But I don't think a powerful engine is needed in that scenario either. The only case where it's really needed is accelerating up a steep hill.
Sometimes, but not so common not in my experience.
All you're doing is letting a dickhead bully win and letting bad people get away with bad behavior.
If I'm in my WRX and I do need to go above 75 quickly, I can drop into 4th and get to 80 more quickly. But I've got a stick so I can do that. If I'm in something with a slushbox, I have to wait for the thing to decide that downshifting is needed before it will pick up. I'll admit the Toyota Hybrids hit a good 'in-between' for these (probably closer to an EV than either a Manual or a slushbox.) I'll get a bit of instant acceleration but anything after a half second to second is a bit slower.
If he's riding your rear bumper for 5 miles after the fact, well obviously he wasn't in that much of a rush to begin with.
This morning I was in the rightmost lane doing 5 over and I indeed had someone come up at me 15+ over and ride my ass.
Was I supposed to just pull over to the shoulder at that point or kowtow?