Zorabeh
Zorabeh (zorA-beh)[noun, v. zoreb]: (Jordanian slang)
to continually, dangerously and aggressively change lanes while driving a car at crazy intervals, in very short distances, and at (relatively) high speed. SYN: batwen.
Several reasons contributed to why I decided to go to school in Jordan rather than abroad like initially planned, and one of the very main reasons was a mighty appealing bribe- if you go to Jordan, I was told, you can have your very own car.
Ah, my very own car. How can anyone say no to that?
The first time I ever got into the driving seat of a car was on the first of August 2003, a day after I turned 18, which is the legal driving age in Jordan.
I was a perfectly hopeless case; I spent my first whole hour behind the wheel trying to figure out how to balance the various pedals in such a way that the ancient stick-shift Mazda actually stayed turned on. It didn’t move an inch that day.Two months on and after forty hours of learning to gawwem on Amman’s steep hills, I magically passed the driving test on my very first try.
A couple of weeks later, sometime early in October of the same year, my bribe was delivered- the most beautiful navy blue 1700 CC stick-shift 1994 Mitsubishi Lancer.
Unfortunately, my relationship with the Milkyway (as my brothers lovingly dubbed the Lancer) coincided with the first week of my freshman year at Jordan University. Here came the problem; most of my real life driving training had to be done on the worst street that anybody could possibly start their driving career on- University Street.
For those who don’t know, University Street is a literal circus of psycho bus drivers bullying the hell out of regular sedans with their humongous size, sociopath taxis stopping at random and unaccountable for intervals, and hoards of kids thinking their cars can fly to get to class on time. Not to mention, of course, all the idiots crossing the street. This chaotic circus resulted in a daily DREADED hour where I spent gripping the steering wheel of the Milkyway so tightly that my hands would begin to ache.
As they say, only the insane are sane in an insane world, and I realized that the only logical thing I could do, knowing that I will still need to drive on that street daily for the next four years, was to force myself to lose my intimidation by starting to drive as insanely as the buses, the cabs, and the kids.
Thus was made a conscious decision to take up the “Chuffeir Taxi” persona as soon as the seatbelt was buckled in place. In that persona, I became very aggressive, making a willful effort to do everything that I was taught not to do, like needlessly switching lanes back and forth “just for fun” so fast that it’s hard to believe that I didn’t frequently lose control of the Milkway. With this fast lane-switching, the need for using signals disappeared, my hand became overtly comfortable with the horn, my tailing techniques developed, and my “safe distance” became barely two feet at 80 km/h.
A little later on, I had mastered the art of zorabeh, and kissed my intimidation away (ma3 il gal3a).
(Un-) Fortunately, I became too comfortable with what was originally intended to be a phobia lifter, and the “Chuffeir Taxi” persona became my actual driving style for the years to follow.
Today, four years on and already wallowing over the fact that I’m so going to miss the hustle and bustle of University Street when I graduate, my aggressive style has lessened dramatically thanks to the my 1300 CC automatic Lancer which I got 2 years ago. You really can’t do anything with an 1300 CC machine; it’s very frustrating, especially on University Street and while fighting with other cars on Madineh Circle. Now I resort to hand gestures or rolling the window down and screaming, “EISH MALAK YA ZALAMEH! Meen il7mar il salamak sayara?!”
It’s really a very vicious circle- the public transport system drive like fools and they force the next generation of drivers to start driving like them in order to avoid feeling intimidated, thus bequeathing the arts of Zorabeh, aggressive driving, and the famous Jordanian driving kashra.
You know, all those jokes about prepping the face with a frown before buckling up the seatbelt in Jordan are actually true.
(26)
Nas
February 18, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
my father has the same lancer so i know how shitty it can be. you really want something that will pick up speed as soon as possible after coming to a stop or slowing down.
siba7a (or swimming) is what my father refers to those cars that change lanes without signaling or looking and do it oh so suddenly. like the car is an extension of their bodies with similar reflexes.
in jordan you develop a 6th sense about what the car in front of you is about to do.
anyways for the lancer i sometimes use the “L” to floor it in those really necessary situations.
grant
February 18, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
(26)
Roba
February 18, 2007 @ 2:49 pm
Nas, lol, yeah. It’s really amazing the skills you learn while driving here. The Lancer sucks, it also GUZZLES gas. I hate that.
Grant, lol, thanks man!
