Driving in Panama - You Better Have a Plan

I'll keep this very simple...

When driving in Panama:

1) KNOW exactly how to get to wherever you are going (partially knowing the way is not enough at times)

2) Get a GPS with a good map of Panama

3) Street signs 

a) are generally not very clear

b) don't exist

c) will tell you where to go, but then as you get closer, there are NO more signs

4) If you go the wrong way, you might get caught in HEAVY traffic, end up in a dangerous neighborhood or spend forever trying to make your way back

My story:

I was driving one day trying to get to Gamboa.  I was looking for the Corredor Norte.  I followed 3 signs that all said "To Corredor Norte".  As I got closer to what I thought was Corredor Norte, there were no more signs, but the road split into 3 different directions.  On that same trip, I drove past Gamboa so we had to come back.  Well coming the back way, there were NO signs that said Gamboa.  In other words, the road signs were only helpful if you were traveling in one specific directions.  On the way back, thank God I use the GPS, because again the signs were unclear about how to get back to the city.  In the end, I spent 2 hours driving to a place only 30 mins away.  No one to blame but myself!

It is what it is...just know exactly how to get to where you are going.  Plain and simple.  If you have a lot of free time, then learning by getting lost might be okay.