What makes everyone think that because someone passes them and slows down that its a problem? Unless they slow down in a way that unsafely obstructs you, pass them and get over yourself!

I admit that when I am riding and I am trying to push myself, if someone passes me I use it as a motivation to increase my speed until I lose contact with them... but if it's not another rider I simply try to beat the clock. If I see another rider in front of me, I do sometimes use them as motivation too and make an objective of passing them. I have no delusions that I can outrace anyone, it is just that I lose contact with cars too quickly to use them effectively for motivation.

If I pass you and you happen to be commuting, and you are in decent shape, I pretty much guarantee that you can pass me, I'm not delusional, I am just riding my bike in a way that works for me.

I passed someone on a rail trail that blew past me a few weeks ago. I passed for only one reason, and that is that they got off their road bikes to cross some tracks, and I rode right over them on my Sedona. It was six miles to the end of the trail, so I decided to try to stay ahead of them... I did for about 2 or 3 miles, and then by the time I got to the end of the trail they had loaded their biked onto their truck and casually driving away as I made it to the end of the trail huffing and puffing...

I know they weren't racing, and were actually not pushing themselves, but their presence helped me... So, if someone has passed you in the same way, then in the name of my fellow slow pokes, thanks for being a motivation!

And as far as drafting, I understand and share the concern, but you have nothing to fear from me, because for my comfort level (lack of drafting experience) I would rather be in the front than the back.

I did chuckle at a previous poster saying that this thread sounds like a bunch of cagers griping about bicyclists... it really does...

We all march (or ride) to different drummers, mine happens to have a variable rhythm.