No single men allowed

Pix credit: http://www.terrace22.com/

Are you a single man? Sorry, no entry!

The debate came up again. Should bachelors be banned from shopping malls on Friday?

All the shopping malls in Qatar has a family day policy on Friday. This simply means if you are a single man, you are not allowed into the mall. Doesn't matter if you have a marriage certificate at home, a wife and child waiting back in the car or sitting at home. You are still single if you are alone. Sorry, no entry.

Over the years, the policy has became lax and many malls close an eye as there were accusations of gender and racial discrimination since most of the blue-collar workers including construction, technical, domestic and drivers were mostly men without their family in Qatar and hence were unable to enter the malls on their only day off. A good proportion also happen to be darker skin South Asians and Africans. Stopping single man at the door and having arguments was also simply not good public relations.

There were also many arguments at the malls door as newcomers and visitors who were not familiar with Qatar end up arguing with security guards as no one has ever heard of such a rule anywhere else in the world.

Of late, there has been a resurgence among Qataris and Qatar municipal council members to enact this rule as a law; hence legally ensuring the malls has to strictly enforce the no-entry law. Apparently, a large number of female Qataris and their families are not comfortable with the large number of single men in the malls. Or maybe, the queue at checkout was getting too long...

The big debate is how is this no-entry for single man policy going to fit into Qatar's plan to host the 2022 Football World Cup when large number of visitors will simply ignore this no-entry rule since a large segment of football fans will simply be men without their families. What happens then?

We'll find out in 6 years.

There is no bluetooth technology in Qatar

Have you seen anyone using a bluetooth earpiece in Qatar?

I like to joke that there must be no bluetooth technology in Qatar. Why?

Because every driver I see on the road is holding a mobile phone. No one seems to be using the car's bluetooth or a mobile ear bluetooth device. Everyone holds a mobile phone while driving; even a policeman. No wonder no-one gets busted for using a mobile phone while on the road.

Many of these cars are top, premium brands which surely must be equipped with all the latest technology goodies including car bluetooth. But no one uses them leading to many close calls on the road because the drivers were too busy jabbering or texting while driving.

You also tend to see Qataris in the malls, at Starbucks or Chocolate Shoppe holding more than one mobile phone. You often see them juggling with one or more wired ear piece; but never a mobile bluetooth device. Again, I wonder why? Surely it cannot be due to cost?

Incidentally, a Qatari friend of mine says he holds 7 mobile phones. I wonder why does one need so many mobile phones? Or how does one manage to keep track of all the address books? I can't even cope with one.

A Arabic friend of mine gave the theory why the locals do not like using bluetooth technology in the car but prefer to struggle with the handset. He believes that using bluetooth technology in the car leaves a archive tail of calls made and received on the car console which means a suspicious spouse will be aware who their husband has been calling and talking to. This make things a bit touchy when he needs to be seen to be giving equal attention to all 4 wives...

If you have any theory why the locals do not seem to like to use Bluetooth technology on their phone, please let me know :-)