We all get stuck behind someone driving slower than we want. That's why there are all those other lanes to pass people in. Left lane, right lane, whichever is easiest, as long as you signal so people know you're coming. Speaking of which - the bike that came over at you in the video - did he ever notice you? Maybe he saw you and moved over for you to pass (I move to the left side of the left lane to let a bike pass me).
Sorry, man, but this is incorrect. The lane furthest to the right is for driving. The left lane is for passing. In situations where there are more than two same direction lanes, the same rules apply, but due to the volume of traffic, additional passing lanes are provided for those who are passing at a faster rate than those passing one lane to the left of the driving lane. The middle lanes usually default to driving lanes because the right lane is filled with slower traffic. However, if you are driving and there is an empty lane to your right, you're doing it wrong. Move over.
Having a free-for-all with people passing wherever there is space will lead to more crashes. I never pass on the right on my bike because the system is designed for passing on the left. People should expect faster traffic over their left shoulder and expect to be faster than traffic over their right shoulder. It why the driver's seat is standardized to the left side of the car, and why they drive on the opposite side of the road in places where cars are right hand drive.
By passing on the right, you are exposing yourself to a huge danger in the form of someone moving to the right to clear the passing lane and not seeing you. It is harder to see the right hand blind spot, and people aren't conditioned to check it the same way.
As a society, North America is populated by poor drivers. A combination of vast distances, poor public transit, and a powerful lobby by auto manufacturers has made North America one of the easiest places in the First World to get a license. Because of this, lots of drivers don't really know how to drive properly. They can operate the controls, but they can't merge properly, can't pass properly, have no concept of lane positioning or how to behave around other traffic, and are generally unpredictable. Unpredictable drivers are the most dangerous to others.
Watch YouTube videos of people blasting the Autobahn. They can get away with it because they know what the other drivers are going to do. Messing with the rules (passing on the right, for example) in Germany is a far worse ticket than a speeding ticket here, because they understand the need for organization on the roads. It is also much harder to get a drivers license there because you have to prove you understand the rules of the road before you can drive. Although Germany and the Isle Of Mann are the only places with roads with no speed limit, most of Europe has very strict driving laws regarding rules of the road, and their highways are statistically much safer (even the sections of Autobahn with no speed limit) than any place in North America. Do your part; learn the rules and abide by them, even if the idiot next to you doesn't. It might save my life one day.
opcorn:
