pass plus?

Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:39 am

Just wondering if any 1 here has done a pass plus course and if so how much did u save on insurance because off it??

Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:16 am

I done mine many, many years ago. At the time the course cost about £120 and saved me £200 when insuring my 1986 79bhp Peugeot 205 XT.

I found it quite worthwhile as it was the first experience of proper driving I done rather than the "teach you to pass your test" function of the UK's driving lessons. I certainly felt a lot more confident at the end of it and the insurance reduction was an extra bonus.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:51 am

didn't see a great benefit tbh

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:04 am

I never saved on any money, I had to do it in my car or it would have cost a fortune to do it my instructors car, so I had to insure my car to do it and couldn't save any money lol I tried to use it the next year on my insurance but hardly any insurers gave a discount on it.

It is good as a tool to shut up worried parents

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:08 am

I think on some cars, insurers insist on it

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:10 am

Times have maybe changed since I passed my test 4 years ago

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:11 am

nate-james wrote:Just wondering if any 1 here has done a pass plus course and if so how much did u save on insurance because off it??

It's not there just to save you money on insurance. It's actually a designed course to help you learn to drive better, no matter how good a driver you think you are, you will always have lots to learn!

Have fun, but have respect for other road users too!!

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:26 am

I learnt a bit by doing the course. It depends on the instructor doing it I guess. I never had any driving lessons before my test as I learnt with my dad, so I might have benefited more than most, although my dad is probably a better driver than most instructors.

He taught me to drive, not to pass a test.

My local council were offering to pay half the cost at the time, so it only cost me £60 and saved me circa £500 on my first lot of insurance. Some companies count it as 1 years NCB and with NU/aviva this made a massive difference.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:34 pm

I've done it but didn't help with my insurance

Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:41 pm

Knocked about £300 off my insurance, as well as teaching me how to use motorways properly. Really did help me with a lot of other things not covered in the normal driving lessons.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:39 pm

ImysE30 wrote:I've done it but didn't help with my insurance

+1 - many moons ago now though! It was free for me as the council in my area pay for all newly passed drivers to do it!

Saved squat on my insurance but TBH that shouldn't be the main reason for doing it!

Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:12 pm

Daf318is wrote:
ImysE30 wrote:I've done it but didn't help with my insurance
+1 - many moons ago now though! It was free for me as the council in my area pay for all newly passed drivers to do it!

Saved squat on my insurance but TBH that shouldn't be the main reason for doing it!

That's why i did it

Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:22 pm

Theres an "advanced driving qualification" in Jersey. Think it requires lessons and a test. May still do it but there wont be much point.

Just good to say you have an advanced driving license in the island. May slightly affect my insurance! Shouldn't be hard considering I'm the best driver in the world...

Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:15 pm

NayC wrote:Theres an "advanced driving qualification" in Jersey. Think it requires lessons and a test. May still do it but there wont be much point.

Just good to say you have an advanced driving license in the island. May slightly affect my insurance! Shouldn't be hard considering I'm the best driver in the world...

There is here too - it's the IAM. Institute of advanced motorists. All payed up but haven't got around to doing the lessons yet

! It makes no difference to your insurance as far as I'm aware though.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:17 pm

Daf318is - Looked it up... you right its the same, "Institute of Advanced Motorists" requires lessons then an exam to pass and you get your little qually.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:00 pm

In my opinion, a driving licence purely shows that you can operate a car. It's time and experience that shows you can drive it....

Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:02 pm

beemerbird wrote:In my opinion, a driving licence purely shows that you can operate a car. It's time and experience that shows you can drive it....

+1.

Although women are naturally disadvantaged

Wed Jun 17, 2009 6:35 pm

beemerbird wrote:In my opinion, a driving licence purely shows that you can operate a car. It's time and experience that shows you can drive it....

True.

But I am a really good driver, I just wouldn't mind the benefits of being in the IAM, and to barter with mates that I'm the "proven" better driver, lol, as a joke.

Theres a few over here. up to 10% off insurance from our local brokers (a nice help) and apparently, police and parish hall inquiries (motor related, such as going <10-15mph over the speed limit) are a bit more leaniant and often end up in verbal warnings rather than fines or giving you our version of a "point" on your license (3 and yoooour ooouuut!), unless you end up in there a lot.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 7:22 pm

I did it, the only thing worth doing was the couple of hours on the motorway, the rest of the time was spent doing what I do any way due to where I live which was dirivng country roads.

Basicaly paid to have the bloke sat there for 8 hours and say nothing

and my certificate never turned up.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:03 pm

Daf318is wrote:
beemerbird wrote:In my opinion, a driving licence purely shows that you can operate a car. It's time and experience that shows you can drive it....
+1.

Although women are naturally disadvantaged

Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:29 pm

beemerbird wrote:In my opinion, a driving licence purely shows that you can operate a car. It's time and experience that shows you can drive it....

I completely disagree.

I know people who are in their 40's, 50's who still cannot drive for shit!

Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:33 pm

Bob_S wrote:
beemerbird wrote:In my opinion, a driving licence purely shows that you can operate a car. It's time and experience that shows you can drive it....
I completely disagree.

I know people who are in their 40's, 50's who still cannot drive for shit!

Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:33 pm

Bob_S wrote:
beemerbird wrote:In my opinion, a driving licence purely shows that you can operate a car. It's time and experience that shows you can drive it....
I completely disagree.

I know people who are in their 40's, 50's who still cannot drive for shit!

Aptitude obviously plays a part in this. What I was trying to suggest was that getting a driving licence is no proof of driving ability whatsoever.

Only those with aptitude will go on to drive well; pass plus courses or not.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:55 pm

people who can't drive should be shot..

and by drive I don't mean stick to the speed limits etc.. I mean out my bloody way. I have a journey to make and I will make it as short as possible in this dump of a country.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:57 pm

Bob_S wrote:people who can't drive should be shot..

and by drive I don't mean stick to the speed limits etc.. I mean out my bloody way. I have a journey to make and I will make it as short as possible in this dump of a country.

Ever thought of emigration?

Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:00 pm

I took one pass plus lesson back in the day (9 and a half years ago now), but didn't bother finishing it. Basically my Dad is and was an enthusiastic and competent enough driver to give me further instruction on driving techniques, and my driving instructor, quite by chance, was quite a smart guy - he actually wanted people to be safe, not just pass their tests, and demonstrated a coniderable number of useful things. There was also no insurance advantage for me at the time - this will depend on your circumstances. If you are bright and able, experience will bring with it a massive amount of learning, and a few pointers from someone who knows what they are doing can be invaluable. If you are a narrow minded cretin, there's no hope and you are doomed to be hated by all other road users.

On a related point, IAM membership can reduce premiums, but there is no guarantee that it will - it is similar to being a member of a car club in practice. I'd be interested in doing an IAM course, if it weren't for the fact that the people I've met who had done it seemed to think they knew it all, rather than using further experience as continued learning. I am pretty familiar with a lot of the techniques though, as I imagine are a great deal of driving enthusiasts.

The most important things are to be courteous and to use common sense - apply some thought and you're ahead of a great deal of motorists.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:01 pm

I think it makes some sense as passing your test just shows you managed to hold it together enough whilst smoking around the urban highway, but I remember my mate not long after passing his test and our maiden voyage out onto the highway back in 1991 in his H plate 1.6L Sierra nearly wiping us out when it came to joining a motorway.

Mind you following on from Bob's comments, it makes my pish boil when you see retards that can't join a motorway and poodle along the sliproad and then stop at the end. Fools, rule for joining any motorway = floor it

Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:06 pm

Yes i have thought of emigrating.. except I need to learn German first.

Lee, the rule for every road = floor it!

Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:08 pm

Bob_S wrote:Yes i have thought of emigrating.. except I need to learn German first.And buy a big enough house near the 'ring so that zoners can stay when doing 'ring trips
Lee, the rule for every road = floor it!

Think you missed a bit out there fella

Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:13 pm

Cook318IS wrote:
Bob_S wrote:Yes i have thought of emigrating.. except I need to learn German first.And buy a big enough house near the 'ring so that zoners can stay when doing 'ring trips
Lee, the rule for every road = floor it!
Think you missed a bit out there fella

I'll buy the guesthouse so the scummers can rent it off me lol

Wed Jun 17, 2009 9:23 pm

driving isn't everyones cup of tea. My mum did an advanced drivers test way back in the day but she did race people & finsh off a set of rear tires in about 12 weeks.

The advanced drivers certificate did have a beneficial effect with insurance premiums, so somewhat different to pass plus I think.

I had 3 lessons and passed, but people have something like 40 hours!! Those are the ones who need electic shock therapy and beating with a stick.. Or just sat down and told, 'driving just ain't your bag is it'

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:00 pm

IMO, the driving test is nothing like hard enough - there's just no way people should be let out on to the road with just the minimum knowledge and aptitude required to pass. I expect most people who pass are slightly more capable than that minimum level, but that's hardly a comfort. I actually thought it was a bit of a joke at the time I did it - a harder test probably wouldn't have stopped me taking some of the stupid risks I did as a youth, but it might have equipped me better for thefirst time I encountered black ice, for example.

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:32 pm

The Fins do a propper driving test..

Most drivers are frightened of their car and have never taken it to its limits - no way of knowing what it's capable of.. dry, wet, mud, shail, ice, snow scares the bejesus out of people.

people doing 10mph in the snow particularly wind me up

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:33 pm

Bob you can't emigrate - where am I going to buy bits of E30 from at half 9 on a monday night if you do that!

In Finland I belive it takes 4 years of training/tests before you can hold a full licence, it includs skid pan training etc etc. Much better idea if you ask me!

Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:53 pm

Daf318is wrote:Bob you can't emigrate - where am I going to buy bits of E30 from at half 9 on a monday night if you do that!

In Finland I belive it takes 4 years of training/tests before you can hold a full licence, it includs skid pan training etc etc. Much better idea if you ask me!

meh my market will move with me