Be careful of the speed limits rapidly shifting. As you come into the city, the speed limit can drop from 70 miles per her down to 45 and then down to 30 near the University. On the University, the speed limit is 20 miles per hour, and many people have gotten speeding tickets for not obeying that.

With the number of students going in and out of the town, you'll get a much better deal buying a car used from another student leaving town, either via Craigslist or an online group. Many of the independent mechanic shops around town are fairly priced and quick, along with offering student discounts, so tune-ups and repairs after a purchase are quick and easy. Otherwise, in the Northwest side of town, there are a collection of car dealerships there that you can look into.

My top driving highlight in Gainesville would be driving South on 13th Street, past Paynes Prairie at night. Leaving the city, you begin to see the light pollution fade away as ahead are just miles of dark skies and empty roads. From the car you can see stars up in the sky, and there are places on the road popular for pulling over to stargaze. Being able to drive 60 miles per hour down a straight, level road, empty with the night is something that is truly unique.

SW 4th Avenue. This road connected my apartment with that of my friends'. It was always clear of traffic, there is only one stoplight, and it's a short and easy drive. It's consistent, and that's something that is harder to find on Gainesville roads.

Always watch out for students on scooters because they are literally everywhere and swerve in and out of traffic quite often. Also, avoid Archer and 34th during rush hour because you will absolutely hit traffic.

That buying a car is somewhat unnecessary in Gainesville especially if you're a student because you can afford to stay relatively close to campus at all times and therefore just buy or use a scooter which is cheaper and easier and has much better parking on campus.

I was a designated driver for a week early in freshman year and I ended up driving all the way to the Walmart in Waldo and back from campus around 3:30 in the morning to pick up a copy of GTA V for a friend. The whole round trip took around 45 minutes to an hour and they ended up not having the copy of the game that they told me they did.

8Th Avenue. It cuts out a lot of the traffic that I would otherwise run in to on University Avenue. I take it all the time, especially on game days when University is absolutely slammed and bumper to bumper. It is also less populated by scooters because of its distance from campus which makes it far easier and more relaxing to drive than University. Finally, it has far less stop lights which allows you to go across the city much quicker especially if you're heading somewhere north of 13th Ave.