Cat 6 racing is where it's at.

This most probably doesn't include everybody, but there's a large segment of humans, who just hate being passed up. No matter what the mode of transportation, they will always resent the idea that another human has passed ahead of them.

There must be some type of subconscious and survival-related message, wired within our DNA that causes us to always strive to be in front or ahead of the other.

Perhaps it's just a part of that competitive instinct that drives us to sport.

Interesting....

PS.

I'm sure the most successful hunters and warriors, were also the fastest in the prehistoric days.

I'm not exactly competitive, but it's my instinct to peddle as fast as I can. Mind you, that's not all that fast, but I do tend to go faster than a lot of folks tooling along the bike paths. I find it really annoying if I come up behind someone. There often isn't room to pass, or I'm not going enough faster that passing makes sense. And if I do pass, all too often a block later I hit a light, the other person catches up, and we play the same game all over again.

I think I just needto learn to slow down and mellow out a little. Given lights, traffic, wayward pedestrians, etc. etc., pedaling faster doesn't get me to where I'm going faster, it just gives me more time to wait at the next light. I think I just hate the feeling of being penned in, and having to go someone else's pace, even if going my pace doesn't really gain me anything. On long open stretches, which pretty much means the greenway along the river or the bridges, I pass and get passed all the time with no issues.

You may not need to slow down, but yeah, mellow out a bit. A bike path is not a racetrack, so there is no sense in being annoyed by a slower rider - they're doing nothing wrong. Chill behind them for a minute then pass and pick up your pace. Think of it as an opportunity to practise self-management.

As for them catching you at the light, that shouldn't be an issue unless they run the light or postion themselves in front of you, forcing you to wait for another chance to pass them all over again. In that case I agree - that is annoying! I kill over that!!!

(not really)

Race? Mmmm...no. I don't race. Most of the people I see on my rout are just high school kids on there bikes. Once in a while one of them will kinda laugh at me because I choose to wear a helmet and UnderArmor as riding cloths. I just let them pass me. No big deal. If we're near some hills though...then the "race" starts. Ya look real "cool" sitting under that tree half way up the rise. Ya did good kid...real good, but you'll always be the second one up the hill see.

Sounds possible. I would also put this on our egos.

I found a competitive commuter yesterday. I glanced over my shoulder to find some guy buried so far up my tail pipe that I did a double take to see if he was overlapping my wheel. He gave no hello (even though I had said hello at a previous light) and no alert to make me aware of his wheel sucking. It's October, I'm fine pushing myself when the legs want to go, but racing season is over and I'll happily fold my cards even if I know that I have the winning hand in a situation such as this.

I am "The Lonely Commuter" on my route. I have not seen any other commuters while I am riding to and from school. I do enjoy chronicling my commutes on Map My Ride and trying to beat my own times. But, I never let trying to achieve a faster time affect my caution at intersections and so forth.