Pete,

I'm akin to agree with you. I would most likely be sailing my own race, to minimize time on the course.

If I were being lapped by faster boats, or if I were lapping or passing slower boats, I would figure it's my job (as the faster boat) to avoid the slower boat, whether they be slower because of their boatspeed, or because they don't know the rules.

I've been in the fray of a busy mark rounding, and I'm sure I've traded paint with other people at times. Being in the fray in the first place is slow, probably much slower than a wide rounding around the 'parking lot' of boats with all their bad air (and tempers).