[Dirlewanger]

Except I don't consider it an asshole move because as OP points out, I'm making the best use of the road ahead (while allowing fewer people to merge ahead of me)

Which solves nothing but to piss off everyone else behind you who has waited because ultimately someone will let you merge in (which they flat out shouldn't) and said behavior will only encourage others to do so in the future which inevitably will piss off even more people.

[StavrosK]

Yep. It's just like saying "I just jump to the front of the queue because I'm minimizing time spent waiting". Yeah, for you, whereas everyone else has to wait N more seconds.

[protonfish]

Nobody is forcing you to stay in the congested lane. It was your choice and you have no reason to think everyone else has to do the same. If it's a legal lane, then drive in it.

[zenzen]

That's fine if you can safely merge into the exit lane without slowing down traffic in the non-exit lane.

Here's when it's not OK: cars in the exit lane are traveling at 2mph. You drive up next to the line, slow down from 55mph to 2mph and wait with your blinker on for someone to let you in. Now you've slowed a second 55mph lane down to 2mph, blocking thru traffic and creating a dangerous stoppage in the non-exit lane.

Seriously, don't do this.

[notacoward]

I see this all the time in Massachusetts - Route 2 West to Route 95 North, about a mile from my home. At rush hour there are always enough jerks playing the "merge at the last minute" game that only the left lane is still moving significantly, and sometimes not even then. Every once in a while there's an accident because people who were unaware of this "congest all the lanes" behavior didn't see a blocked left lane soon enough.

You're right, it's a major dick move. It's reckless and endangering; police should treat it accordingly.

[j-kidd]

Perhaps a more advanced camera technology that detects asshole driving behavior instead of speeding? Rich dudes pay to get ahead. Increased revenue for the police department. Improved traffic. Win-win for everyone.

[mavhc]

Have you blocked through traffic? Only if the number of cars per second drops. Also as there's going to be a queue of, say 1000 cars behind the merge point, it's better than the queue doesn't extend backwards into some other area of traffic, causing people who are turning off before the merge point to become involved in the slow traffic

[Fuzzwah]

Its a legal lane to no where. By using it you're then relying on the good graces of one of those chumps you just passed. They don't need to let you back in. They're in the legal lane to somewhere, you just got no where really quickly.

[protonfish]

You don't have to let me in. I am sure someone in front of you will. Then you have the right to throw a little hissy-fit because of having to live with the repercussions of your poor life decisions.

[Fuzzwah]

My response isn't to throw a hissy-fit.

I catch public transport to work. Mostly because I'd rather have a nap on the way to and from work than deal with wankers like you.