Saudi Women Can Now Ride Bikes- With Major Restrictions

Graphics: MuslimWomenNews.com

Hallelujah, Saudi women will now be able to ride bicycles and motorcycles- as long as they wear their long veils and abayas [so they can get caught in the wheels and strangle them], they are accompanied by a male guardian [am still trying to figure that one out- a bicycle built for two, perhaps?], and last but not least, only in certain private, recreational areas. Yippee.

The al-Yawm daily on Monday cited an unnamed official from the religious police as saying women can ride bikes in parks and recreational areas but they have to be accompanied by a male relative and dressed in the full Islamic head-to-toe abaya.

[snip]

Women are also banned from riding motorcycles or bicycles in public places. The newspaper didn't say what triggered the lifting of the ban.

The official says women may not use the bikes for transportation but “only for entertainment'' and that they should shun places where young men gather “to avoid harassment.''

Such strides!

Source: Al Jazeera