Observations on Driving in the U.S.

I love the U.S. and travel there quite frequently. Over the years, however, I have noticed a few quirks about driving there that mystify me. I was wondering if my non-U.S. brothers notice any similar items (or other oddities of the road), and also whether the U.S. folks can offer an explanation of sorts.
1. Long Wait Times at Intersection with No Discretionary Left-Hand Turns
I am stunned some times by how long I wait at intersections in the U.S. for the light to change. I often joke with my wife that I should have brought a picnic lunch. These wait times seem exacerbated by the fact that, at least based on my experiences driving in the U.S., the powers that be generally refuse to let you turn left except on a green arrow. Sometimes I understand the reasoning for this, based on the particular intersection, but in the U.S. (at least where I have driven) it seems to be the rule rather than the exception - I assume they just don't want to give drivers the ability to make a judgment call as to when it is safe to make a left hand turn against oncoming traffic. This inevitably lengthens the wait time as the traffic system cycles through all the different left hand turn arrows from each direction in the intersection.
2. Screwing the Pooch in the Passing Lane
In Canada, the rule is that the far left hand lane is the passing lane. You use that lane to pass. If you are in that lane, and a car is coming up behind you faster than you are driving, then you get over and let them pass, provided it is safe to to do so. In the U.S. though, I rarely see this. People screw the pooch in the passing lane. Where we live in Ontario we get a lot of U.S. tourists driving on the highway, and we have noticed that if someone is fornicating the canine in the passing lane it is better than even odds that it is a car with U.S. plates. Am I crazy here in thinking they don't have this custom in the U.S.?

Ah, so at least on the first point it's not just me. Now, in Canada, we do see on occasion the odd intersection where you can only turn left on a green arrow, though almost always it is plain to see why they required an arrow - usually there is a blind spot, or a very wide turn, or some other oddity. For the most part though they generally set up the traffic controls to allow you to turn left in the face of oncoming traffic (though at busy intersections you sometimes get an advance first). I didn't realize why it was taking so long at U.S. intersections until it popped into my mind the other day that they rarely let you turn left unless you have an arrow, so you sit there waiting even if there is absolutely no traffic coming at you.
Yaz, on the passing lane point, in fairness we do have a fair number of Canadians that are also guilty of not understanding how a passing lane works. Frankly, I think it is also a function of the way we license drivers who immigrate to Canada, because I have noticed that new Canadians seem over-represented in the group of passing lane offenders. They should test everyone on the highway and it should be an immediate fail if they don't know how a passing lane works. As far as the US goes, the issues I have experienced with passing lane offenders seems to vary based on the area of the US in which I am traveling. Florida, where I am now, is horrible for this issue. California actually didn't seem too bad.