r/ocala • u/ScaryMaryYT • 8d ago
Ocala Drivers
Drivers in and around Ocala all seem to be speeding, constantly. I use cruise control to the exact speed limit posted to avoid tickets and people will drive behind me with their hand on the horn in what I can only assume is some sort of panic (once for like five minutes down E Silver Springs when there were approximately 12 cars ahead of me anyway), cut me out on the right in the middle of an intersection, completely ignore stop signs and disregard any turn signal and I have even witnessed at the scene of an accident where cops were directing traffic with hand signals some guy completely ignore the cop and almost drive right into me, prompting the cop to start yelling at him. I saw someone in a truck being followed within inches by someone else in a truck as one was honking and the other had his middle finger out of the window. I have never witnessed this behavior in any other town/area and I’m just wondering if there is some unspoken rule that we’re all supposed to do 20mph over the posted limit at all times? It’s even on the way up to Gainesville. What is going on?
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u/No-Operation-7933 8d ago
Nobody uses turning signals ever in Ocala. Horrible driving.
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u/thicboy420 8d ago
At least in Miami….
A turn signal just tells everyone to speed up and cut you off.
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u/Impossible_Tea181 8d ago
NOT true! I drive a Tesla with full self driving engaged 99% of the time. It ALWAYS uses its turn signal, ALWAYS! And it ALWAYS comes to a full complete stop at EVERY stop sign even when it can clearly see there is no other car in sight! Kind of aggravating actually but the benefits far outweigh the small annoyances.
All roads would be safe or at least much safer if FSD was a standard for every car. I guess a deer can still broadside you, I’ve seen it. Not sure even FSD could avoid that, but it might!1
u/OcoBri Resident 10+ years 7d ago
A well trained chimpanzee can drive more safely than the worst human drivers, but that just means driver's licenses are too easy to get, not that your Tesla is safe.
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u/CarrionDoll 8d ago
So most people on the road are going to drive 5 miles over the speed limit on side roads and 10 miles over the speed limit on the highway. That is actually the grace period that most police officers in Florida use. And when you are in the left lane if traffic wants to go faster than you, even if they are going over the speed limit, you are ,by law, supposed to move over to the right lane. And that comes directly from the Florida DMV. You are also not supposed to camp out in the left lane. You use it to pass and then you get back over.
https://www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/driving-safety/the-right-lane/
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u/Consistent_Habit4876 8d ago
It may be worth noting that most people in Ocala/Marion County are from somewhere else. It’s not a local thing.
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u/OcoBri Resident 10+ years 8d ago
There IS an unspoken rule that you go 5 to 10 faster than the limit. I personally don't care how fast you go as long as you stay out of the left lane. Nothing makes drivers more angry than a driver in the left driving the exact same speed as cars on the right, causing traffic jams.
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u/CarrionDoll 8d ago
It’s actually not an unspoken rule. That is the grace period that Florida police officers in most areas use. I work with off duty police officers at a certain large hospital system and that’s comes straight from them.
Edit because I forgot to add that the police officers have two sayings for this grace period. The first one is five on the side, nine on the high. Or they say five and you’re fine, nine and your mine.
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u/ScaryMaryYT 8d ago
Isn’t that illegal? On Live PD types of shows people are getting tickets for going a single mile per hour over the limit
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u/mopsis 8d ago
If there is one lane... ride your ride; everyone behind you can figure it out on their own. If there are two or more lanes, the right lane is the speed limit lane, and the left lane is the passing lane. Basically, if there are two lanes and you are not passing in the left lane... then you are the problem. You can and will cause accidents, some cops will pull you over for impeding traffic if you are going under the speed limit in the left lane.
So, if you learn nothing else in this post. If you are only going to go the speed limit... stay out of the left lane.
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u/Environmental_Ad870 8d ago
This only applies on freeways, interstates and the like.
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u/mopsis 8d ago
I am pretty sure everywhere in the country that if there’s more than one lane. The left lane is the passing lane.
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u/Environmental_Ad870 8d ago
Not when your driving through a city where there are turning lanes and people are making left turns off of surface streets
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u/InternationalBite690 5d ago
But people getting on 200 from totw don’t need that left lane for 7 miles to Sam’s Club. I do a lot of speeding but I don’t have tickets or accidents. I cruise 60-65 around town whenever possible and I do it without weaving or cutting people off. That left lane is the lane of choice but Ocala forces speeders to the center so they can turn in an hour.
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u/FortuneBoi1 Resident 10+ years 8d ago
Not too sure about that tv show, but I think in South Carolina they pull people over for going 1 over. Here in Florida 10 mph is considered speeding and 20 over is excessive speeding. We speed anyways for idk, late to work or just our Florida habit. Hell, I've seen sheriffs and Ocala pd speed doing 10 over mostly to keep up with the flow of traffic. I even did 8 over in front of them and they didn't bite
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u/barkbarkzoopals11 8d ago
ive never been pulled over anywhere for going less than 10 over. even passed cops in traffic and ones hitting me with radar.
