Here in the DC area there are two problems.
The first is what you described above. More times than not, I will match my speed to the traffic as I merge and find a safe opening. The vehicles in the travel lane will speed up and close off the opening where I was merging because they take offense at my merging in front of them.
The second is many merging vehicles will shoot all the way to the end of the ramp because they have to get ahead of as many cars as possible.
People around here all seem to have that Type A personality that makes them too competitive and makes them think their time and lives are more important than others so they refuse to merge properly. Yes, I spent my entire life planning to make that one merge that put me in front of them by one stinking car length. At least that is what they think.
During rush hour, on my i-65 stretch, if I am in the right lane, I always give room for people to merge in front of me. If I’m in the passing lane, I keep the spacing minimal. I don’t let people in if I can help it.
I feel so strongly about the latter that if people are finding their way in front of me, I’ll get out of that lane because I’m not paying enough attention to my speed.
100% agree with all you said!
Regarding those Type A’s though ... I am one, although I channel it differently on the road . So for example if I’m following cars (at the proper distance) in the middle lane and I see a line of cars behind me getting ready to use an open right lane as a passing lane then especially if it’s just before an upcoming entrance ramp, I’ll get well ahead of them into the right lane near the middle of a group of cars in the middle lane and then gradually slow down to 10 miles below the speed limit!
That results in cars moving over to the left lane where they should be if they want to drive that way and leaving the right lane unobstructed for anyone wanting to merge in - so that’s just one example of how I’m a Type A proper-driving enforcer on the road.
“Here in the DC area there are two problems.”
...maybe another problem is the influx of new residents every 4 to 8 years...:)