1993 BUICK RIVIERA Owners Manual

if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a
lot of water
is standing on the road. If you can see
reflections from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops “dimple” the water’s surface, there could \
be hydroplaning.
Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There
just isn’t a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The
best advice is to slow down when it is raining, and be
.
careful.
Some Other .Rainy Weather Tips
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Turn on your headlights -- not just your parking
lights
-- to help make you more visible to others.
Look for hard-to-see vehicles corning from behind.
You may want to use your headlights even in
daytime if it’s raining hard.
Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray. If the road spray is
so heavy you are
actually blinded, drop back. Don’t pass until conditions improve. Going more slowly
is better
than having an accident.
Use your defogger
if it helps.
Have good tires with proper tread depth. (See
“Tires” in the Index.)
Driving in Fog, Mist and Haze
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Fog can occur with high humidity or heavy frost. It can,
be
so mild that you can see through it for several
hundred feet (meters).
Or it might be so thick that you
can see only a few feet (meters) ahead. It may come
suddenly to an otherwise clear road. And it can be a
major hazard.
When you drive into a fog patch, your visibility will be
reduced quickly. The biggest dangers are striking the
vehicle ahead
or being struck by the one behind. Try to
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Don’t use your high beams. The light will bounce off
the water droplets that make up fog and reflect back at
you.
Use your defogger.
In high humidity, even a light
buildup of moisture on the inside of the glass will cut
down on your already limited visibility.
Run your
windshield wipers and washer ‘occasionally. Moisture
can build up on the outside glass, and what seems to be
fog may actually be moisture on the outside of your
windshield.
Treat dense fog as an emergency.
Try to find a place to
pull off the road. Of course you want to respect
another’s property, but you might need to put something
between you and moving vehicles
-- space, trees,
telephone poles, a private driveway, anything ,that
removes you from other traffic.
If visibility is near zero and you
must stop but are
unsure whether you are away from the road, tu_m your
lights on, start your hazard warning flasher, and sound your horn at intervals or when you hear approaching
traffic.
Pass other vehicles in fog only if you can see far enough
ahead to pass safely. Even then, be prepared to delay
your pass if you suspect the fog is worse up ahead.
If
other vehicles try to pass you, make it easy for them.

City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You’ll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.
0 Obey all posted speed limits. But remember that they
are for ideal road, weather and visibility conditions.
You may need to drive below the posted limit
in bad
weather or when visibility is especially poor.
0 Pull to the right (with care) and stop clear of
intersections when you see or hear emergency
vehicles.
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'Freeway Driving Entering the Freeway
the entering lane and time your approach. Try lo merge
into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on
your turn signal, check your rearview mirrors as you
move along, and glance over your shoulder as often as
necessary.
Try to blend smoothly with the traffic flow.
Driving on the Freeway
Once.you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the
posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it& slower. Stay
in the right lane unless you want to pass.
If you are on a
two-lane freeway, treat the right lane as the slow lane
and the left lane as the passing lane.
If you are on a three-lane freeway, treat the right lane as
the slower-speed through lane, the middle lane as the
higher-speed through lane, and the left fane as the
passing lane.
Before changing lanes, check your rearview mirrors.
Then use your
turn signal.
Mile for mile, freeways (also called thruways,
parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways) are the safest of all roads. But they have their own
special rules.
The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same
speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast 'or
too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic flow. Treat the
left lane on a freeway as a passing lane.
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Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your
shoulder to make sure there isn’t another vehicle in your
“blind” spot.
If you are moving from an outside to a center lane on a
freeway having more than two lanes, make sure another
vehicle isn’t about to move into the same spot. Look at
the vehicles two lanes over and watch for telltale signs:
turn signals flashing, an increase in speed,
or moving
toward the edge of the lane. Be prepared to delay your
move.
Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you
allow a reasonable following. distance. Expect to move
slightly slower at night.
Leaving the Freeway
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper
lane well in advance. Dashing across lanes at the last
minute is dangerous.
If you miss your exit do not, under
any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the
next exit.