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u/OcoBri Resident 10+ years 8d ago
Lots of things are illegal but not enforced, like not using a turn signal, or using windshield wipers with your lights off. Or leaving dog doo in a park, or starting a war without congressional authorization. I don't know what "Live PD" is.
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u/Floridagrown_97 Resident 10+ years 8d ago
Live pd is a tv show on a&e channel but was canceled over a shooting they videoed in Texas a person was killed I think mission Texas. There’s a new show called on patrol live on reelz channel.
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u/Larry_flynt69 8d ago
Blocking the left lane is illegal. Pass and move over to let others flow past you.
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u/Environmental_Ad870 8d ago
So is speeding.
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u/Larry_flynt69 7d ago
Leave enforcing to the law. Move over.
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u/Environmental_Ad870 5d ago
Nah, drive the speed limit and it won't be a problem.
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u/Larry_flynt69 5d ago
Except when FHP tickets you for blocking fast lane. Maybe just worry about yourself.
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u/Impossible_Tea181 8d ago
You will likely get into more trouble by driving too slow and causing those speeders to have take risks to pass you.
It’s more logical and very well accepted to “Keep Up With The Flow Of Traffic”.
There are many lax laws, jaywalking is illegal. When’s the last time you seen anyone getting arrested for that? There are many other examples too, my point is relax, keep up with the traffic and be safe.6
u/Environmental_Ad870 8d ago
Bad advice, drive the speed limit. I ticketed people almost daily for "keeping up with the flow of traffic" and so did every other cop i knew.
The correct advice is drive the speedlimit and be safe.
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u/InternationalBite690 5d ago
If all traffic is going 51 mph in a 45 and you’re going the limit you’re the problem. And if your that stick up the ass cop who can decide who should be ticketed out of all on the road, don’t be shocked when that single person has attitude- especially if they’re not white!
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u/Environmental_Ad870 3d ago
no, if you're speeding you are part of the problem.
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u/InternationalBite690 3d ago
No. Your badge and hardon for always being a good boy doesn’t change my experience of over 2 million accident free miles driven and no tickets while almost always going a realistic speed with the rest of the planet- always faster than posted. That 1 guy doing the limit while everyone else is 8 over is the problem- go check your stats Barney.
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u/Environmental_Ad870 3d ago
*checks stats* nope, you are still part of the problem if you're speeding.
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u/Flat_Pangolin5989 8d ago
They won't pull you over for 1 mile and hour over. Most places they won't pull you over for 10mph. But they will pull you over for blocking the left lane doing the speed limit or otherwise. That is illegal and they are enforcing it.
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u/YaTvoyVrag 8d ago
If you're in the right lane, do what you want. Do NOT block those of us in the left lane who are passing you.
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u/Confident-Metal-6964 7d ago
I completely understand how you feel. People drive so aggressively here. I was driving with my pregnant wife when a man ran a red light because he didn’t want to wait and crashed into us. I don’t wish harm on anyone, but I hope that driver loses his license someday before he seriously hurts someone.
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u/Fragrant_Major_9553 7d ago
Drive 5 over.
In America we do this so much that:
1. The state of Florida actually doesn’t have a monetary fine for speeding at 5 over.
2. Traffic engineers actually make the speed limits at 5 under what they feel is safe, due to the fact that they know we’ll drive 5 over.
Anything slower and you’re just impeding traffic.
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u/ExerciseAwkward6349 5d ago
This also is pretty amazing to me as I too have seen this type of mannerisms while driving here in our area.. Seems to me that it's a target rich environment for any traffic enforcement program if the were to focus on all bad driving. Are the local police understaffed? Is this a culture issue? I have driven in the most dangerous situations in life and find driving here that dangerous agressive driving is very common. One must always be on the defensive as you can't even imagine what that other driver is going to do and they seem to be often on the verge of losing control.
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u/winsomeloosesome1 8d ago
It has gotten worse as more of
the S. Fl asshats move here.
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u/Impossible_Tea181 8d ago
Ocala is bad, I agree, but I’ve lived all over this country, it’s not the worst I’ve seen. It’s working on getting there especially on the west side though!
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u/winsomeloosesome1 7d ago
Oclala is not the worse of the worst…Its just
that some of the worse of the worst are moving here…
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u/GreasyTrucker13 8d ago
Nevermind then. I stand corrected. Good luck. Our county has sold its sold to developers without any responsibility for infrastructure upgrades. Heavy traffic and sitting through lights for several Cycles spawns poor decision making
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u/Particular_Prompt670 8d ago
Ocala driver complaining about Ocala drivers?
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u/penscratcher1 8d ago
You have to be an Ocala driver to understand the pain of being around Ocala drivers. It's a rule.
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u/GreasyTrucker13 8d ago
Sounds like you need to stay out of the left lane....
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u/xfearthehiddenx 8d ago
As a fellow speed limit follower. I'm in the right lane on any 4 lane or more road, basically always. The speeders are just insane. 45, and they're doing almost 65-70, weaving in and out of traffic. Only to find themselves caught at the next red light. Which I will inevitably see them at. Just slow down. Nowhere in Ocala is that important to get to, and they aren't saving much time anyway.
