The Case of the Bored Bahraini Teenagers

Bahrain seriously needs to put in more recreation options for the teens. At least that’s what I thought from what I witnessed yesterday…

Last night, an unusual throng of male Bahrainis in their best teenage fashion garb, congregated around a miniature roundabout. Most of them were on their phones alerting their comrades on a spectacle about to transpire in the small round circle. We saw young boys on bicycles patrolling the nearby traffic with their cellphones ready on hand, on the look-out for an oncoming traffic policeman.

Just as we neared the roundabout, a boy about 12 years of age stuck out his hand to stop the traffic, as did another boy on the opposite lane. And a black BMW screeches hard on the round-about, executed about five 360 turns. Engine smoke and the smell of burning tire creeps through the crowd. The driver straightens his car, let out a huge grin and sped away through the claps and cat whistles.

Okay so I can’t do that and I am actually amazed. But hey young man! Races and showing-off are best done in the racing track! You may not care about your safety but there are people who care about theirs and they are in equal danger simply for being next to you while you flaunt your “driving skills”.

Ironically, Bahrain hosts Formula One and has a racing circuit that has seen the likes of Schumacher. You would think these kids have nowhere else to go and nothing else to do. And quite surprisingly, as these boys were having fun with the impromptu exhibitions, we saw a lot of young boys of various ages in Dair waiting patiently for their turn to kick footballs or are just contented watching the rest. Now that’s what I call CHOICE. There are a lot of ways to go against boredom. Those that does not pose any form of threat or nuisance to other people.