Discussion
Hi guys,
I Have my Ards test coming up in a few weeks and starting to feel a little nervous due to lack of preparation - I have read on previous posts in ths section that you need to read the blue book, fine I thought, until I got the go racing pack!! I had assumed it was a small panflet type thing, but no it's a proper book !!!
Do you really need to read/learn the whole thing?? Seems there is a lot in there that is largely irrelevant for most?
I know everyone says you must learn the flags but what other types of question are there? Could the experienced offer some advice for the test?
Thanks in advance
I Have my Ards test coming up in a few weeks and starting to feel a little nervous due to lack of preparation - I have read on previous posts in ths section that you need to read the blue book, fine I thought, until I got the go racing pack!! I had assumed it was a small panflet type thing, but no it's a proper book !!!
Do you really need to read/learn the whole thing?? Seems there is a lot in there that is largely irrelevant for most?
I know everyone says you must learn the flags but what other types of question are there? Could the experienced offer some advice for the test?
Thanks in advance
Yeah, I'd assume mr. Cippo means you should move your whole head to look at your mirrors because your examiner won't be able to see subtle little eyeball swivels when you're wearing a helmet. Don't fret about the driving bit either, you get a few sighters and to be frank you don't have to go very fast to pass. Do try to appear confident and committed with your observation, turn-in, braking etc.
Drive it like you stole it pal, scare the instructor to death on every kerb, 2 wheels on the grass show them what there missing if they do not give you a race license 
fag in mouth on ur phone the lot
You will find it hard to fail I asked the head chap at Oulton the other week if he has every failed anyone, he thought for a min and said one I think so try not to make that short list. Learn the classroom stuff the driving is the easy part.
fag in mouth on ur phone the lotYou will find it hard to fail I asked the head chap at Oulton the other week if he has every failed anyone, he thought for a min and said one I think so try not to make that short list. Learn the classroom stuff the driving is the easy part.
Where are you taking it? Silverstone are generally pickier than most testers and do expect you to learn the track pretty quickly and not be too slow. But as long as you don't pose a danger to other drivers and you keep it on the track, you should be fine. The question test is a doddle. Common sense really, and just know your flags. Don't believe the people that say you CAN'T fail, especially at Silverstone, where 4 out of 16 candidates on my ARDS day did fail! A good bit of advice is... Look way ahead of you. The inclination and habit to have tunnel vision (as with a road car in traffic) is difficult to break. Make sure the tester sees that you are looking well ahead of you, into the next corner, the next apex etc. Look for your exit points, and let the examiner see your head/helmet move (not just your eyes) and look around, through and far up ahead of where you are, to where you want to be. Be as consistant as you can through the 4 or so laps of the test and you'll be fine. Lastly, don't be afraid to talk to the top man if you feel you haven't had effective instruction from your instructor.
rpgk said:
Do you really need to read/learn the whole thing?? Seems there is a lot in there that is largely irrelevant for most?
Just read the bit for circuit racing and as others said make sure you know the flags for both stationary and waved. The DVD covers the rest and you'll see that again before the exam. The questions you'll be asked are the identify all the flags (stationary and waved) and some common sense safety questions you must get right, and then some general questions which are multiple choice and anyone with a good interest in racing should be able to answer.Don't worry about the practical, just concentrate on driving a good, smooth line at a reasonable pace without going off and it's an easy pass.
Written test is easy, basically relay on to your test sheet what you watched 5 minutes prior on a classroom DVD (even if you fail as one chap in my group did they offer you a chance to re-sit it, at least they did at Combe). Driving is pretty simple aswell, just relax and follow instructions. Good luck 
There was a post recently on 10/10ths from a guy who failed his ARDS.
By his account, he was tested during a track day with some very fast cars, whose drivers were clearly racing - normally banned at a track day. Being harrassed on every straight and overtaken on each side, he could not cope and the instructor failed him.
Some respondants said that if he couldn't cope with a track day, he shouldn't pass, but that misses the point that the ARDS is not a test of ultimate driving skill, but of being a safe enough driver to join the back end of the grid, and not get in the way of the front end when they lap you. You find your own level in a race series.
See: http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1... Post 12.
You may wish to avoid that circuit.
It may be that as the guy said, an hour of instruction before the test may be useful, but it should not be necessary.
John
By his account, he was tested during a track day with some very fast cars, whose drivers were clearly racing - normally banned at a track day. Being harrassed on every straight and overtaken on each side, he could not cope and the instructor failed him.
Some respondants said that if he couldn't cope with a track day, he shouldn't pass, but that misses the point that the ARDS is not a test of ultimate driving skill, but of being a safe enough driver to join the back end of the grid, and not get in the way of the front end when they lap you. You find your own level in a race series.