At each exit point is a deceleration lane. Ideally it
should be long enough for you to enter it at freeway
speed (after signaling, of course) and then do your
braking before moving onto the exit ramp.
Unfortunately, not all deceleration lanes are long enough
-- some are too short for all the braking. Decide when to
start braking. If you must brake on the through lane, and
if there is traffic close behind you, you can allow a little \
extra time and flash your brake lights (in addition to
your turn signal) as extra warning that you are about to
slow down and exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply.
The exit spwd is usually posted. Reduce your speed
according to your speedometer, not to your sense of
motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds,
you may tend to think you are going slower than you
actually are. For example,
40 mph (65 h/h) might
seem like only
20 mph (30 km/h). Obviously, this. could
lead to serious trouble on a ramp designed for
20 mph
(30 km/h)!
Driving a Long Distance
Although most long trips today are made on freeways,
there are still many made
on regular highways.
Long-distance driving on freeways and regular
highways is the same in some ways. The
trip has to be
planned and the vehicle prepared, you drive at
higher-than-city speeds, and there are longer
turns
behind the wheel. You’ll enjoy your trip more if you and
your vehicle are in good shape. Here are some tips for
a
successful long trip.
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~ Before Leaving on a
Long Trip 0 Weather Forecasts: What’s the weather outlook along
your route? Should
you delay your trip a short time
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well rested. If you to avoid a major storm system?
must start when you’re not fresh
-- such as after a day’s
work
-- don’t plan to make too many miles that first part 0 Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
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of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you
can easily drive in. On the Road
Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it’s ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you’ll find experienced and able service experts in
Buick dealerships all across North America. They’ll be
ready and willing to help if
you need it.
Here are
some things you can check before a trip:
0 Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are
all windows clean inside and outside?
0 Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape!
0 Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all
levels?
0 Lights: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean?
0 Tires: They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip.
Is the tread good enough for
long-distance driving?
Are the tires all inflated to the
recommended pressure? Unless you
are the only driver, it is good to share
the
driving task with others. Limit turns behind the wheel to
about
100 miles (160 km) or two hours at a sitting.
Then, either change drivers or stop for some refreshment
like coffee, tea or soft drinks and some limbering up. But do stop and move around. Eat lightly along the way.
Heavier meals tend to make some people sleepy.
On two-lane highways or undivided multilane highways
that do not have controlled access, you’ll want to watch for some situations not usually found on freeways.
Examples are: stop signs and signals, shopping centers with direct access to the highway, no passing zones and school zones, vehicles turning left and right off the road,
pedestrians, cyclists, parked vehicles. td even animals.
Highway Hypnosis
Is there actually such a condition as “highway
hypnosis”?
Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel?
Call
it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or
whatever.
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There is something about an easy stretch of road with
the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the
road, the drone of the engine, and the
rush of the wind
against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Don't let it
happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the
road in less than a second. and you could crash and be
injured.
What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be
aware that
it can happen.
Then here are some tips:
0 Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a
comfortably cool interior.
0 Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to
the sides. Check your rearview mirrors frequently
and your instruments from time to time. This can
help you avoid a fixed stare.'
Wear good sunglasses in bright light. Glare can
cause drowsiness. But don't wear sunglasses at
night. They will drastically reduce your overall vision at the very time you need all the seeing power
you have.
If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service,
or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or
both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as
an emergency.
As in any driving situation, keep pace with traffic and
allow adequate following distances.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
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If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain
roads.
@ Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know
is thisi let your engine do some of the
slowing down. Don't make your brakes do it all.
Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or
long
hill. That way, you will slow down without
excessive use of your brakes.
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
11 so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would
then have poor braking
or even none going
down a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
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/d CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in "N" (Neutral) or with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down. They could
get
so hot that they wouldn't work well. You
could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle
in gear -]en you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down
to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool
your
engine and transaxle, and you can climb the hill
better.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane. That way, you won't be
surprised by a vehicle coming toward you
in the
same lane.
It takes longer to pass another vehicle when you're going uphill. You'll want
to leave extra room to pass.
If a vehicle is passing you and doesn't have enough
room, slow down to make it easier for the other
vehicle to get by.