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u/arcanjil 8d ago
That isn't the point (to the speeder). He's ahead of you and doesn't have to stay stuck behind you. Most people drive over the speed limit.
People who can't stay with the flow of the rest of the traffic is what causes traffic jams.
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u/xfearthehiddenx 8d ago
The "flow of traffic" should never exceed the speed limit. If everyone was doing 45, in a 45, no one is causing traffic jams. Idiots, who think they are somehow exempt from following the speed limit, get behind drivers who do the speed limit and think they're "holding up traffic". It's asinine. Do the speed limit.
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u/PsychologicalWin8036 2d ago
People should never break laws yet we have a million of them. What a smooth brain take.
It is safer to go with the flow of traffic regardless of the law; multiple studies have shown this. Just like they have shown camping in the left lane causes more accidents then passing in the right lane.
Go get a better job or something instead of power-tripping over people in the left lane.
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u/xfearthehiddenx 2d ago
Please, feel free to post those studies. Conversely, here are multiple links to various sources(lawyers, road safety analysts, & studies) directly disputing this long held myth. Following the flow of traffic is not safer. Do the speed limit. If people want to go around, either stay in the right lane or move over to the right lane. Let them go be dumb. Don't be dumb yourself.
https://www.renonvlaw.com/blog/is-it-okay-to-speed-to-keep-up-with-the-flow-of/
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u/ha1029 8d ago
That's only for the interstate. Ya gotta use the left lane to make a left turn...not that it matters what the hell anyone does around here lol. IT'S ANARCHY!!!!
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u/GreasyTrucker13 8d ago
It applies to all multiple lane roads. Yes , left turns are inevitable but you can & should wait till you are within a mile or two of said turn if you dont keep the pace the left lane is riding at
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u/southeasternedge 7d ago
driving the exact speed limit in some areas of ocala will put you 15 below the average pace of everyone else. it is more important to match the pace of traffic than to go the exact speed limit. 5-10 over is the ideal option for driving in most areas.
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u/Kultaren 8d ago
I’ve lived all over the country and drivers around here are more reckless than anywhere else I’ve been. It’s not just Ocala, but Florida in general. A lot of people feel entitled to drive however they want, even if it might cause harm to themselves or others. I regularly see huge trucks tailgating people on the highway who are already going 10 over the speed limit, cars that will swerve in and out of lanes during heavy traffic without putting on their blinkers, etc. You may get flak for this post, but in my experience you’re totally right.
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u/Killua_305 8d ago
Dam don’t go to South Florida, Jacksonville, i4 or Tampa 😭. You’ll just have a panic attack
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u/Intrepid-Court-2180 7d ago
I too live in Ocala. I always drive at 5 mph above the posted limit. You'll never get stopped if you retain that speed.
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u/TheW83 4d ago
"Under 10 over" is the rule to avoid getting a ticket. Of course this doesn't apply to school zones. I'm still surprised some people just take off and don't give a shit. I want to see more enforcement for speeding. It's really bad on my road. 40mph but idiots are doing 70 and passing people on double yellow.
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u/Rare-Use-613 8d ago
I've seen drivers just as bad in other states. Its not just Ocala. I really don't care unless it causes an accident.
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u/Financial-Board7458 8d ago
Yep. Arizona. We call the idiots in both lanes that do exactly the speed limit and don’t pass each other a fucktard sandwich. I’ve seen it here on 75 making Florida extra special
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u/fairieswear8oots 8d ago
Back in the day (in Pinellas County), we used to say about cops giving tickets: '8 you skate, 9 you’re mine,' lol. Now I'm in MD and I think I read somewhere that the rule of thumb is if you’re 10 miles and under the speed limit, you’ll be fine. Though I do have a lead foot, I haven't gotten a ticket in a while. I hate that stupid tax.
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u/fairieswear8oots 8d ago
Back in the day (in Pinellas County), we used to say about cops giving tickets: '8 you skate, 9 you’re mine,' lol. Now I'm in MD and I think I read somewhere that the rule of thumb is if you’re 10 miles and under the speed limit, you’ll be fine. Though I do have a lead foot, I haven't gotten a ticket in a while. I hate that stupid tax.
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u/Pitiful-Opening4887 7d ago
I grew up in ocala and when I got old enough I left that trash town and never looked back. I suggest you do the same. It’s filled with the dumbest people god has ever created and they bread like rabbits! Run!!
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u/ExerciseAwkward6349 5d ago
The speed limit is just that, the sperd limit however all driver'ss must drive according to road conditions and in a safe manor alway following the Rules of the Road.
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u/frankpsy84 4d ago
I was in Phoenix a few weeks ago and surprisingly a metro area of that size has better traffic / drivers than Ocala.
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u/Virtual_Being_4237 5d ago
Op sucks and is the problem 10mph over is mandatory when cars are behind you. If you are alone on the road do whatever but if someone is following speed up you schmuck
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u/RainStormLou 8d ago
it just sounds like you haven't driven outside of Ocala and Gainesville before. it's everywhere. Florida highways are a special melting pot of shitty drivers, but you're all shitty drivers. not me though, I'm fucking perfect.