Yes you're right, if you want something and you know it is going to go up hit the ask. Bid sitting will get you a better bargain but the time waiting for it is a knuckle chewer and if it runs you chase.
Sometimes a buy between the bid/ask will go off depends on volume and demand.
It all depends how you play the market, I spend a lot of time on research and hold for more than a year, (if I can) just works for me. And the tax break on long term holds is 10% vs 35%, that in itself is significant.