ARDS Test

[Oilchange]

Did my ARDS a few days ago at Silverstone, the instructor was a hard task master but I passed. I found a few issues that didn't help were the gear change in the Renault was problematic, I had only a few laps to familiarize myself with the track and not looking ahead enough. He nagged me about those Make sure you look ahead with your whole head ala driving test, not just a glance!!

It's not the same as track day driving and he emphasized this but I guess it helps having some speedy cornering under your belt.

I had to listen intently to what he was saying and convince him that I was open to criticism for a start. You have to be as all the top drivers have coaches, there are no drivers that know it all. He suggested I get plenty of instruction which was the plan to be honest.

Ultimately you don't have to be the next Johnny Herbert out there, just build it up and be seen to be taking in and doing what he's saying. And of course don't spin, go off or create an issue with other drivers.

I did feel that the place 'liked' young, keen and talented lads that had a future and were genuinely fast but I'm a bit older and would be at the back of the pack in any grid and would be happy to work my way forward, hell, we all have to start somewhere, right?

Edited by Oilchange on Tuesday 5th February 11:00

[Count Johnny]

bqf said:

Don't need to know the regs inside out, it's just flags and common sense.

While it's true that you don't need to know the regs inside out, to actually pass your ARDS, I do think you should know the relevant sections of the Grey Book to go racing - and I'm constantly dismayed by my colleagues in this respect.

Learn your flags, pass your ARDS, read (and understand) your Grey Book, then go racing, IMO.

[Maxx]

Count Johnny said:

...
Learn your flags, pass your ARDS, read (and understand) your Grey Book, then go racing, IMO.

Grey Book? not another one

[cookracing]

Silverstone really seem to push (well they did 2 years ago) you towards doing the full day course to get more practice laps under your belt, especially if you've never driven onca track before (like me). They also did an intro to throttle controlled sliding Caterhams and a trollied Renault Megane skid control (can still smell burning clutch Mr Hunt!), Yes they got an extra 200 quid out of me, but I guess it's fair enoughto expect someone to practice something before taking a test...?

[bqf]

Count Johnny said:

While it's true that you don't need to know the regs inside out, to actually pass your ARDS, I do think you should know the relevant sections of the Grey Book to go racing - and I'm constantly dismayed by my colleagues in this respect.

Learn your flags, pass your ARDS, read (and understand) your Grey Book, then go racing, IMO.

Looked Blue last time I looked, mind you, I was 40 last year. Maybe I have gone blindificated

[bqf]

tapkaJohnD said:

I'm surprized that Mr.Greensall wasn't black flagged by that track day's organisers.
John

Nigel Greensall? On a track day?

[Count Johnny]

bqf said:

Looked Blue last time I looked, mind you, I was 40 last year. Maybe I have gone blindificated

If you'd read the contents - particular the regs for ROPS - you'd understand why it's called the Grey Book.

[Count Johnny]

bqf said:

Nigel Greensall? On a track day?

As someone else pointed out, it was actually a test day, but Nigel does do track days if that's the easiest way to get time at a given circuit.

Nigel and I did just that at Donington, last season.

[Mobsy]

Took my ARDS at Silverstone, I'd heard they were the toughest and I wanted to know that I'd be OK as a racing driver. My instructor/examiner was Danny Watts and it was p*ssing it down. I remember he told me that if I went off the track I'd fail, if I spun I'd fail and if I don't go as fast as he thought I could I'd fail. Passed OK.

[bromers2]

speedy7 said:

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.

Interesting - when I took my test there a few months ago the young lad with me failed, he'd never been to the track before !!

[JEVS123]

I did my ARDS at Silverstone. I found almost all of the instructors to be arrogant which was probably as a result of the tone set by the chap running the place who I believe was called Mark? I appreciate it's a serious business but they really should make an attempt to be pleasant and try to ensure that their customers actually enjoy and take away from the experience whether they pass or not, it costs nothing!

[McSam]

JEVS123 said:

I did my ARDS at Silverstone. I found almost all of the instructors to be arrogant which was probably as a result of the tone set by the chap running the place who I believe was called Mark? I appreciate it's a serious business but they really should make an attempt to be pleasant and try to ensure that their customers actually enjoy and take away from the experience whether they pass or not, it costs nothing!

I did mine at Silverstone when I was 16 (2008, I think), and while the lead guy was actually quite arrogant my instructor (Chaz) was top notch. Very enthusiastic and happy to work with me, also unruffled by minor errors but made it very clear to me what I needed to do in the test laps.

I went to Silverstone because I heard it's the best one in the UK, and I did their full day for similar reasons. This got me plenty of tuition time in the Exige I was to be tested in, which was invaluable, plus the Caterham autotest and some skid control fun as others have mentioned. A professional day that left me feeling properly tested and confident that I was up to the task - a feeling made stronger by 7 of the 16 on my course failing, despite there being many 911s and Evos in the car park that day.

