My experience has been basically the same. When I come in from a rainstorm, I roll the bike into the garage and let it drip dry.

Chrome plated steel will rust over a period of months to years depending on the quality of the plating, but there's relatively little of it on newer bikes.

The time to oil the chain, and protect other components, is before it rains. I don't mean that to be snarky, but in fact things like cables and chains should be lubed as part of the assembly or overhaul process, and the chain should be kept lubed. In the process of winterizing one bike, I applied a coating of motor oil to some of the exposed metal parts with a toothbrush.

Road salt is a whole 'nother ball o' wax, of course.

[MENTION=90453]tjspiel[/MENTION], stainless can rust under some conditions. High heat and mechanical stress come to mind, but road salt might do it too. And there are different grades of stainless for different applications.