I notice on one of the forums someone boasting:
[I’ve kicked Pass Plus into touch. It’s a total waste of time and money (theirs and mine) – teaching them what I have already taught them.]
What an unfortunate attitude from a supposedly ‘fit and proper’ professional ADI.
To begin with, you can’t teach them motorway driving as learner drivers (EDIT: well, apparently later in 2012 this is going to change), so that’s one thing Pass Plus covers which cannot have been covered properly before.
But most importantly, a learner driver has a very specific goal when they are learning to drive: to pass the test by spending as little as possible. So no matter what an ADI tries to do, the learner will always be learning as a learner, and not as someone who is trying to acquire Safe Driving For Life skills.
In large part, any training – and this includes post-test training – is only as good as the trainer. To that end, it is possible to make Pass Plus as useful – or as much of a total waste of time for all concerned – as possible.
If Pass Plus is a ‘total waste of time and money’, it is clear where the fault for that lies.
Pass Plus is actually extremely useful if delivered properly. There is talk of replacing it or revamping it at some stage, but the only reason that that is necessary is because of the bribery and corruption which has led to it being considered valueless by some.
Many of those taking it ONLY wanted it to get lower insurance premiums. As a result, an unfortunately large number of those providing it did so without actually carrying out or completing the necessary training. Some even took money just for a signature on the registration form. Fit and proper people they most certainly are not.
Yes, it’s easy to see the reason for Pass Plus being considered a waste of time.