LEARNING THE ROPES

with ARDTRAINING

As a youngster, I was always advised never to take driving lessons from my Dad. Don’t get me wrong, my Dad is a good driver as he used to drive trucks for a living, but you inevitably end up picking up their bad habits that shine like a Belisha beacon when you take your test, so always go with a professional instructor.

It’s the same with ‘off roading’, watching your mates crunching their 4x4 into low box and charging at an obstacle isn’t always the best option.

So when Russ from Ardventures invited me to tag along on one of his 4x4 Driving and Self Recovery training days at Askham Byran College near York, I jumped at the opportunity to see what new tips I could glean.

On arrival, Russ was already taking 2 customers, Christopher and Christina, around the course in his seriously kitted out Discovery 2. The first part of the day entailed experimenting on how not to do it, and generally making a hash of it all. With Russ driving he’s normalising and explaining the vehicles responses. Then it was both Christopher and Christina‘s turn, this time doing it properly, again with Russ sat beside them.

The course at Askham Byran College is a little gem, and Russ has designed it not only to be safe for novices, but it also has enough tricky sections to keep you on your toes, the kind of obstacles that you’ll need to learn how tackle in your 4x4 when out in the wild, like a slide slope and a steep hill to learn failed hill climbs.

After driving around in Russ’s Disco, Christopher and Christina decided to have a go in their own 4x4, a Land Cruiser, and as they approached each obstacle, Russ was always at hand walking next to driver explaining how best tackle it.

The training that Russ provides isn’t just about how to handle your 4x4 in off road conditions, he also looks at how to read the conditions of the track ahead and how to best approach them.

After lunch, Russ gathered us in a socially distanced circle and talked to about recovery and the importance of having the correct equipment, and knowledge to use it properly.

Russ has being doing this sort of thing for decades, in fact he’s a RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) and BORDA (British Off Road Driving Association) qualified instructor, so he knows his stuff. He’s also the training provider for Mountain Rescue England and Wales and works with Manufacturers like Jeep and Nissan.

Being a qualified instructor, Russ works with a diverse client base, from experienced drivers who want to brush up on their knowledge, complete novices who can be quite nervous to those who simply want to know how their new 4x4 works off the beaten track.

Whilst I was there, and Russ was showing Christopher and Christina how their Land Cruiser works, it would have rude not to have had a drive around the course in Deux Smurf. There were plenty of interesting obstacles and challenges, nothing to ‘catch you out' as such, but enough that’ll get you thinking about how you will tackle them. As a bonus, Tiana Walton (www.tianawalton.com) was also there recording the day for Russ, and she kindly offered to take some photos of me driving around.

Did I learn anything? I did. Did you know that Hill Descent Control works when you’re in neutral? I didn’t.

To prove it, Russ got Christina to drive over the edge of the steep slope, stop, put the Land Cruiser in neutral and release the brakes. I fully expected the Toyota to barrel down the hill, but it didn’t, the electrics took over and the descent was like it would be if you engaged 1st gear low box. It’s obviously very important to point out that it isn’t recommended that chucking off the top in neutral, and probably used as a last resort. AlsoHDC works in reverse and should be used in conjunction with a failed hill climb.

In case you’re wondering, Russ has two parts to his company, there's this side, ARD Training and Events, that offers 4x4 training, self recovery, ATV, winch training and team building. For more details and to book on a course, Click the ad below which will take you to the training website - ardtrainingandevents.co.uk.

The other part is Ardventures, his travel business that offers 4x4 treks in the UK, Europe and North Africa - take a look here - ardventures.co.uk.