Misunderstanding Ranked Games: Mixed ranks play together?

Call me crazy, but I never bothered to look on Lolking til now to see someone else's stats. I never play ranked cause of trolling and the complaints I hear of the hell people endure trying to get through ranks. Then I hear others call them out saying there is no ELO hell. I know there must be, due to so many frustrated voices, but that is besides the point.

I saw a Silver 3 playing in the same game as a bronze 1 and a gold 5. All joking about these ranks being of the same pool, isn't there several hundred (hidden) points between these ranks. Why are these variously skilled players all in the same game together with the rest of the roster rounded out by seeding players? This seems like the very definition of hell. I can only imagine I took this game serious enough to play ranked trying to work my way through the tiers, and regardless of the level I achieve, be constantly seated next to people who have never played ranked. I can assume it stops at challenger or diamond or something? Surely they don't toss bronze and silver in with the plat and diamond.

I applaud those who dare try. The trolls in random games are bad enough to make you quit as it is. How do you guys do it? Besides only playing grouped teams.