Two things I find interesting in this thread, both not relating directly to the original question though.
Dave Ingram wrote the following in his response to a start-line infringement where a port boat gybed in front of him on the line, causing him to take avoiding action (as the ROW boat) : "You could not have continued on port because you were already at the boat, you couldn't tack because you would have been over early."
My understanding is that he COULD have tacked (in fact his only real recourse)if in doing so he could have cleared the line and not fouled anyone. Whether he would be over early or not has no bearing on what his obligations were under the rules. If he could have tacked away without causing anyone else to take avoiding action and without hitting the start boat, he should have done so, been over early and come back to the start area when safe to do so.

PTP wrote the following : "For example... I was driving one time and felt I had the right of way at a mark. They screamed at me and I was like W.T.F.? I found that person at the end because I honestly wondered whether I had truly fouled them as they have a lot more experience than I do racing. They replied to me when I asked what was up: "no problem, you totally had me."
I figure you should have protested him under the fair sportsmanship rule. Many hot-shot sailors use this tactic to intimidate less experienced sailors at a mark rounding or in other situations, and sadly get away with it because the novice gives way. IMO this infringement should get a DSQ and a request from the race comittee for this competitor to pack his boat up and go home early. It`s the only way to prevent this behaviour.