American cars more than a century old are a symbol of wealth and status here in Havana. The 1950s clas- sic models are from the days before a trade embargo banned future car sales through most of Cuba’s modern history. Keeping the cars running with anything they can find shows Cuban ingenuity. Today, current cars are retrofitted with turn-of-the-century replica covers in homage to that status symbolism.
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Because vehicles are shipped/smuggled to Havana, the price of a new car is out of reach of most residents. Even the middle class cobbles cars together from purchased and reclaimed parts instead of buying whole cars.>
The Chromed Accountant>
You can blame the pirates for causing this problem.>
Kane>
You could also blame the government for low salaries and restrictions on vehicle imports. You know it’s to keep up appearances. If everyone had a car, Cuba would cease to be picturesque.>
DarwinThe government provides basic public transporta- tion with converted Leyland-Rovers or Renault-Fiat Ca- mellos. These buses run specific routes in each town. Independent Cubans with their own busses are more nomadic. Catering to the tourist trade, they pick up fares where they can find them and take them where they want to go—usually offering services as a tour guide along the way. If your destination isn’t on the established bus route, or you don’t want to wait for the bus, there are always at least a dozen of the ubiquitous cocotax- ies in hailing distance—including some that are probably trying to entice you into a ride the moment you hit the streets. Cocotaxies combine the front half of a scooter, which the driver sits astride, and a bench seat mounted between two rear wheels. Traditionally they’re semi-en- closed by an egg-shaped body that offers little protec- tion against the elements.
It is almost impossible to buy or even borrow a car without weeks of negotiation and preparation, but scooters are always available for rent or sale. Scooters are cheap and reliable, and even the average work- ing-class family owns, on average, 1.5 scooters—2.5 for a middle class family. But even if you secure a car or a scooter, getting around Havana without a local guide can be confusing. It’s not unusual for a street to have as many as three official names and be known to the locals by a fourth. Street signs are not common. Until you know your way around, hiring a local guide is always prudent. Beyond the metropolitan area, the government maintains a rail system that connects all the major cities. The trains for Cubans and the trains for tourists are strict- ly segregated, and there are separate stations for each class in every city.
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There was a glut of E.S. Papooses brought to Cuba a decade ago that really boosted people’s self-worth and independence. Apparently a pirate gang made off with three cargo containers from Tampa thinking they have some trideo sets or other entertainment devices. They didn’t realize Entertainment Systems was a corporate name.>
Clockwork>
Remember this is Cuba. When Fumando says 1.5 scooters, he really means that people will have 1 scooter and half a scooter that they are still buying parts for or are cannibalizing to keep the first one running. Half-scooters: They’re not just for averages anymore!>
KaneBy sea, there are many charter boats and captains ready for hire, ranging from the man with a brightly paint- ed skiff and parrot on his shoulder to the fifteen-meter cruisers for deep-sea fishing or diving around the island. Be careful of who you go to sea with, or you could get mixed up with smugglers or real pirates. Something that would be hard to explain to Knight Errant or the Caribbe- an League Navy.
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The fake pirate in the skiff is my second cousin, Alonzo. Not the sharpest hook in the tackle box, but he supposedly has some magical talent related to the sea. Nice guy. He can be hired for a few nuyen an hour, provided you pack a lunch for him.>
Swash and Buckle>
The navy isn’t as interested in taking down pirates as they once were. Most patrols follow predictable routes that can be learned for a price. A pirate who gets caught has the option of paying the CLN ship a fee—ostensibly equivalent to court costs and fines—and going on their way. Of course, a pirate who gets caught and protests may be charged with resisting arrest—with their attempted escape and subsequent sinking of their ship documented on the trids>
KaneTracking vehicles and monitoring traffic is all done by Mitsuhama. GridGuide was the first corporation allowed into Cuba back in 2034. GridGuide and GridGuide: Har- bor Master helped Cuba register and track all vehicles on land and sea within the Cuban Local Grid. Most of the locals don’t need autopilot or GridGuide support since they take public transportation or have much older ve- hicles that would lose value if retrofitted with autopilot controls. The real benefit is to the government, which can collect licensing fees and track various vehicles in and around Cuba. Traffic penalties are supposedly au- tomated, but of course the Cuban law enforcement will take the fee on behalf of the government so you don’t have to go to court/jail.
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Personally I think the emphasis was on tracking Máquinas anywhere in Cuba. If the NeoComms believe that too many cars on the road will devalue the Máquinas, then they could deny licensing. It’s already almost punishable by death to steal a Máquina or carjack someone.>
BTL BaileyALONZO
Metatype: Human Sex: Male Age: Middle age Connection Rating: 1 Type: Support
Preferred payment method: Barter (Foodstuff) Hobbies/Vice: Social Habit (Drinking) Personal Life: Divorced
Description: Alonzo, also known as Jolly Roger, is a local
character. He pilots his sightseeing boat dressed as a pirate— complete with eye patch, plumed captain’s hat, and red- throated parrot on his shoulder. Though superficially decorated as a pirate ship—complete with skull-and-crossbones flag— his deep-vee runabout is a capable vessel boasting a pair of powerful outboard motors. Though he operates primarily as a tour guide, Alonzo is a licensed ship’s captain and performs several weddings on the “high seas” every year. Walking the plank after the ceremony is optional.