Right you are, Rag. A session isn't about "me, me, me;" it's about everyone fitting together.
The point about bullyin' speed freaks taking over--seen it done many a time, but thankfully not much at our local session. Just plain rude, that is ... unless the person starting the tune has bitten off more than they can chew, and someone _needs_ to take over for the poor soul. Just blasting a tune so as to "show 'em all and shut down them no-talent newbies"--that's someone whose brain is far more developed in the Ego area than in the Manners area.
But I don't think the original post was about drowning out anyone; just about being audible. That particular desire seems fair enough to me.
Jenny