Well, I haven't been riding long but here's what I have found:

#1 I only wear cycling shorts if I'm gonna be on the bike for a long time. Most rides south of 20 miles, it doesn't matter.

#2 Couldn't care less about SPD pedals or the like at the moment. I like the versatility of platforms and the ability to remove one or both feet whenever the hell I want to without having to think about it. I may look into a set for my fast bike just to see if it makes me faster, but I can guarantee that my commuter/long distance/hauling bike will never see them.

#3 Speed, well I have one bike I am working towards making faster, so I do...the other I just cruise around on unless I have some particular reason to go fast. Much more enjoyable that way.

#4 Same as the above, different bikes with different purposes...skinny 23c tires on the fast bike, 27x1 1/4 tires on the other. Skinny tires are only good if you need every speed advantage you can get, otherwise just stick with the fatter tires, it's a much more enjoyable ride that way. I too value the puncture resistance and increased comfort offered by fatter tires...

#5 doesn't happen to me often, usually I'm the one doing the passing when just going from one place to another. But if I was on my loaded commuter and someone flew by in full racing form it probably wouldn't bother me.

#6 same for my commuter. I've transferred most of the 'unnecessary' stuff from my fast bike to it, so it's pretty hefty now. Don't care, I can take care of any problem I come across and I won't be in a hurry anyway.

#7 same here, although I don't think anything is terribly outlandish looking about my setup. But it doesn't bother me if people see me on my old 80's road bike loaded down riding from place to place thinking I'm too poor to own a car. I have one, I'm just choosing not to drive it for that particular trip. So let them think away...

Only about 1200 verifiable miles for me since I joined the forum in May of this year. Maybe could add on a few hundred from my youth when I rode around the neighborhood. But I'm only 24 and have discovered a love for cycling that I rediscover every time I get on either of my bikes. I've got the stereotypical young guy's bike...the flashy new one with skinny tires that I go flying around on wearing lycra...but I've also got the 'old man' bike, the 30 year old steel beast with turkey levers, a rack, and other tools, tubes, pumps and other junk weighing it down, and more often than not when I ride it I'm wearing plain every day clothes. It may not be new or fast, but it's smoooooooth. There's joy in all styles of riding.
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