In a similar situation, I have a question. At one point along my route home, there is a stop sign that usually collects a line of 50+(never really counted) cars streaching as far as 1/4 mile. It has no real shoulder, but a nice smooth low cut hard pack grassy 15' wide ditch. It is easy for me to ride the ditch even on 23c tires up to the front and take my turn along side one of the cars going in my direction (so I don't actually eat up a "position"). The way I see it now is that they have no qualms about passing me, so why shouldn't I pass them?