Verbal Alchemy
February 18, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
lol, i love batwaneh :hearts floating: as my ex used to say inti iza ma betla2i 7ad bil share3 tbatweni betbatweni bil lane taba3ek!
its art :-o:
OmAr
February 18, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
LOL! but one question: What’s a seatbelt?
Until you reach the point where you actually believe that the tall piece of leather beside you is part of the car’s interior decoration, you don’t really have a “chuffeir taxi” persona!
what’s the (26) at the end?
Qwaider قويدر
February 18, 2007 @ 6:28 pm
Poor little you, I remember the good old days of my Golf GTI when there was nothing that could intimidate me, Smiling my way around as I pass, overpass, over maneuver and overtake all the poor 1300cc drivers as they helplessly try to Floor it!
Yet I never used my abilities in ‘the force’ for harmful reasons, and restricted it to only when necessary. It was fun… :)
It’s surprising that you’re still in one piece with what you wrote above, but one thing is certain in Jordan, the number of 7ameer drivers is the highest in the world so thank god for uncooperative 1300cc
ziad d
February 18, 2007 @ 8:35 pm
Roba,
Very entertaining post. Somehow the only difficult part for me in all of this is associating your face with you uttering words like ‘7mar’ from a car. Somehow road rage and you are like oil and water they don’t mix (at least in my head they don’t…)
You are braver than me, I did get my licence in Amman but I didn’t get a chance to drive while I was there, and now after so many years abroad I don’t think I can without getting a heart attack or stroke. lol Allah yi3iinkom min swa2et Amman especially in the summer. :)
ziad d
February 18, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
By the way a 1300 cc should not be a gas guzzler at all. Please check your air filter, it could be too clogged and that may cause your car to consume to much fuel.
Roba
February 18, 2007 @ 8:41 pm
Ziad, lol, you caught me. I do have pretty bad road rage, but it stays in the car and only the ones riding with me hear of it. Otherwise, I just give mean looks :)
Shy
February 18, 2007 @ 8:48 pm
What is it with driving in the middle east? There is a culture for bad driving ingrained in the whole region, the question is how to change peoples attitudes on the road?
Dana
February 18, 2007 @ 10:29 pm
Last Summer was my first time to experience driving in Jordan. and its true you have to act like a taxi driver. which is something my mom hated. When I came back to nice streets of Canada…I felt like I should take a snoze while driving my automaic car to school. I guess I miss driving in amman.
another driving prep in Jordan;;;;; OPERN YOUR DRIVER WINDOW FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER CLOWNS ON THE ROAD.
Jenna
February 18, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
Anybody ever drove in Abu Dhabi (Cornice Road), or Dubai (anywhere!)?? Sheeesh!!
Arabs are terrible drivers :)
Verbal Alchemy
February 19, 2007 @ 7:49 am
Jenna: yuB thats me! i live in do-buy and sheesh is an understatement!
Ayyob
February 19, 2007 @ 9:35 am
Great post Roba. Thats why i love your blog.
Funny story i was in jordan this past summer and i got a driver license by “trade”. this is a system where all you have to do is show them that you have a license in another country and they give you one in jordan. they usually do it for foreign investors or diplomats and for people like me who have was6a. Anyway i drove the month or so that i was in jordan and it was a freaking horror move for me. I cussed a guy out and it happened right infront of a cop and so he stopped me and wanted to give me a ticket. I told him that he should give the dumbass who cut me off a ticket and that i wasnt used to moron people driving because i was from out of the country so he just let me off the hook. nothing more fun that driving around 3abdoon and suefieh on thursday and friday night with some friends in my dads little 2003 civic.
salam
February 19, 2007 @ 9:39 am
If I were you I’d drop the lancer and stick to your mom’s Saab..you this car its a power machine by all means..Its is costing me a fortune to maintain it , but the satisfaction it gives you is amazing.Two days ago,I was doing just that, which in my days was called batwaneh:) (going in between cars) ..and this guy in a stupid Daewoo tried to block my way..a litle extra pressure on my gas pedal MADE MY DAY..I TELL YOU..I did not even need to press the Sport thingie..Mwaldaneh?Could be..but I am still beaming with happiness two days later at this moment..Bottom Line..overtake the Saab..
Ayyob
February 19, 2007 @ 8:30 pm
Salam Your right Saabs are awesome cars. when they advertise for those cars they compare them to jet planes because the smae company makes jets.
Firas
February 20, 2007 @ 2:41 am
Automatic transmission sucks more juice than manual transmission. [FACT]
Ola
February 23, 2007 @ 8:56 pm
lool 6ab good good that gives me some hope that one day I might pass the driving test :D