To me there is a difference between passing people (cyclists) and dropping them. Dropping to me means that I have been riding with them for a period of time and then leaving them behind. I don't drop because I typically don't ride with anyone. I must confess that since I started riding the Montello to work instead of the RockHopper, I have been impressed with the difference.
On the RockHopper, I am reasonably fast for riding a nearly 50 lb bike loaded. Not like many of you, but I average around 15 - 16 mph on the commute with traffic lights etc. I do get passed by the kitted out guys on whatever they are riding with their backpacks or not. Occasionally I will pass a CF or AL bike, but it looks to me like they are newbies or wannabes, so I don't count them any more than passing Peds.
In the two weeks I have been riding the Montello, no one has passed me. I think its the time of day, their aren't as many of the others I typically see on the RockHopper or we are going nearly the same speed and we never see each other. During this two weeks, I have passed everyone I have seen until today, typically commuter bikes or MTB with panniers and racks. There were two kitted out on CF/AL bikes that I caught because of MUP traffic. We rode on each others wheels for a period of time. The one in front of me passed the first and I stayed behind wondering of the sanity of a paceline of three on the MUP! We continued until the 14th St bridge where
#2 went straight, breaking off from us. I followed
#1 across the bridge and in front of the Jefferson Memorial where the path crosses the road to the sidewalk/path which allows travel against traffic visiting the Memorial (one way). Sidewalks in DC are about 8ft wide and riding on them is legal. This time of year is challenging because of the visitors so your take your pick on what is safer, crazy tourists or crazy locals in their cars.
We stayed on the road until the first curve where there is a driveway opening with a bunch of cones in front of the entrance. Who know why, the entrance has Jersey barriers. One cone was out of place making a nice break to transition to the sidewalk. He didn't take it, I did. He tried to get on the sidewalk past the last cone but the curb was already rising from the road. He jumped the front wheel but not the back. Whack! No flat but it nearly stopped him. He was in a higher gear and could barely pedal.
I was approaching and said "I heard that!" We had a short conversation but he was out of energy at that point and I continued on. Carbon rims. Did I drop him? No, he dropped out. His freehub was extremely loud when he coasted. I can barely hear mine. Part of the CF experience I guess.