Are there any quotas for practical driving test passes?
I have heard many theories about quotas for test passes. Some of them more absurd than others. Some plain ridiculous
If you honestly believe that there is a quota system in place for test passes and that you can prove it then please send the information to me so that I can link it to this page for the whole world to see. By the way. I am not holding my breathe.
Ok so let us discuss this one rationally.
No blondes pass their tests today then. Does that sound about right? You may be getting the idea that I am a non-believer in this phenomena. I am not generally speaking interested in conspiracy theories. I am able to offer you much better reasons for a driving test failure than that the examiner has to fulfill a quota. Get a load of this. Either yourself or your instructor were not good enough. You probably don't like the sound of that. Honesty hurts.
Blaming the civil servants is virtually a national passtime these days. The great 'They' that are always to blame. Basically, the easiest target.
Let me ask a simple question of those amongst you who believe that the test system is rigged. What would be the point in fixing the practical test pass rate in either one or more test centres? Even better. What would be the point in fixing it in all of them? Here are some of the offers that I have had so far, together with my answers to them in italics.
-
It is so that the D.S.A can collect more money from test fees.
Oh. Ok then. Hmm, you've got me there. Apart from the fact that the D.S.A are actively trying to recruit examiners because they cannot keep up with demand. They physically cannot book any more people in at the test centres. -
The examiners will get disciplined if they pass too many.
Yeah right. I know, I know. You have all read a story in a magazine and got hot under the collar. Don't send it to me I've already read it. Would it be beyond the realms of possibility that if you yourself were in charge of the test centres and you had one examiner whose pass/fail rate was wildly different from the other examiners that you would want to check that out? Given the fact that it would be your duty to check it out to make sure that the paying public were getting exactly what they paid for. Is it not possible that the examiner was sacked for other reasons which, as his employer, it is a fact that the D.S.A cannot talk about. Unless of course they want to be taken to another employment tribunal. -
The government want to slow down the rate at which new drivers take to the roads.
Oh Pleeeease... If you believe in this one then you have not thought it through at all. Motorists are the single biggest cash cow for the treasury. Motorists pay more tax than anyone. If the government were going to do anything about the test pass rate they would scrap the practical driving test. They would save the money from the examiners wages and costs of test centres. The extra cars on the roads would raise so much revenue that they would never run out of money again. The gridlock that would ensue would give them more revenue from congestion charging. The chancellor would quite probably die of delight. -
It must be a competition between examiners.
Get a life! -
Too many men/women are passing.
Sexism, racism, ageism I have heard them all. -
My instructors face does not fit at the test centre.
My face would best fit into a gurning competition but to their credit the examiners at my local test centre have not yet taken it upon themselves to hold it against me in any way. -
The examiner did not like me.
On what would they base this judgement? They have known you for barely more than half an hour during which they have tried to put you at your ease whilst watching your driving. -
The examiner was in a bad mood.
Boo hoo hoo. If you have to go as low as this to find a reason why you have failed your driving test then you had better reach for the tissues and keep a good stock at home. Ready for all of lifes little disappointments that are of course, someone elses fault!
I will be the first to admit that people are only human and that includes examiners.
I have had a young man fail because the examiner performed an emergency stop on the grounds that he had not seen a stationary vehicle begin to move out right infront of us. I was in the back and believe me the driver of the stationary vehicle looked as puzzled as I did because it had not moved. The examiner was new at the time and looked as unsettled as my pupil was. They have to learn.
I had a young lady fail because while performing the turn in the road manoeuvre she braked so hard in the reverse phase that the car stopped so instantly that it rocked forwards afterwards. Different examiner but the result was a fail because they thought that she had hit the kerb. Again I was in the back and could see that she didn't but what can you do. They have to learn.
A quick question to any instructors reading this. When you first came on the road as an instructor whether or not you had a trainee licence, did you not make any mistakes? I know I did. I had to learn.
What is more I would imagine that if I ever put myself forward for examiner training (perish the thought) I would probably make some mistakes there too in the first instance.
So my conclusion in this discussion is:- That the examiners are not rigging the system and that until someone can offer me evidence of any sort to the contrary I shall continue to believe so.
