Is overtaking a lost art?

[runnerbean 14]

Lots of A and B roads round here; I'm constantly amazed by how many drivers will just follow the car in front like sheep (usually leaving too small a gap) and never overtake, missing many perfectly safe opportunities to do so. Then, if the car in front turns off, they will speed up to what is obviously their preferred (and higher) rate of progress.

Also, I cycle quite a bit locally and am staggered by how many drivers really struggle to get past me - wrong gear, wrong moment etc. I often wonder if ab initio driving schools rarely teach overtaking; it may not be part of the driving test and it's impossible to teach if you never leave town but surely it's a vital skill on the open road and drivers needs to know how to execute an overtake properly?

I'm not talking about overtaking on dual carriageways or motorways here - a different topic although skill levels are often sadly lacking on these roads too.