The Washington times., 1915-08-07
MOTORCYCL|NG HARD
TO ENJOY IN PANAMA
Few Roads Are Good, While
Fees Are High and Speed
Laws Are Rigid.

W. M. Taul. Of Birmingham. Ala. who
10 IN his vacation from the electrical di-
vision OF the Panama Canal Commission
at Balboa. Canal Zone. and who has
been an Indian rider on the isthmus for
nearly a year. says that conditions are
In some RESPECTS favorable and in others
make It hard to enjoy the sport Of mo-
torcyclinG.
The climate makes carburetion per-
feet and starting the engine easy" he
said In an interview at Springfield.
Mass. a short time ago, but there are
whole isthmus. and these are so mar
row that II an automobile and a motor
cycle want to pass. one has to 60 into
the jungle and let tho other by. There
are are about seventy-five Indian riders In
boy got 1915 Indian thrce-speed as the
result Of luck In the Panama lottery,
drawing a prize Of 81 800 on an invest
ment In O-cent ticket.
Strict On Speeding.
THE motorcycle cops are strict on
speeding. but the limit is 80 low, eight
miles an hour. that It 10 hardly fair to
the riders. The minimum fine for speed
Ing is SIS. was out riding one day and
motorcycle COP who had been laying
for me. instead of getting out and chas-
Ing me like a good sport. headed for
cut-off at a loop In the road and wait
ed for me to come around the loop. TAX
Ing my time. thirty-five miles an hour,
as evidence. The limit seemed SO low
that l took the chief out one day and
rode with him at twenty miles an hour,
showing him lust how slowly we were
understand that the motor cops got in
structions to allow the boys little more
leeway.
"Employes in the Government ser
vice have a nne chance to save
monfy ,ho is,bmv IN getting 60, : motorcycle on
or personal property OF a Govern
ment employe can be shipped up to
500 pounds from the States for a
charge of 81: Gasolene costs % cents
Is Monogram marine oil.
The license fee would surprise
riders from the States accustomed to
a small State tax. as we have to pay
Sil in the Canal Zone and 81 to the
yearly charge Of SIs for the privilege
Of riding. We go back and forth
quite freely between the Canal Zone
and the adjoining republic OF Pana-
oullrEhts on Sundays and are alto
gether more free and easy than in
the Canal Zone. which IL under strict
military authority. A moving pic
ture man who went from one end Of
plane. taking moving pictures Of
locks. fortifcations and the whole
works from an overhead viewpoint
was not allowed to exhibit them.
Good Roads of Cuba.
Il left the isthmus June l7th. COM
Ing homo by way Of Cuba. where we
spent a week riding about the island,
Cuba has such fine roads and there are
30 many advantages to the motorcyc-
list in climate and SO on that there
should be more riders. There is no
speed limit and the police Of Havana
You wonder what kind Of a motorcyc. :
ling paradise you've got into when you
see them holding up cars and street
traffic, for you to go by. The people
OF Cuba everywhere treat the Ameri-
In this respect from the Panamanians.
"A rider going to the Island with his
machine should be prepared to- get a
set matters Strengthened out. as l did
In an automobile for two or three
hours. The customs and brokerage fee
cost me about !I and ! also had to
deposit bond OF $500 while was there.
came back to this country at the same
time did, our marriage taking place at
New Orleans, and the people In Cuba
ran to their doors In surprise when she
went by driving my machine. She
learned to ride while we were in Pana-
ma. When We were In Cuba We made
one trip from Matanzas to Havana,
seventyltwo miles. in two and a half
hours.
Up to the time I got to Atlanta I
had ridden 5000 miles In Panama. Cuba
and this G ountry without taking the
motor down or even changing one Of
the Duckworth chains"