonder the statistics show there are less women dying in vehicle accidents. The women are causing the accidents and the men are dying. Potholes, stray cattle, stray dogs, drunken driving - all these can someday be controlled. But who is going to control licenses being given to women who have no road sense? Brickbats welcome from women. Please state your License Number and how you got it. And explain why there are so many scratches on your car/ bike. Cheers! Cecil
