1993 CHEVROLET LUMINA Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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, turn your hghts on,
start your hazard warning flashers, 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.
Cify 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 traf€ic signals.
Here are ways to increase your safety in
city driving:
Know the best way to get to where
you are going.
Try not to drive around
trying to pick out a familiar street or
landmark. Get
a city map and plan
your trip into an unlmown part of the
city
just as you would for a cross-
country trip.
Try to use the freeways that rim and
crisscross most large cities. You’ll
save time and energy. (See the next
section,
Freway Driving.)
Treat a green light as a warning
signal.
A traffic light is there because
the corner is busy enough to need
it.
When a light turns green, and just
before you start to move, check both
ways for vehicles that have not
cleared the intersection or may be
running the red light.
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.
Pull to the right (with care) and stop
clear of intersections when you see or
hear emergency vehicles.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Freeway Driving
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.
I44
Entering the Freeway
At the entrance there is usually a ramp
that leads to the freeway.
If you have a
clear view of the freeway as you drive
along the entrance ramp, you should
begin to check traffic. Try to determine
where you expect to blend with the
flow. If traffic is light, you may have no
problem. But if it is heavy, find a gap as
you move along the entering lane and
time your approach. Try to 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’s 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
lane as the passing lane.
Before changing lanes, check your
rearview mirrors. Then use your turn
signal.
Just before you leave the lane,
glance quickly over your shoulder to
make sure there isn’t another vehicle in
your “blind” spot.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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
$0 slow down and exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit speed 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 lun/h)
might seem like only
20 mph (30 lmih).
Obviously, this could lead to serious
trouble on a ramp designed for
20 mph
(30 Wh)!

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
‘I
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.
I46
Before leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you’re ready. Try to be well
rested. If you 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
of the journey. Wear
comfortable clothing and shoes you can
easily drive in.
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 Chevrolet 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:
Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the
reservoir full? Are all windows clean
inside and outside?
shape?
Have you checked all levels?
lenses clean?
Wiper Blades: Are they in good
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:
Lights: Are they all working? Are the I
Tires: They are vitally important to a I
safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread
good enough for long-distance
driving? Are the tires all inflated to
the recommended pressure?
weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short
time to avoid a major storm system?
Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps?
Weather Forecasts: What’s the

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine On the Road
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 drinlts 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, and 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.
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:
Make sure your vehicle is well
ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
CAUTION
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is
different
from driving in flat or rolling
terrain. 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.
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 this: 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.
I48
A
If you don’t shift down, your
brakes could get
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
I downhill slope.
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.
Coasting downhill in
11 It takes longer to pass another vehicle
N (Neutral) or with the when you’re going uphill. You’ll want
ignition off is dangerous. Your to leave extra room to pass.
If a
brakes will have to do all the work vehicle is passing you and doesn’t
of slowing down. They could get so have enough room, slow down to
hot that they wouldn’t work well. make it easier for the other vehicle to
You could crash. Always have your get by.
engine running and your vehicle in
gear when you go downhill.
i

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As you go over the top of a hill, be
alert. There could be something in
your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
You may see highway signs on
mountains that warn
of special
problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no passing zones, a falling
rocks area,
or winding roads. Be alert
to these and take appropriate action.
problems. See the
Index under Winter
Driving.
. ..
Winter driving can present special
,, “$“
Parking on Hills
Hills and mountains mean spectacular
scenery. But please be careful where
you stop if you decide to look at the
view or take pictures.
Look for pull-offs
or parking areas provided for scenic
viewing.
Another part
of this manual tells how to
use your parking brake (see the
Index
under Parking Brake). But on a
mountain or steep hill, you can do one
more thing. You can turn your front
wheels to keep your vehicle from rolling
downhill or out into traffic.
Here’s how:
Parking Downhill
Turn your wheels to the right.
You don’t have to jam your tires against
the curb, if there is a curb.
A gentle
contact is all you need.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ..I
Your Driving and the Road
Parking on Hills (CONT.)
Parking Uphill
If there is a curb, turn your wheels to
the left
if the curb is at the right side of
your vehicle.
I50
If you’re going uphill on a one-way
street and you’re parking on the left
side, your wheels should point to the
right. If there is no curb when you’re parking I
uphill, turn the wheels to the right.
If there
is no curb when you’re parking
uphill on the left side of
a one-way
street, your wheels would be turned to
the left.