I'm sure when I bought my Golf, there was a white telescopic type rod under the accelerator pedal that went into the hole on the floorwell. It seems to have gone missing while either in for servicing or for other work at a garage, but I have no way of telling where. I've only just noticed this (how often do you check the footwell?!)

It doesn't seem to make any difference, but is there any reason why this would have been removed, and is it a bad thing?