See: http://www.ten-tenths.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1... Post 12.
You may wish to avoid that circuit.
It may be that as the guy said, an hour of instruction before the test may be useful, but it should not be necessary.
John
tapkaJohnD said:
...Some respondants said that if he couldn't cope with a track day, he shouldn't pass, but that misses the point that the ARDS is not a test of ultimate driving skill, but of being a safe enough driver to join the back end of the grid, and not get in the way of the front end when they lap you...John
I read that post too - and felt a bit sorry for the guy - but, then, I did think that (even though it isn't a test of ultimate driving skill) it IS a test of whether you can handle a certain amount of pressure and wondered how he'd get on at a Donington test day, with old ground effect Formula 1 cars whizzing past him at a zillion miles an hour (about 5:15 in this example) when trundling around in an XR2, or whatever:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AMipdw2Nyw&fea...
Edited by Count Johnny on Thursday 17th January 12:49
I'm surprized that Mr.Greensall wasn't black flagged by that track day's organisers. Universal track day rule - overtake on the LEFT and NEVER in a corner. He was taking them right and left, in or out of corners; several times it was clear the other drivers didn't know where he was going to go.
But the real point is that you do not find an F1 car in a race for Caterhams, Lotus Cortinas or anything else. Races are for more or less evenly matched cars - there are few where you need to look out for cars going twice your speed. There is no need to test a novice driver under that degree of stress.
John
But the real point is that you do not find an F1 car in a race for Caterhams, Lotus Cortinas or anything else. Races are for more or less evenly matched cars - there are few where you need to look out for cars going twice your speed. There is no need to test a novice driver under that degree of stress.
John
It's a test day not a track day so the rules are different.
I have to agree with Scott I'm in the job and do ARDS tests at silverstone if I would be happy for this newbie to be on the same grid as me then it's a pass if the driver isn't its a fail, I've passed people that will never be at the front of a race but were safe and have failed others as they were out of there depth.
The biggest mistake some drivers do taking there ARDS is turn up having NO track experience at all and then get all pi**ed of that they failed if your coming from track days it normally a pass.
Yes silverstone might be tougher than other schools but we only pass drivers up to the job.
I had this a couple of years ago while working on a track day with a group of novices all driving a certain car that they had built thereselfs they had all taken the test at another circuit/school consisted of three laps in a focus no coaching just three Laps yep you have passed out of four or so drivers I went out with most were dangerous as didn't have a clue what they were/should be doing and were a accident waiting to happen...
I have to agree with Scott I'm in the job and do ARDS tests at silverstone if I would be happy for this newbie to be on the same grid as me then it's a pass if the driver isn't its a fail, I've passed people that will never be at the front of a race but were safe and have failed others as they were out of there depth.
The biggest mistake some drivers do taking there ARDS is turn up having NO track experience at all and then get all pi**ed of that they failed if your coming from track days it normally a pass.
Yes silverstone might be tougher than other schools but we only pass drivers up to the job.
I had this a couple of years ago while working on a track day with a group of novices all driving a certain car that they had built thereselfs they had all taken the test at another circuit/school consisted of three laps in a focus no coaching just three Laps yep you have passed out of four or so drivers I went out with most were dangerous as didn't have a clue what they were/should be doing and were a accident waiting to happen...
We digress - and may be being a bit discouraging to the OP.
JP (the other one
) is obviously better placed to judge than me but, in my view, if you drive confidently, at a reasonable pace, don't get spooked by any faster traffic, know your flags, and have a little common sense, then the ARDS is easy.
If you spook easily and can't hack being overtaken in corners, then the ARDS may be difficult for you - and some might say, rightly so.
JP (the other one
) is obviously better placed to judge than me but, in my view, if you drive confidently, at a reasonable pace, don't get spooked by any faster traffic, know your flags, and have a little common sense, then the ARDS is easy.If you spook easily and can't hack being overtaken in corners, then the ARDS may be difficult for you - and some might say, rightly so.
Many thanks for the input guys- I wonder if I could ask another question - I have just been watching the DVD and there seem to be two sections viewable, a safety section and an ' it could happen to you'? section. Is that all there is on the DVD? Also DVD seems to be buggered as it stops at the section the bloke is doing up his shoelaces!!! .
rpgk said:
Many thanks for the input guys- I wonder if I could ask another question - I have just been watching the DVD and there seem to be two sections viewable, a safety section and an ' it could happen to you'? section. Is that all there is on the DVD? Also DVD seems to be buggered as it stops at the section the bloke is doing up his shoelaces!!! .
That's exactly normal. I too thought the DVD had crashed. It's really bad editing that's all. Sounds like you have all you need there.Gassing Station | UK Club Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff