
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.
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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 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 If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you
could be in a serious situation. You
should probably stay with your vehicle
unless you know for sure that you are
near help and you can hike through the
snow. Here are some things to do to
summon help and keep yourself and
your passengers safe:
Turn on your hazard flashers.
Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert
police that you’ve been stopped by the
snow.
Put on extra clothing or wrap a
blanket around you.
If you have no
blankets or extra clothing, make body
insulators from newspapers, burlap
bags, rags, floor mats-anything you can wrap around yourself
or tuck
under your clothing to keep warm.
but be careful.
You can run the engine to keep warr~,
111 CAUT’olv Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly
CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO
could overcome you and kill you.
You can’t see it or smell it,
so you
might not know it was in your
vehicle. Clear away snow
from
around the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking your
exhaust pipe. And check around
again from time to time to be sure
snow doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the
side
of the vehicle that’s away from
the wind. This will help keep
CO
out.
153

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
If You Do Decide to Pull a Trailer
(CONT.)
Safety Chains
You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trailer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer
so that the tongue
will not drop to the road if it becomes
separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the trailer
manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave
just enough slack
so you can turn with
your rig. And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Does your trailer have its own brakes?
Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes
so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. And:
If your vehicle has anti-lock brakes,
do not
try to tap into your vehicle’s
brake system. If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all.
Even if your vehicle doesn’t have anti-
lock brakes, don’t tap into your
vehicle’s brake system
if the trailer’s
brake system will use more than
0.02
cubic inch (0.3 cc) of fluid from your
vehicle’s master cylinder. If it does,
both braking systems won’t work
well.
You could even lose your brakes.
Will the trailer brake parts take 3,000
psi (20 650 kPa) of pressure? If not,
the trailer brake system must not be
used with your vehicle.
If everything checks out this far, then
make the brake fluid tap at the upper
rear master cylinder port. But don’t
use copper tubing for this. If you do,
it will bend and finally break
off. Use
steel brake tubing.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself
with the feel of handling and braking
with the added weight of the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the
vehicle you are driving is now
a good
deal longer and not nearly
so responsive
as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical connector, lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer
moving and then apply the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure the brakes
are worling. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time. During your
trip, check occasionally to
be sure that the load is secure, and that
the lights and any trailer brakes are still
working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead
as you would when
driving your vehicle without a trailer.
This can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden
turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up
ahead when you’re towing a trailer.
And, because you’re a good deal longer,
you’ll need to go much farther beyond
the passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the
trailer to the left, just move that hand
to
the left. To move the trailer to the right,
move your hand to the right. Always
back up slowly and, if possible, have
someone guide you.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your Driving and the Road
Driving with a Trailer (CONT.)
Making Turns
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this
so your trailer won’t strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or
other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has
to have a different turn signal flasher
and extra wiring. The green arrows on
your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane
change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lights will also flash, telling other
drivers you’re about to turn, change
lanes or stop.
I60
When towing a trailer, the green arrows
on your instrument panel will flash for
turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. Thus, you may think
drivers behind you are seeing your
signal when they are not. It’s important
to check occasionally to be sure the
trailer bulbs are still working.
Your vehicle has bulb warning .lights.
When you plug trailer lights into your
vehicle’s lighting system, its bulb
warning lights may not let you know if
one
of your lights goes out. So, when
you have trailer lights plugged in, be
sure to check your vehicle and trailer
lights from time to time to be sure
they’re all working. Once you disconnect the trailer lights, the bulb
warning lights again can tell you if one
of your vehicle lights
is out.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down,
you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around
45 mph
(70 Wh) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer and you have
an automatic transaxle with Overdrive,
it’s best to drive in
D instead of (or,
as you need to, a lower gear). This will
minimize heat build-up and extend the
life of your transaxle.