You guys exaggerate too much about finding NM pugs on PC. They are out there, and not all suck. It is a lot more difficult to find a group that can coordinate with one another but that is part of the challenge and fun of pugging. I've done almost all of my NM FC runs in pugs with probably a 40% success rate overall. It is getting better too as people learn strategies that work and/or the people in over their heads stop trying. Certainly not an efficient method but that's not why you pug. You get to know the folks that are competent and there are quite a few out there. You may even make new friends through trial by fire.
Best time on PC I think is North America late night between 9pm-12am.
OP, if you keep getting placed into your own lobby, that doesn't necessarily mean there are no other players searching for games. Many don't feel comfortable hosting or the thought of soloing so just like you, they leave the created lobby and keep searching for a game already created.