Video showing my encounter with the wonderful people of Morthal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9st3U3edJ_c

About fast traveling: During certain quests where people are moving around the world and there's a marker on them (main quest where you kill the general's son and the Dark Brotherhood quest where you kill the guy in the caravan), it seems like they move at fairly the same rate as you. For example, I was in Windhelm and the caravan (for the Dark Brotherhood quest mentioned) was near a location I could fast travel to. I fast traveled there and they were at Windhelm, so it seems that they should be moving at roughly the same speed, right?

Then why didn't these bums meet me there? I guess someone could do a test on how much time passes when you fast travel compared to normal travel.

I did a quest for one of the caravan members and I had to kinda' chase them to complete it. The only experiment I've done with Fast Trave times was I Fast Traveled while standing next to my horse and then again while sitting on the horse - same travel time. I just assumed Fast Travel v manual running were the same if you travel along the roads, but hopefully someone who has tested it will come along because I've wondered how they calculate that time as well.

Would be ineteresting to see if they do a "Point A to Point B is the straightest line" or if they would make your character follow the road. My guess is the first one, though someone would need to walk in a generally straight line and calculate it.

Not sure the exact amount of time (im assuming its calculated on how far the destination is) but one interesting thing it does mention is that the amount of armor you are wearing will affect the fast travel time http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Fast_travel#Fast_Travel

Wow. All the more reason to keep my horse.

Yeah your weight doesnt affect the horses speed (as far as im aware). it makes sense if you fast travel the computer takes into account the players overall speed and acts accordingly. Most likely as well, is that the computer uses main paths in its calculations where as if you were to travel there you would most likely veer off the road since its quicker to navigate the landscape or climb some mountains.

Even if they had met you there, they'd have chickened out anyway. They're really really helpful.

Probably because they would walk there, and your character would probably run.