"And twenty-plus years of dumbed-down, politicized "driver's education" and "safety" campaigns had effectively propagandized the populace into believing there was only one cardinal sin -- 'speeding.'"
and
"It will take time for the facts about the danger of left lane hogging to sink into the general consciousness -- the consequence of 20-plus years of neglect and outright disinformation peddled by know-nothing "safety" advocates."
It appears you have been a victim of said disinformation... Also, the article explains in detail the risks of cruising in the left lane and why it's illegal.