>>Why would one stay at the escape velocity?

To conserve fuel.

Is there a working model of a Bussard Ramjet? That technology requires a self sustaining hydrogen fusion reaction contained to the point where it does not melt the ship into plasma. Once you have that, it also requires some sort of magical force field able to overcome the inertia of trillions upon trillions of particles of Interstellar hydrogen at relative velocities of thousands of kilometers per hour and gather them up compress them to fusion temperatures and emit the fusion products out the tailpipe with enough velocity so that their reaction mass would be able to accelerate a very large object.

Its fun to think about but it seems dubious.

Why don't we just buy the type one hyperdrive from the Outsiders. Damn! there is never a starseed around when you need one! ;-)