Las Vegas is a very odd city to drive in. Since there are basically two very different versions of Las Vegas, it is hard to really pinpoint one piece of advice that would be helpful. For instance, if one were to drive on The Strip (which I don't believe any local would willingly do), my advice would be to go as slow as possible and not get distracted by all the shiny lights. This is especially problematic with tourists, since they are not used to the ostentatious distractions. Since this is such a popular tourist destination, it is also essential to watch out for pedestrians. This is pretty much a rule in any driving situations, but when you add long lines of people and a lot of liquor, it is somewhat difficult to maneuver a vehicle through the throng of idiots. Assuming you are driving on a regular Las Vegas street, I would just recommend being a defensive driver. People in this city drive in a ridiculous manner. I am sure every person in every city says the same thing, but having lived in other states, I can assure you Vegas is notorious for vehicular foolishness. I have avoided at least a dozen accidents in recent memory by being a careful driver. If you always assume the other person will do something bad (i.e. Going into your lane, not seeing you, running a light), it is very easy to survive without too many dings in your car. Actually, I will revise my primary form of advice. The number one rule should be to stay away from The Strip at all costs.

For the most part, I have limited experience here. I have only ever bought three cars in my life. The first was from a good friend for $1,000. Oddly enough it, too, was a Honda. This time, my car was a 1992 Honda Accord and I loved it. My other car (the used PT Cruiser) was purchased for me for a graduation present. However, I do know that we got it at a discount lot. It was a place off of Boulder Highway, though I can't remember the exact location. The car salesman was very pushy and we ended up having to come back since they misplaced the keys. This should have been a sign of things to come and the trouble that car would give me, but I was then quite young. The best experience I have had buying a car was earlier this year. I went to the Honda dealership on Sahara. I had driven past it numerous times, since Oakey ends right before the turn for my job. There was one car in particular that I was drawn to. I didn't even know what it was at the time, but it looks beautiful. Red, but not too red. Metallic, but not too shiny. I must have seen it 20 or more times before my car finally gave. After searching craigslist and talking to other friends, I realized that I did not want another few years of headaches, trying to play whack-a-mole with an awful car. Having saved money for a car for years, I decided to take a chance and stop at the dealership. The people there were extremely nice and did not pressure me at all. They could have easily done so, since I look rather young and honestly don't have much exposure to buying a car. They took me to one or two cars that were near the door. Just on a whim, I decided to check out the Civic in the front and I've been happy ever since. In this particular case, I basically stumbled upon a wonderful combination of car and dealership. Based on this, I would just say the best idea is to try various makes and models at different locations in town. Sahara has a very long stretch of nothing but car dealerships, so I would start there. Unless someone has a particular car company they are loyal to, I would recommend shopping around for the best price and ideal mode of transport.

For four years, I drove a PT Cruiser that gave me nothing but trouble. It broke down at random intervals and cost me more money than I ever would have thought possible. Then I got my 2015 Honda Civic. I absolutely never splurge on a car or anything frivolous, but after saving up, I decided to spoil myself. My drive to work is 45 minutes. With my old car, driving was a constant struggle. I basically lived in fear of it breaking down at any moment. The first time I drove my beautiful red car, everything changed. The insane Las Vegas drivers didn't phase me. The gas prices didn't bother me a bit. The moment that really completes this memory for me happened about 10 minutes from my job. There is a street (Buffalo) that is the longest light ever. No matter what speed you are going, what lights you hit before it, or how much traffic there is, you will always be stuck at this light for at least 7 minutes. Today, however, was completely different. I took some time to check out the interior of my car. Took a moment or two to just think, smile, and prepare myself for the day ahead. Knowing how long the light would take, I found the perfect song to listen to. When I arrived at work, I parked my car and stepped out. As I walked to the office, there was a certain pep in my step. It was the perfect start to my day. Even now, I still call the aforementioned cross-street 'Buffalo Reflections'.

Oakey. As I mentioned earlier, I had a car for years that barely worked. I was often stranded on the side of the road or near an off-ramp. Once, my car just suddenly stopped in the middle of heavy traffic on Charleston. Had it not been for pure luck and the fact that the right lane was relatively empty, I would have absolutely caused an accident. Because of this, I started taking Oakey to and from work each and every day. The speed limit on Oakey is 35. Though this may seem a rather frustrating speed to drive for 45 minutes, it is in fact not at all. I now savor my drives and the fact that they take so long. Even though I now have a wonderful car that can easily take any of the busy Vegas streets, I still choose my favorite road. There are so many reasons for this. Obviously, it is a much more relaxing drive. More importantly, I have learned to enjoy the trite phrase "it's the journey that matters, not the destination". Even when I am driving to the store or work, I still am so happy because I get to drive MY car. Oakey is currently under construction for blocks, and has seemingly been a work in progress for over a year. Despite this fact, I have learned to love it. It didn't take long for me to learn each swerve, each cone, each closed street. There are parts of Oakey where you are the only person on the road. Where else can you say that in a city of over 600,000?

If you want to maximize your driving experience, pay attention to the road, take it slow and make sure your car insurance is up to date. There are a lot of locals and visitors who drive very fast and run the red lights. Imagine if you are driving down the Strip watching the hoards of people walking along, you're not the only one. Others who drive down the strip "people watch" and then other drivers get upset and try to go around you potentially causing an accident.

Driving down the Strip in Las Vegas (LV) is memorable because you see the tall casinos on TV and in the movies, but to see them in person as you drive towards the airport can not compare. As you drive along the Strip you see the scale of tourists that want to come to your city and that makes me proud to live in LV.

Las Vegas Boulevard. To see all of the casinos and people, it's the place to drive if you want to see some action. That action can be good or bad depending on what you find exciting. For example, driving down Las Vegas Blvd near MGM and New York New York casino, you'll see a lot more people walking along the sidewalks versus driving down near the Stratosphere where there aren't as many people.