And I'm told that, while they default to the Meganes, if you ask nicely when booking a full day course they will give you an Exige to run in. So long as you're under 6'2, do that!

Oh, and as for the theory, I echo others - learn the flags inside out and, if I recall correctly, have some vague understanding of car control too. Hopefully this is a prerequisite anyway. I finished mine in less than five minutes and was astonished how much thought everyone else seemed to be giving it

[Count Johnny]

^Good post.

[bqf]

rpgk said:

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

It's virtually impossible to pass. You'll never make it. It's way too difficult. There is a thread like this almost every month, and the advice is always the same: Go home. Too hard.

[spyderman8]

bqf said:

It's virtually impossible to pass. You'll never make it. It's way too difficult. There is a thread like this almost every month, and the advice is always the same: Go home. Too hard.

And even if you do pass, you'll never afford it...

[JEVS123]

I actually did the full day course and spent the morning with Chaz. He was brilliant and the rest of the guys there should take a leaf out of his book!!

McSam said:

I did mine at Silverstone when I was 16 (2008, I think), and while the lead guy was actually quite arrogant my instructor (Chaz) was top notch. Very enthusiastic and happy to work with me, also unruffled by minor errors but made it very clear to me what I needed to do in the test laps.

I went to Silverstone because I heard it's the best one in the UK, and I did their full day for similar reasons. This got me plenty of tuition time in the Exige I was to be tested in, which was invaluable, plus the Caterham autotest and some skid control fun as others have mentioned. A professional day that left me feeling properly tested and confident that I was up to the task - a feeling made stronger by 7 of the 16 on my course failing, despite there being many 911s and Evos in the car park that day.

And I'm told that, while they default to the Meganes, if you ask nicely when booking a full day course they will give you an Exige to run in. So long as you're under 6'2, do that!

Oh, and as for the theory, I echo others - learn the flags inside out and, if I recall correctly, have some vague understanding of car control too. Hopefully this is a prerequisite anyway. I finished mine in less than five minutes and was astonished how much thought everyone else seemed to be giving it

[McSam]

Cheers Johnny.

JEVS123 said:

I actually did the full day course and spent the morning with Chaz. He was brilliant and the rest of the guys there should take a leaf out of his book!!

Ah right, nice one! He did my tuition and test and was a great guy to have in the passenger seat. In the morning I lost it big time, a proper look-out-the-side-window job at 90mph, just about kept it on the black bit. He was unruffled and urged me to get straight back on the pace until the end of my session.. But when we got back to the pits he was straight out and over to another car to tell the instructor "You've gotta go out and see the skidmarks we've left at Ireland, it's insaaaane!"

From my experience at Silverstone, and what I've heard about the courses elsewhere, I could never recommend it highly enough and would think anyone who knew the score and didn't go to Silverstone was a bit nuts

[crosseyedlion]

McSam said:

Cheers Johnny.

JEVS123 said:

I actually did the full day course and spent the morning with Chaz. He was brilliant and the rest of the guys there should take a leaf out of his book!!

Ah right, nice one! He did my tuition and test and was a great guy to have in the passenger seat. In the morning I lost it big time, a proper look-out-the-side-window job at 90mph, just about kept it on the black bit. He was unruffled and urged me to get straight back on the pace until the end of my session.. But when we got back to the pits he was straight out and over to another car to tell the instructor "You've gotta go out and see the skidmarks we've left at Ireland, it's insaaaane!"

From my experience at Silverstone, and what I've heard about the courses elsewhere, I could never recommend it highly enough and would think anyone who knew the score and didn't go to Silverstone was a bit nuts

Had chaz test a formula renault for us as part of my degree. The guy was an absolute legend and a pleasure to work with. Very patient and understanding with some VERY novice students setting up a single seater.

[corporalsparrow]

Did my ARDS yesterday at Brands. Tougher and more stressful than I had anticipated!

A few very ambiguous questions in the written test, plus one question re the new 2014 yellow flag rule which isn't covered on the DVD.

On track was fine, although the car started clonking which caught the instructor's attention. Although, leaping from a rear wheel drive front engined coupe into a front wheel drive front engined 205GTI was a bit disconcerting for a few laps.

[shim]

corporalsparrow said:

Did my ARDS yesterday at Brands. Tougher and more stressful than I had anticipated!

A few very ambiguous questions in the written test, plus one question re the new 2014 yellow flag rule which isn't covered on the DVD.

On track was fine, although the car started clonking which caught the instructor's attention. Although, leaping from a rear wheel drive front engined coupe into a front wheel drive front engined 205GTI was a bit disconcerting for a few laps.

And me, did it in the evening and proved to be pretty easy tbh, but still got nervous.