triathlon group start

Hi all. I've been peeping here for a few months and finally got the nerve to write. I'm doing my first triathlon where the bike is first which means a group start. I've been reading all the advice from other posts and have learned a ton from all of you.

My question is, do you always have to ask permission to ride with a pack and draft with them? There will be about 500 racers and about 1.5 miles into it there is a 2 mile hill. I would imagine that this will seperate the pack into smaller packs. This is where I want to know the proper etiquette. If I fall into a group of about 10 people do you have to ask or does it just happen naturally?

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful advice on this forum and also to TE for the great clothes that I seem to be addicted to buying lately!!

If it's a USA Triathlon-sanctioned event, drafting is not allowed. If someone passes you, you have to fall back so there are at least 2 bike lengths between you. Check out the rules at http://www.usatriathlon.org/Rules_Of...rules.htm#5.10 . If you have more questions, you might want to ask the helpful women on the triathlon board http://forums.teamestrogen.com/forumdisplay.php?f=45 .

thanks. We are allowed to draft (no aerobars though). My assumption is that the smaller groups will kind of fall in naturally with riders that are similar speed.
My concern is that I've never ridden with more than 4 riders. I've been reading everything I can about proper etiquette and the more comfortable I am about not doing anything wrong, the more confident I'll feel race day.
If my assumption is wrong, please let me know!