RIYADH – In the late 1940s, owning a car in the Kingdom was a luxury that only a chosen few like senior government officials and employees in big companies could afford. At the time, vehicles were not so popular and only a few could be seen on the roads, let alone villages. The same was true for gas stations. A handful of them were located in the city and on the Old Heja Road, which linked Riyadh, Taif, Makkah, and Jeddah with each other. Interestingly enough, the owners of gas stations knew the names of the drivers who frequented the stations. If a driver wanted to fill up and did not have enough money, the gas station owner would sell him the gas and ask him to pay later. The owners trusted the drivers and knew they would never betray this trust. One of the popular gas station owners was the late Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Dhwaihi. At night, when it was closing time, he would put up a sign at the entrance of the station telling them to fill up and pay him back later. Those who were heading for Makkah late at night could always pull over and get gas and pay Al-Dhwaihi on the way back to Riyadh. Ford vehicles Ford was the first manufacturer that entered the Kingdom's market. Its cars had become so popular in a short time and cost around SR9,000 each, a hefty amount at the time. In Riyadh, there were only two or three small car showrooms where one could buy a car. Purchase and sale bargains used to be less complicated than today. A showroom would complete all necessary procedures for the sale contract quickly and even apply on behalf of the new owner to the traffic department to obtain a registration certificate. The registration certificate consisted of 16 pages. The car owner's name appears on the first page. The fee used to be 55 halalas. Over time, this fee increased to SR5, then SR25, until it reached SR100 today. The remaining pages were used for renewals. Moreover, people used to sell cars without checking or test-driving them. They relied on the seller's word regarding the car's condition. The seller would list all the defects or problems with the car in front of the clerk, who would write a sale contract. Afterward, the seller and purchaser would agree on a price and sign the contract in front of two witnesses. Rise in the number of vehicles When the economic conditions improved in the country, more vehicles were imported. Consequently, a car auction was set up to sell used vehicles. At the time, the bodies and engines of cars were stronger and more durable. A new car could run perfectly for years without a glitch or breaking downs. Everyone was taking good care of their cars. There were no scrap shops because everyone bought original spare parts from car agents. However, when roads were paved, drivers started getting reckless and some of them had accidents. If a car overturned, it would be towed to a scrap shop and sold there. How people learned driving There were no driving schools at the time. So if someone wanted to buy a car, he would ask someone who was experienced in driving to teach him. He would memorize the instructions before buying a car. The first thing he would do after paying the price of the new car was to ask the showroom owner to reverse the car outside the showroom. Once it was out, he would hop in behind the wheel, remember the instructions and start driving just like that. He did not need to go a driving school to master the skill. Bravery, carefulness and above all quick wit was all he needed to learn driving. Of course, not everyone was a quick learner and some innocent cats that happened to be in the path of novice drivers ended up getting killed. Some drivers even crashed into walls while some hit people crossing the street. However, the fact remains that all motorists at the time relied on verbal driving instructions that they memorized. Perhaps the biggest problem rookie drivers encountered at the time was undoubtedly how to park their cars near their houses, especially if the maneuver involved reversing. Only a few mastered the skill. Those who were not good at it would always get out the car and ask an experienced driver to do it for them.
