It is actually more likely the technically inclined small investors who are doing this locking out. Large institutions are probably using the official API which doesn't have the ability to lock a loan by adding it to your cart.
Fully agree with this statement based on what I am seeing from loan updates on PeerCube. This can only be performed by people using browser or people who automated using browser/screen scraping. More and more it appears to be self-fulfilling prophecy. But in a way it is achieving what LC should be doing, spreading out availability of loans. Even 5 minutes after the scheduled release time, I am seeing enough new loans available.
8/29 8:35PM New loans added to DB = 11
8/29 6:20PM New loans added to DB = 13
8/29 6:05PM New loans added to DB = 58
8/29 3:05PM New loans added to DB = 18
8/29 2:35PM New loans added to DB = 6
8/29 2:20PM New loans added to DB = 17
8/29 2:05PM New loans added to DB = 78
8/29 1:05PM New loans added to DB = 1
8/29 12:05PM New loans added to DB = 1
8/29 10:21AM New loans added to DB = 9
8/29 10:06AM New loans added to DB = 62
8/29 07:51AM New loans added to DB = 1
8/29 06:35AM New loans added to DB = 12
8/29 06:20AM New loans added to DB = 21
8/29 06:05AM New loans added to DB = 61
8/29 05:35AM New loans added to DB = 3
8/29 02:05AM New loans added to DB = 8
8/29 01:50AM New loans added to DB = 1