People who merge onto the interstate going 10 to 20 mph slower than highway traffic: why?

1. I once rode in the car with a woman who came to a full stop in the merge lane to check if it was clear to get on the interstate. It was a truly terrifying experience and I never rode with her anywhere again.
   — adriarchetypa


2. Fear mixed with indecisiveness, followed by a sudden decision that should have been made sooner.
   — ABigNothingBurger


3. My first car was a POS. Dad bought me a beater for $500 (overpaid). It was a dodge caravan with wood panel on the side. First time going on the freeway I put the pedal to the metal on the on ramp and the engine got louder and louder but my speed maintained the same slowly gaining speed. Took the streets from then on.
   — AcknowledgeMySpellin






4. I also can’t stand when people brake every. single. time. someone around them brakes. That guy is 50 feet in front of you in another lane, with his turn signal on and actually turning! Come on...
   — lypse_love


5. It's because they don't realize that the on-ramp is for speeding up.
   — AskMeThingsAboutStuf


6. It's as fast as a 60'000 lb bus loaded to standing-room can accelerate. I particularly love the "traffic-control" signals right at the end of the on ramp, I'm lucky to be going 30 at the merge point. P.S. Thank you to kind drivers who let us in. For those who don't know, flashing your brights is a pretty accepted way of saying "you're good, merge now," and I try and respond with a "thank you" via a few flashes of the hazard lights.
   — Vaporware371






7. Because the person in front of me is, and I can't pass them 'til I'm on the actual highway.
   — NeedsMoreTuba


8. Worse than this is when someone ON the highway SLOWS down to an almost stop to let someone in. How do these people not know that they are putting lives at risk by forcing all the traffic to react to this unexpected change in speed?
   — angrytimmy24


9. Ya I was on the highway going the regular speed, I see a person coming to merge slightly ahead of me. There is no one behind me, so I slow down slightly to make it obvious that they have room. Instead of accelerating a little into the gap, they slow down so suddenly they are pacing me, but just slightly ahead; I slowed a little more, and they slowed down again. I was like WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU. YOU ARE AHEAD OF ME. TAKE YOUR LANE YOU DUMB SHIT I just said fuck it and accelerated, I had no choice but to block them by that point; it was getting too dangerous by that point traffic was catching up to me fast. That being said, my insurance company had me install an app on my phone that monitors location, speed, braking, acceleration, taking corners and basically everyone speeds on the highway, so every time you go to merge on the highway, you have to speed up past the speed limit to merge. This costs you points, and increases the cost of insurance. So instead, I just don't take the highway. After I renew my insurance at the lower rate, I'm throwing this fucking app as far away from my phone as possible.
   — humanefly